Differences in Risk Approach Between Banks and Utilities
The offshore wind farm sector is gaining momentum. New projects with a capacity of 866MW were installed in 2011. However, a uniquely difficult combination of risks has brought about significantly different approaches to project management between banks and utilities. While utilities strive for a high degree of autonomy in terms of structuring the projects, banks call for a direct influence on and total transparency in the project contracts. Understanding these different perspectives will help both sides to cooperate in order to finance the massive pipeline of future projects.
By Simon Matthiessen and Jérôme Guillet, Green Giraffe Energy Bankers
The offshore wind farm sector is gaining momentum. New projects with a capacity of 866MW were installed in 2011. However, a uniquely difficult combination of risks has brought about significantly different approaches to project management between banks and utilities. While utilities strive for a high degree of autonomy in terms of structuring the projects, banks call for a direct influence on and total transparency in the project contracts. Understanding these different perspectives will help both sides to cooperate in order to finance the massive pipeline of future projects.By Simon Matthiessen and Jérôme Guillet, Green Giraffe Energy Bankers