-Overview
Energy development & water finance are the fastest growing areas of development finance nationwide. From new production facilities and renewable energy source development to the retrofitting and renovation of existing infrastructure to support efficient energy & water projects, this finance has become a driving force in the economic development community.
CDFA’s Intro Energy & Water Finance Course explores the wide range of tools available for financing energy & water projects, including bonds, tax credits, revolving loan funds, grant programs, and more. This course will cover how new energy production/generation, energy efficiency, retrofitting and support programs are used throughout the country to encourage investment in large and small projects alike.
The Intro Energy & Water Finance Course begins with an overview of the complex energy development industry and introduces attendees to the terminology and technology driving this movement. We’ll then examine the entire spectrum of energy financing solutions from bonds to revolving loan funds and innovative incentive programs available to businesses, home owners, development professionals, investors, and government entities.
Day two of the Intro Energy & Water Finance Course will focus on financing water infrastructure development. Because water financing has become one of the critical financing needs in the development finance industry, speakers will explore programs and resources available through the federal government to support water infrastructure development. This course is essential for public leaders, economic development professionals, financial experts, and anyone working to address energy development challenges.
It qualifies for the CDFA Training Institute's Development Finance Certified Professional (DFCP) Program. Start down the road to personal and professional advancement today.
Register
Course Objectives
- Gain knowledge and insight into the complex energy and water financing industries
- Learn about the application of state and federal finance programs for energy and water infrastructure
- Interact with leading development finance professionals from around the country
- Review best practices and case studies that can be implemented in your community
- Gain a greater understanding of the partnership opportunities for energy and water development
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Topics Covered
- Energy and water industry overviews
- Legal and regulatory considerations
- Understanding various financing programs for EE/RE and water sustainability initiatives
- Tax-exempt and taxable bonds for energy and water development
- Loan programs
- Tax credits and other incentive programs supporting energy and water infrastructure
- Innovative approaches and case studies
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Who Should Attend?
- Bond issuers
- Economic development professionals
- Community development professionals
- Broker, dealers and underwriters
- Elected officials
- Government and nonprofit finance officers
- Corporate trustees
- Legal counsel
- Underwriters
- Commercial bankers
- Accountants
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Course Advisor
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Toby Rittner
Council of Development Finance Agencies
President & CEO
Toby Rittner is the President & CEO of Council of Development Finance Agencies (CDFA), a national association dedicated to the advancement of development finance concerns and interests. CDFA is comprised of the nation’s leading and most ... knowledgeable members of the development finance community representing hundreds of public, private and non-profit development entities. Members are state, county and municipal development finance agencies and authorities that provide or otherwise support economic development financing programs. Mr. Rittner runs the day-to-day operations of the Council including the organization’s various educational, advocacy, research, resources and networking initiatives.
Rittner is one of the most vocal and recognized leaders of the development finance industry nationwide and has advised state and federal government leaders, including President Biden and President Obama’s Administration Transition Teams, on economic development finance policy. Through his leadership and guidance, CDFA was successful in preserving private activity bonds and other critical development finance tools during the 2017 tax reform deliberations and has had numerous pieces of legislation introduced in the United States Congress. In 2021, Rittner successfully led a national effort to reauthorize and fund the $10B State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI) program as part of the American Rescue Plan Act.
Rittner focuses on sustainable finance with an emphasis on infrastructure, clean energy food systems, small business and innovations in the development finance industry to drive sustainable outcomes. He has written extensively about impact ready initiatives that leverage and engage capital in ways that drive local sustainability in both the environment and economy.
Rittner is a frequent speaker at local, state and national conferences and events focused on economic development finance. He has been featured in The Bond Buyer, Wall Street Journal, Bloomberg, NPR and other national media publications concerning the advancement of development finance tools. He is the author of CDFA's highly acclaimed Practitioner's Guide to Economic Development Finance and co-author of CDFA's Unlocking Capital: A Handbook for Becoming a High Performing Development Finance Agency.
Rittner is an adjunct faculty member at The Ohio State University and Carnegie Mellon University teaching planning and finance for sustainable economic development. He is also a Development Finance Certified Professional (DFCP) and has completed the prestigious Oxford University Sustainable Finance Foundation Course.
Prior to joining CDFA, Mr. Rittner was the Director of Legislative Affairs for the International Economic Development Council (IEDC). Mr. Rittner has also worked for the Franklin County, Ohio Board of Commissioners and the City of Gahanna, Ohio. Mr. Rittner previously served on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Environmental Financial Advisory Board and is a member of the Advisory Board for the National Community Fund I. Mr. Rittner holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and a Master's of City and Regional Planning degree from The Ohio State University. Mr. Rittner was awarded the Ohio State University College of Engineering Distinguished Alumnus Award in 2016. (More)
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-Agenda
Thursday, August 10, 2017
Thu 8:00 AM - 8:30 AM |
Breakfast & Registration
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Thu 8:30 AM - 9:00 AM |
Welcome & Overview
Welcome participants, introduce CDFA, and set the stage for the course.
