US ROUND-UP: Sunnova lauds new securitisation, US Air Force Base to receive solar install

14 June 2021: Residential solar and storage installer Sunnova has lauded its latest securitisation of leases and power purchase agreements, claiming the “ground-breaking” deal to be the solar sector’s first securitisation which re-finances collateral from a pre-existing securitisation.

Robert Lane, CFO at Sunnova, said the company was able to achieve the company’s tightest spread over the interest rate benchmark to date for third party-owned asset securitisation, a feat which Lane added reflected the high quality of assets included.

The securitisation consist of US$319m in A-rated, 2.58% notes at a 76.4% advance rate, equivalent to a benchmark swap rate of 140bps. The notes have a weighted average life of just under 7.5 years with an anticipated repayment date of 30 April 2031 and a final maturity of 28 April 2056.

The notes are backed by a portfolio of some 20,900 solar rooftop systems installed across 18 states, Guam, Puerto Rico and the Northern Mariana Islands.

Proceeds from the sales of the notes will be used by Sunnova to repay existing financing arrangements of Sunnova subsidiaries.

Ameresco to fit US Air Force base with solar as part of US$19m refit

15 June 2021: Ameresco has formed a partnership with Cannon Air Force Base and the Defense Logistics Agency Energy to work on a US$19 million project to save energy at the facility in New Mexico.

1.9MW of solar will be installed within a ground-mounted array alongside smart controls and other energy conservation technologies in including LED lighting to deliver on the facility’s energy and sustainability goals.

The works are expected to save Cannon Air Force Base around US$1.1 million in their first year in operation and US$33 million over the contract’s performance period.

Work on the project is set to commence in Q3 2021 and complete in Q1 2023.

Extensible Energy receives US$3.4m funding to scale load flexibility tech

14 June 2021: California-based clean technology company Extensible Energy has received a US$3.4 million capital investment to scale its DemandEx flexibility software, which enables commercial buildings to participate in load flexibility markets.

Extensible targets the commercial solar market in the US, using on-site generation to boost the savings possible by flexibly shifting power loads associated with functions such as heating, cooling and ventilation. With flexibility markets, wherein local grid operators can pay distributed energy resources to contribute towards grid services needs, savings on time-of-use charges and energy bills could be reduced significantly.

Extensible is to use the funding, led by Blu Ox Ventures, to scale both its sales and operations of the DemandEx software.

National Grid Renewables Michigan solar portfolio to generate US$6m for tax revenue.

10 June 2021: National Grid Renewables, the renewables development arm of grid operator National Grid, has revealed that its 40MW MiSolar portfolio in Michigan is set to create US$6 million of revenues for the state.

The portfolio comprises of two 20MW projects – Bingham Solar in Clinton County and Temperance Solar in Monroe County – both of which are owned and operated by National Grid Renewables. Power generated at the sites is sold to utility Consumers Energy.

Based on current Michigan law, the sites are expected to create US$6 million in new tax revenue over the course of their operational life spans, benefiting their local communities while also offsetting some 50,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions.