WINDVEST™

WINDVEST™ is Nacel Energy’s process for building partnerships with local COMMUNITY WIND developers; to enhance wind energy project economics and expedite timelines. WINDVEST™ can offer a solution to two major obstacles to COMMUNITY WIND development – (1) the absence of a tax-efficient structure to utilize various Federal and State incentives for wind energy development and/or (2) the scarcity of capital (especially early-stage capital) to initiate new wind power generation projects.

Nacel Energy’s WINDVEST™ process begins with a thorough feasibility and financial review of the proposed COMMUNITY WIND project. Proponents must demonstrate control of the land, whether by lease or outright ownership, and a favorable professional assessment of the wind resource potential of the site must be in place. In addition, all necessary regulatory permits must be in place or in process to build the project. The permitting stage (sometimes difficult in the case of large-scale wind energy development) is one of the principal attractions of COMMUNITY WIND. With local proponents and investors (for example, a local electric co-operative) and community support, the permitting process can be often accomplished in a comparably short period of time. In contrast, a number of major utilities have encountered significant resistance to their wind energy developments – even though those developments have been located in rural or agricultural areas. Lastly, the necessary utility power purchase agreements (PPA) must also be in place or in process.

Following successful completion of the feasibility and financial review, Nacel Energy establishes our WINDVEST™ financial partnership structure which creates the ownership positions in the project and facilitates capital-raising. Nacel Energy assumes a minority non-working interest in all COMMUNITY WIND energy project development. A principal benefit of the Nacel Energy WINDVEST™ structure is that it creates a "monetization" of the Federal Production Tax Credit (PTC). The PTC is a significant source of revenue for any large-scale wind energy project, but almost always holds no financial benefit to COMMUNITY WIND developers. This inability to derive a financial benefit from the PTC is an obstacle to COMMUNITY WIND energy development – one that Nacel Energy via its WINDVEST™ partnership structure can resolve. In addition, the WINDVEST™ partnership structure facilitates the raising of early-stage capital – often on more attractive terms that otherwise available to local COMMUNITY WIND developers.