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Thu 9:00 AM - 10:00 AM |
Framing the Energy & Water Infrastructure Financing Landscape
Investments in clean energy and water infrastructure projects are growing rapidly, and the need for sustainable financing solutions becomes more important every day. From new production facilities and renewable energy source development to the retrofitting and renovation of existing buildings and systems, energy and water finance has become a driving force in the economic development community. This session will provide a basic overview of the energy and water industries from technical and financial experts and outline the agenda for Day 1 focused on energy and Day 2 focused on water.
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Thu 10:00 AM - 10:45 AM |
Unlocking the Development Finance
This session will set the stage for attendees to build their core knowledge base of the roots and basic principles of development finance. Attendees will also learn about the fundamentals and concepts of building a comprehensive financing strategy to address energy and water projects. The goal of this session is to consider the variety of financing mechanisms available to project developers and provide context for the remaining sessions of the course as we look at implementing specific tools.
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Thu 10:45 AM - 11:00 AM |
Break
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Thu 11:00 AM - 12:00 PM |
Day 1 - Energy Finance: Legal, Policy & Regulatory Considerations
Energy development, both generation and production, is governed by a complex set of legal, policy, and regulatory requirements. These requirements can pose serious challenges to both the physical and financial viability of a project. During this session, counsel and industry representatives will examine the legal, policy, and regulatory hurdles, and provide initial input into how these challenges can be mitigated.
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Thu 12:00 PM - 1:30 PM |
Lunch
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Thu 1:30 PM - 2:30 PM |
Day 1 - Energy Finance: Bonds - Tax-Exempt and Taxable
Bond financing is the bedrock of public finance and has heavily influenced energy development throughout the country. This session will explore the various bond financing options available to state and local development agencies in supporting energy development. Included in this discussion are Qualified Energy Conservation Bonds (QECBs) and Exempt Facility Bonds, as well as traditional tax-exempt and taxable bond financing mechanisms.
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Thu 2:30 PM - 2:45 PM |
Break
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Thu 2:45 PM - 3:45 PM |
Day 1 - Energy Finance: Loans & Tax Credit Programs
Energy-related loan funds of all sizes and federal/state tax credits are available to promote continued investment in energy infrastructure and projects. A variety of different approaches are taken to support energy development with these tools, from local funds to support energy efficiency upgrades to large state funds that support commercial and industrial energy development. In addition, both the federal and state governments have established tax credits to drive energy development. During this session, loan fund and tax credit finance experts will discuss these programs and how they are implemented.
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Thu 3:45 PM - 4:30 PM |
Day 1 - Energy Finance: Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) Financings
Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) financing is taking hold across the country through several innovative programs. Designed to support the expansion of energy efficiency installations in industrial, commercial, and residential buildings, PACE programs incentivize reduction in energy usage by paying for up-front improvements through assessments on property tax bills over time. This session will explain the basic concepts of PACE and highlight some creative programs.
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Thu 4:30 PM |
Adjourn & Cocktail Reception
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Friday, August 11, 2017
Fri 8:00 AM - 8:30 AM |
Breakfast
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Fri 8:30 AM - 8:45 AM |
Revisiting Day 1
At the start of the second day of the Intro Energy & Water Finance Course, we will review some important terms and set the stage for the remaining sessions.
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Fri 8:45 AM - 9:30 AM |
Day 2 - Water Finance: Legal, Policy & Regulatory Considerations
Water infrastructure development has become one of the critical financing needs in the development finance industry. Increased pressure and demand on systems, coupled with the aging existing infrastructure is putting major stress on the available resources for financing water projects. During this session, counsel and industry representatives will examine the legal, policy, and regulatory hurdles facing water development, and provide initial input into addressing these challenges.
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Fri 9:30 AM - 10:30 AM |
Day 2 - Water Finance: State Revolving Loan Fund (SRF) Programs
Every state operates a state revolving loan fund (SRF) program supported by funding from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. These funds are a major catalyst for supporting water projects. During this session, attendees will learn about SRFs and how to access this important source of capital.
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Fri 10:30 AM - 10:45 AM |
Break
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Fri 10:45 AM - 12:00 PM |
Day 2 - Water Finance: Bonds - Feasability, Structuring & Sale
Bond financing plays a major role in the development of water systems. This session will explore the various bond financing options available to state and local development agencies in supporting water development. Included in this discussion will be market analysis, project development and the legal steps necessary for using bonds to finance water infrastructure.
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Fri 12:00 PM - 1:30 PM |
Lunch
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Fri 1:30 PM - 2:30 PM |
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Fri 2:30 PM - 3:30 PM |
Day 2 - Water Finance: Federal Water Financing Solutions
The U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency provide myriad programming for funding and financing water infrastructure. From planning and environmental assessment to clean-up and project funding, these programs offer significant financial resources for moving water infrastructure forward in your community. During this session, representatives from the federal agencies will be on hand to provide insight into the federal funding solutions for water development.
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Fri 3:30 PM |
Adjourn
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-Location
The Intro Energy & Water Finance Course is not currently on the schedule. Please check back for updates.
-Registration
CDFA Member: $350
Non-Member: $500
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CDFA Member: $400
Non-Member: $550
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Register