Models for financing a solar energy projects and the global renewable energy sector has shown steady growth over the past decades.

According to the Energy Outlook 2021, the combined market for wind and solar PV technology in Europe could grow by 35 GW during 2021, requiring an investment of 60 billion euros.

The International Energy Agency says wind power will grow by 8% and solar power by 13%.

Once completed, the solar power plant becomes the cheapest technology to operate for power generation, since solar radiation is available completely free of charge, and modern equipment requires minimal operating costs.

Thus, renewable energy sources easily displace fossil fuels as soon as they enter the market.

This gap will widen even further in 2021. Positive market trends plus preferential terms persisting in many countries will drive the sector’s growth. This is complemented by technological advances that have made newly built solar power plants cheaper on average than coal or nuclear power plants.

An important point in the context of increasing the competitiveness of solar energy is the correct choice models for financing a solar energy plant project.

Among the potential instruments for the implementation of these capital-intensive projects, long-term investment loans and complex project finance instruments are now available to businesses.

CP Finance UK offers the implementation of investment projects in the field of renewable energy around the world.

Our specialists are ready to provide customized solutions for each project, from long-term financing to the development of technical documentation and the construction of a solar power plant under an EPC contract.

Contact us.

Long-term bank loans as models for financing a solar energy plants

A bank loan is one of the oldest and most popular business financing instruments that remains in high demand in solar energy.

A significant percentage of the $ 2.7 trillion invested in renewable energy sources in the world over the previous decade came from long-term loans.

In general, there is no fundamental difference between short-term and long-term loans. Some of the features of the latter are listed below:

• Long-term loans for the construction of solar power plants are usually provided for a period of 5-7 years or more, depending on the type of project.

• The interest rate can be fixed or variable, the latter being common. Recently, loans with a more complex variable interest rate are often offered.

The volatility of interest rates makes it necessary to propose new financial transactions adapted to changing market conditions.

In this sense, the variable interest rate makes the financial model of the solar power plant project more flexible, adapting it to the general conditions of the financial environment. For this reason, banking operations that were previously subject to fixed interest rates are gradually being replaced by indexed loans (linked to the index), the parameters of which vary depending on market fluctuations.

Any lending operation involves the assumption of a certain risk by the lender.

As the maturity period increases, the uncertainty increases, so the requirement for guarantees that protect the lender becomes more common.

A loan for the implementation of a solar project can be protected by real guarantees in the form of securities, real estate, movable property and other valuable assets. If there is not enough collateral, the financial institution may request one or more guarantors to provide debt repayment in the event of a default on the borrower’s company.

Considering that the construction of a large solar power plant with an installed capacity of 100 MW may require about $ 80-100 million or more, some projects are financed by bank syndicates, rather than individual banks.

Syndicated loans are provided for the implementation of large projects and models for financing a solar energy through one credit operation.

This type of lending helps energy companies reconcile the demand for large volumes of financing with their desire to avoid excessive concentration of risk from financial institutions.

Benefits of investment loans for solar energy projects

Investment bank loans as models for financing a solar energy projects have become extremely popular and the ease of obtaining funds is far from the only reason for the demand for this versatile financial instrument.

Long-term bank loans, although used most often for solar projects, cannot be seen as ideal financing.

When determining models for financing a solar energy project, a company should consider the advantages and disadvantages of each of them in a specific business situation.

Disadvantages of using bank loans:

There are no ideal financial instruments.

Every company has a unique economic and financial situation, so not every solution for one company will work for another.

Business owners or those responsible for managing corporate finance should not forget about other alternative financing options that are emerging in the market and can often be more attractive than the popular investment loan.

Borrowers should understand current financial market offerings and carefully analyze individual offers.

The financial team of  CP Finance UK  is ready to provide you and your employees with comprehensive advice on the implementation of investment projects.

Project finance for solar power plants

The project finance (PF) method is one of the most advanced methods of raising funds for the construction of large solar power plants or other capital-intensive energy facilities.

The PF allows a business to attract significantly larger funds in comparison with traditional bank lending.

Large enterprises making long-term investments today are forced to attract capital from outside, since they rarely have significant amounts of their own funds. Various financial instruments come to the rescue, which include loans, leasing and project finance.

Energy companies that run several expensive projects at the same time or are faced with debts for previously consumed energy need capital for further development and implementation of large projects. PF opens up new opportunities for business expansion, relying on the prospects of a specific project, and not on the assets of the borrowing company.

