Investing in Renewables Programme

Claire Mack, Chief Executive, Scottish Renewables

We have seen major deals reach financial close across our industry in recent months, so why does the mood of industry feel gloomy? Despite fresh government backing for our clean power ambitions, the enduring challenges we continue to have domestically leave projects exposed to the crosswinds of turbulent geopolitics.

This session will explore how we can reduce Scotland’s exposure to risk and explore what investment trends are on the horizon.

In this session you’ll learn:

• Insights from those responsible for securing financial investment decisions for some of Scotland’s major onshore and offshore projects
• How macroeconomic headwinds are impacting us here in Scotland and the UK
• What is the strength of feeling for investment across different renewable energy technologies and why
• What might make the investment picture better or worse in the coming months

Chair
Claire Mack, Chief Executive, Scottish Renewables

Speakers
Christopher Aird, Senior Associate, Norton Rose Fulbright
Reuben Aitken, Managing Director, International, Scottish Development International

Accelerating deployment will require government to have more skin in the game to de-risk projects and facilitate ahead of time investment models. From the UK Government’s National Wealth Fund to the Scottish Government’s £500 million commitment to the offshore wind supply chain, funding is on the table to bridge the gap to wider investment capital.

This session will explore how we can maximise the strength of public-private finance partnerships to accelerate deployment and strengthen Scotland’s competitiveness.

In this session you’ll learn:

• Where we are with risk sharing in public-private partnerships
• What steps industry needs to take to reduce risk in the Scottish renewable energy pipeline
• How industry is exploring all potential investment opportunities
• How the various new organisations and funding mechanisms at a Scottish and UK level will work together to drive investment

Speakers
Laura Fidao, Investment Director, Net-Zero, The Scottish National Investment Bank 
Hugo Gordon, Senior Policy Advisor – Investments & Capital Markets, The Investment Association

Amidst fierce global competition, investor confidence is hard earned and needs to be maintained. Regulatory changes have benefitted and hindered industry and there are lessons we can learn to deliver strong returns on investment.

This session will showcase the breadth of investments made so far in Scotland and ask how the growth agendas pursued by government can enable greater success in future.

In this session you’ll learn:

• The balancing act of giving a credible account of risks while maintaining optimism in the investor market
• How the regulator and the regulated view reasonable cost of capital and return assumptions
• Where should we be doing more to demonstrate the investor opportunity across all technologies
• What public and private sector investors believe industry should be focused on

Speakers
Maz Alkirwi, Finance Director - SSE Networks, SSEN Transmission 
Dr Egan Archer, Managing Director, Head of Power, Asset Management, Equitix
Kudakwashe P. Chinyani, Associate, CMS