What are the risks of going green, asks Ian Borders
There is currently pressure across all sectors and industries to think seriously about sustainability. The energy sector has long been involved in thinking about the long-term effects of the industry and its resources and the interest in renewable energy projects has increased dramatically over the last five years.
Lately there has been a particularly significant amount of activity around onshore wind power projects, which can be attributed to a race to benefit from the renewables obligations certificates rates going up in April. This, and the government’s pledge to continue supporting investment in renewable energy, will undoubtedly encourage new and increasingly sophisticated development in the macro-generation sector which will bring with it fresh challenges and opportunities across the entire industry.
Effective risk management targeted at protection of the income stream from the project is likely to become more of a focal point for European renewable project developers and funders looking to secure a good return on their investment.
The impact of an improperly managed