Along with the growing popularity of project finance and the development of more and more efficient variants of Models for financing a solar energy, it is becoming suitable for smaller and smaller projects.

Choosing a model for financial a solar energy project

Companies that succeed in the auction often have limited time to expand their PV capacity.

What are the best models for financing a solar energy project today?

There are two main ways.

The first business models for financing a solar energy projects and  the construction of  the facility is through a long-term bank loan.

In many countries, such a loan is not difficult to obtain by holding a successful auction and submitting a serious business plan.

The second business model involves the organization of project finance (PF) with the involvement of an investor who, at a price determined depending on the capacity of a given facility, finances its construction and acquires ownership of this asset. Sometimes the company, in addition to cash injections associated with the completion of the solar power plant, receives a long-term contract for its maintenance.

The transaction is usually carried out as the purchase of shares in a limited liability company whose assets are a photovoltaic installation.

Typically, a long-term contract for the operation and maintenance of the facility is signed between the same parties.

The company that is the subject of the transaction receives a guaranteed sales price for the energy produced for 10-20 years and guarantees the estimated costs necessary to keep the installation at the highest level of efficiency.

This situation allows investors not only to gain know-how related to the engineering design and construction of power plants, but also to secure a long-term source of income. Equally important in this case is the availability of free funds that can be spent on the development of new projects.

How much does a 1 MW solar power plant cost?

The cost of building a solar power plant remains a secret, which is revealed to the initiator only as a result of detailed design calculations and negotiations with potential contractors and equipment suppliers.

The cost of each megawatt of installed capacity can be named only approximately, focusing on the specifics of the project and the market of the host country.

When developing models for financing a solar energy projects, it is important to take into account the complexity of the construction of such facilities, which in some cases are associated with a certain risk and unpredictability.

This is not only about the construction and installation time of equipment, which can vary from 3-6 months to 1 year or more, taking into account the scale and technical difficulties that may arise at the site.

The project depends on successful planning, engineering design of a solar farm, finding and preparing a suitable site for construction, obtaining licenses, supplying electrical components and metal structures, installation, etc.

If you are planning to build a large solar power plant, contact our consultants.

Our financial and technical team will help you get the expected construction cost estimate, select engineering solutions and determine the optimal financial model for a specific project.

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Solar photovoltaic power plant remains the reasons for investors’ interest in renewable energy sources are growing concerns about climate change, the effects of air pollution on health, the issue of energy security and affordability, as well as fluctuations in hydrocarbon prices.

Currently, the total installed capacity of PV power stations in the world exceeds 600 GW, excluding concentrating solar systems.

It is the second largest renewable energy source after wind farms.

Since the late 2010s, this technology has been a leader in the pace of construction of new power plants.

These figures are twice as much as that of wind farms.

They are even higher than those of fossil fuel plants and nuclear power plants together.

In the past four years, the installed Solar photovoltaic power plant capacity is planned to be increased by 140 GW.

According to experts from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), the development of solar energy is driven by cost savings, technological advances and the creation of the necessary associations to support the sector.

Solar photovoltaic power plant construction

According to IRENA forecasts, the number of new solar photovoltaic stations can increase 5 times over the next 10 years, reaching a total capacity of 2840 GW by 2030 and 8500 GW by 2050.

This means that the installed PV capacity in 2050 will be 18 times more than in 2018. According to European experts, in 2050, 60% of the installed capacity will come from large-scale photovoltaic installations, and the remaining 40% from in-roof PV systems.

Asia dominates the global solar energy market today, accounting for more than half of the world’s new photovoltaic capacities.

In 2019, China added over 30 GW of installed capacity, while the European Union added 16 GW and the United States 13.3 GW.

Asian countries, led by China, are currently leading in the production of photovoltaic energy.

Europe is in second place and North America in third.

Projections show that Asia will continue to lead in installed PV capacity with a share of about 65% of total capacity in 2030. The most significant growth is expected in China, where the installed PV capacity will exceed 1,400 GW in 2030.

North America will take second place with 430 GW by 2030, with 90% of the facilities being built in the United States. Europe will occupy third place with an installed capacity of about 300 GW.

In 2050, Asia will still dominate with almost half of the installed photovoltaic power in the world. According to the estimates, this figure will be 4,800 GW, of which 2,800 GW will be concentrated in China. By then, Chinese solar power will show CAGR of about 9%.

Europe will retain third place with a total installed Solar photovoltaic power plant capacity of 890 GW in 2050. About 22% of European PV installations will be concentrated in Germany.

