For over a century, the U.S. government has provided subsidies – often in the form of tax credits – to support domestic energy production. For renewable energy sources, these tax credits have traditionally subsidized investment (i.e., a project’s capital expenditure) and production (i.e., the amount of energy produced by a project). But the Inflation Reduction Act altered these tax credits in a number of ways: it significantly extended their life, massively expanded the technologies eligible for them and made them more easily transferable so that project developers can sell them directly to a wide array of third parties for cash. The transferability provision alone has already supercharged the growth of this market and, as a result, has helped to drive low cost capital to project developers attempting to accelerate the energy transition. 

In this episode, Chad Reed and Guy Van Syckle sit down with Alfred Johnson, co-founder and CEO of Crux – a new platform created for developers, tax credit buyers, banks and advisors to manage and transfer tax credits. While an inherently complex and at times eye glazing topic, Alfred dynamically details how his platform works, provides the puts and takes on recent market developments and conveys some sage advice – including lessons from U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen. 

Links:

Crux

Crux Quarterly Market Update: 1Q 2024

The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

Episode recorded May 31, 2024

Email your feedback to Chad, Gil, Hilary, and Guy at climatepositive@hasi.com.