What prompted your organization to join the CEBA community? 

As a financial advisory and capital markets service provider, CCA Group (CCA) joined CEBA in 2021 and continues to value the CEBA community’s much needed advocation for renewable and clean energy project advancements.

Since our founding in 2003, CCA has been supporting corporates, financial institutions, and energy users in their pursuit of suitable project developers to transact with to support clean energy project development. Joining CEBA has aided CCA in this mission, allowing us to help investors enhance their environmental, social, and governance goals — commonly referred to as ESG goals — and reduce their tax liabilities.

CCA is the industry leader in supporting renewable energy investments. While the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) created the eligibility for bilateral clean energy tax credit transfers, simplifying transactions for new entrants, tax equity financing is not a new concept. At CCA we bring our decades of experience in this space to help companies on either side of a transaction advance clean energy project development.

What does the future of clean energy look like for your organization? 

CCA envisions a continued increase of new and existing clean energy technologies deployed across the U.S., which is why our core business is focused on supporting corporate organizations participation in clean energy and infrastructure project financing.

Following the passage of the IRA, which expanded the scope of technologies eligible for tax credits and created tax credit transfer transactions, the number of new investors entering the market space has continued to grow. The need for financings that monetize tax attributes associated with new projects is greater than ever. CCA strategically collaborates with companies interested in aligning ESG targets with clean energy investments to find capital efficiencies for their corporate initiatives. The record addition of new projects and corporate investors is a sign we are heading in the right direction. 

What has been the most interesting clean energy project during your time with your organization? 

CCA has worked on a number of marque industry transactions, including raising the tax equity capital for the first utility-scale offshore wind project in the U.S., and to date has raised over $46 billion from more than 364 transactions for 119 clients. 

Since the passage of the IRA, CCA has facilitated the origination and execution of more than $3.6 billion of tax credit transfers across 21 projects including:

• The largest PTC transfer transaction on a 500 MW solar project
• The acquisition of a 50% stake in a pre-commercial operation date solar project that incorporated a tax partnership followed by a tax credit transfer of the project’s investment tax credit (ITC)
• Bringing together a 50% tax equity paired with a 50% tax credit transfer structure to support the financing for a 600 MW solar project
• Coordinating and closing the largest battery energy storage systems (BESS) ITC transfer sale involving five separate corporate buyers

Envision a 90% carbon-free U.S. electricity system by 2030 — what is the next step toward a carbon-free energy future? 

Corporate organizations and financial institutions need to pair with project sponsors to facilitate the purchase of federal tax credits, renewable energy credits — also known as RECs — and/or electricity output from clean energy facilities. To achieve a cost competitive and efficient transaction experience, a recognized industry leading service provider, like CCA, will be critical to advancing toward and achieving a 90% carbon-free U.S. electricity system by 2030. 

Thank you for sharing your insights with us! How can folks find you and what should they expect in partnering with CCA? 

Visit our website — ccagp.com — or follow us on LinkedIn. Folks can also email me directly at grizzo@ccagp.com and I would be happy to arrange a call.

CCA has been an industry leader in the renewable energy industry since 2003 with over 20 years of experience supporting tax equity and other structured financial transactions. We pride ourselves on transparency and truly helping to facilitate win/win transactions for all stakeholders. We also recognize that a company’s risk appetite or size can vary which is why we tailor solutions to fit the needs of our clients. We look forward to connecting with more of the CEBA network.