Defining Bankability for Utility-scale PV

摘要

The emergence of utility-scale photovoltaics (PV) was clearly a highlight of the renewable energy industry in 2010. Despite this good news, most participants would agree that utility-scale PV could grow faster were it not for the complexities and cost of project finance. In response, suppliers have begun to focus on the bankability of their products and technologies. Suppliers do themselves a disservice by presenting the term "bankability" as a binary metric: either a product or a supplier is bankable or it is not. Financial strength and stability are foremost factors in the bankability index. Developers should insist on technology leadership. Inverter technology suppliers must have global reach with adequate local resources. They must have sufficient focus and critical mass. Developers should leverage the experience of their suppliers.