At the same time, market growth is likely to shift to other, less saturated markets. In the future, the rapid development of solar energy is expected in South America and Africa.

The future growth of solar energy depends largely on a balanced energy policy and a reduction in the cost of PV technology. The ways to achieve this are to use cheaper materials for solar cells, reduce the cost of manufacturing equipment and increase its efficiency.

Construction of solar PV power plants: economic feasibility and cost

Solar energy has been controversial in past decades, but today it is clear that solar power plants will soon replace traditional energy sources.

The widespread use of the technology depends on its current cost-effectiveness. Solar energy today cannot always compete with traditional sources. But the long-term trend is that fossil fuels will rise in price, and solar cells and ancillary electrical equipment will become cheaper.

According to BloombergNEF, in 2020 the cost of renewable energy has dropped significantly around the world.

The levelized cost of energy (LCOE) for large-scale photovoltaic systems has decreased by 4% compared to the second half of 2019 – to € 46 per MWh. Meanwhile, the base LCOE for batteries fell to € 138 / MWh, having fallen in price by 2 times over the past year.

In China, the largest solar market, solar LCOE has dropped to € 35 / MWh thanks to the introduction of more efficient PV cells. This is almost 9% less than in the second half of 2019. The cost of operating new solar power plants in the country is now almost equal to the cost of operating coal-fired power plants, at around € 32 / MWh.

According to BNEF reports, the cheapest Solar photovoltaic power plant projects financed in the first six months of 2020 should reach LCOE in the range of 21-27 € / MWh.

These projects in Australia, China, Chile and the United States will compete with the remaining fossil fuel power plants.

Meanwhile, Abu Dhabi-based EWEC has unveiled the results of the latest solar energy tender in the UAE for a 2 GW solar photovoltaic project. The operator plans to supply energy at a price of only € 12.46 / Mwh.

Solar power plants have a number of advantages over coal-fired TPPs and nuclear power plants:

• The construction of a solar power plant is much faster as the photovoltaic modules are easy to install and connect.

• It is easier for engineering companies to choose the location of the solar power plant in accordance with the infrastructure and terrain features.

• The construction of solar power plants in remote areas reduces the energy losses associated with long-distance transmission.

• Unlike traditional power plants, modular solar energy production can be smoothly expanded as consumption increases.

Solar power plants do not pollute air and water, maintaining an ecological balance. For this reason, solar energy production is stimulated by government initiatives in most developed countries.

Today, there is no longer any doubt about the economic feasibility of building solar power plants.

The time will come when solar energy will completely displace coal and gas from the energy sector.

Construction of solar power plants for industrial enterprises

Industrial enterprises are among the largest consumers of electricity in the world energy market. 

The huge number of equipment and machines requiring power, as well as the accompanying office premises of industrial companies determine the need for an uninterrupted and reliable power supply.

With the awareness of the negative impact of traditional energy sources on the environment, more and more enterprises are switching to renewable energy sources. The challenge is to reduce the carbon footprint at every stage of the manufacturing process.

Many companies, especially in the automotive and electronics sectors, are choosing solar power plants as the optimal technology for generating clean energy.

Industrial facilities use large amounts of energy in a wide variety of processes, which are usually designed for maximum intensity.

The annual electricity consumption for the average US enterprise, for example, is 95.1 kWh per 0.09 m², which is at least 10 times the annual consumption of a typical household. Most of the energy consumed in factories is used in the form of heat, with the remaining about 20% in the form of electricity.

According to the latest research, this ratio is changing. In the 1980s, factories used 25-50% less electricity than they do now. Experts predict that by 2030 the share of electricity in the energy consumption of industrial enterprises will reach 30%.

The electrification of industry not only opens up many opportunities, but also poses new challenges for business. An example is companies that make full use of the electricity generated by coal-fired power plants.

These producers contribute to the problem of greenhouse gas emissions, which, in turn, leads to increased energy costs due to additional environmental taxes. Renewable energy sources minimize these problems. Several studies have shown that the use of solar energy can lead to significant savings in energy costs for manufacturers.

As with many other technologies, the efficiency of solar power plants increases as the scale of construction increases. In 2019, the cost of building a solar PV system for small consumers was US $ 3 per watt. However, this figure drops to $ 1 per watt when it comes to systems with an installed capacity of more than 1 MW.

Compared to coal, solar power is a clear winner because modern technology makes it possible to produce energy cheaper every year.

EPC contracting in solar energy