November 3, 2009 –
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Speaking — |
Bryan Willson, Chief
Technology Strategist of Solix Biofuels; Patty Stulp,
President of Environmental Resource Assessment & Solutions and a
leading proponent of the ethanol industry in Colorado; Michael Goldstone,
Office of Chief Counsel of the U.S. Department of Energy; and panel
moderator John Jacus,
DGS Environmental Partner, will review advances in biofuel technology,
funding and regulation in a lively panel discussion. Join us for a look at bio-energy options in Colorado and
the influence these technologies and related advances may have on the
state's business and economic future. |
Click
here for materials
Additional
referenced materials
October 22, 2009 –
The Intricacies: Clean Tech & Renewable Energy Finance
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Speaking — |
Join Hull
McKinnon, Principal and CFO, Altira Group LLC, Frank Amoroso,
VP Rocky Mtn. Region, Silicon Valley Bank, James Whitmire,
DGS Tax Partner and Ryan Arney,
DGS Corporate Partner, who will moderate the session. |
Discussion issues are likely to include:
- Market update of debt and equity financing of
clean tech and renewable energy deals in Colorado
- Perspectives from Colorado-based private equity
and lending sources, including how capital is being deployed in
Colorado, the clean tech and renewable energy opportunities that are
receiving funding and what issues clean tech and renewable energy
companies and executives should be mindful of as they seek debt or
equity capital
- Update on available federal tax credits and
ARRA-related grants, including recently issued guidance from the
U.S. Treasury
- Corporate and tax structuring issues related to
both private financing alternatives and government-based financing
alternatives
June 26, 2009 –
The Road to Colorado's Future: The Mass Transit(ion) to Alternative
Transportation Technologies
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Speaking — |
Dale Hill, Chairman, Founder
& CTO of Proterra,
maker of composite body, hybrid-electric, plug-in hybrid buses; Jeff Probst,
CEO, Blue Sun Energy, an
integrated agriculture-energy/biodiesel company; Bob Yuhnke,
Director, Transportation Programs/Southwest Energy Efficiency Project an organization
that targets energy efficiency in the industrial and transportation
sectors; and DGS partner Roger
Freeman, who will moderate and comment about
Colorado’s potential for Maglev
transportation systems and related issues. |
Discussion issues are likely to include:
- Emerging developments in hybrid transportation
systems, technologies and products. Market conditions,
infrastructure and support needed to move toward alternative
transportation vehicles, products and services
- Blueprint for a viable, cost-effective and
climate-friendly transportation strategy for Colorado’s New Energy
Economy
- Comments concerning low carbon fuel standards and
future impact on petroleum and renewable fuels
- Consideration of other advanced transportation
technologies, including magnetic levitation and similar high-speed
technologies
Click
here for materials (1 of 2)
Click
here for materials (2 of 2)
May 14, 2009 –
Climate Change Policy in Colorado
|
Speaking — |
Alice Madden, Colorado Governor Bill Ritter's Climate Change
Coordinator, |
Our speakers will discuss important climate change issues
and developments of interest to Colorado's business community, including:
- Emerging federal climate change legislation, its
likely effect on the Western Climate Initiative and other regional
efforts, and the latest ARRA stimulus funding developments affecting
alternative and renewable energy development efforts
- The EPA's recent endangerment finding, the status
of pending climate change litigation and steps being taken to meet
the goals of the Colorado Climate Action Plan
- EPA-proposed GHG reporting rules, affected
industry sectors, and Colorado's new voluntary reporting program
April 8, 2009 –
Green Buildings: The Present and Future in Colorado
Speaking — Jack Sinclair, Sustainable
Development Coordinator, Community Planning and Development, City
and County of Denver; Greg Stark, P.E., HBDP, LEED
AP. Commercial Buildings Research Group, National Renewable Energy
Laboratory (NREL); Jamie Gard, Senior Managing Director,
Frederick Ross Company; and Paul
Means, Attorney, DGS Real Estate and Renewable &
Alternative Energy groups.
In the United States alone, buildings account for:
- 72% of electricity consumption,
- 39% of energy use,
- 38% of all carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions,
- 40% of raw materials use,
- 30% of waste output (136 million tons annually), and
- 14% of potable water consumption.
– Source: U.S. Green Building Council
A major piece of the country's
energy future is reducing energy consumption. The
recent growth of green construction and design is likely the most
successful and promising movement on that front. Join us for a look
at both the current and future state of green
commercial construction in Colorado.
Come hear about the latest projects in
Denver, new commercial construction methods and code-related [issues],
including:
- LEED Silver certified 1515 Wynkoop building, built by Hines
- Next generation of NREL-developed green
commercial construction
- Evolution of sustainable building
codes, in Denver
and nationally.
Panelists will also discuss the impact of
the new federal focus on green construction and what we
can expect out of our built environment in the coming years.
March 5, 2009
The Stimulus: Bringing
Green Projects and Jobs to Colorado
Speaking — Tom Plant,
Director of the Colorado Governor's Energy Office, Paul Nelson of
the CU Energy Initiative and Judy
Matlock of DGS. The discussion will be
moderated by Roger Freeman of
DGS.
The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 makes
significant investments in renewable energy. How is Colorado
positioned to win federal investment in its green economy, and how
can the public and private sector work together to maximize the
federal funding available to Colorado business?
Some highlights of the Stimulus Package include:
Direct Funding
- $16.8 billion dollars in direct funding for
renewable energy and energy efficiency programs over the next 10
years, including:
- $4.5 billion to modernize the nation's electric
grid with smart grid technology
- $2.5 billion for renewable energy and energy
efficiency research and development
- $2 billion for grants for manufacturing of
advanced batteries and components, including lithium ion batteries,
hybrid electrical systems and components
Bonds and Loan Guarantees
- $1.6 billion of new Clean Energy Renewable Bonds
for wind, biomass, geothermal, landfill gas and trash combustion
facilities, with one third of the funding available to
state/local/tribal governments, one third to public power providers
and one third for electric cooperatives
- $6 billion for the Renewable Energy Loan
Guarantee Program for renewable energy power and transmission
projects
Tax Incentives
- Three to four year extension of the Production
Tax Credit (PTC) for electricity derived from renewable sources
- Extension of the Investment Tax Credit (ITC) to
all types of renewable energy
- $2 billion in tax credits to retool or create
facilities that manufacture components used to generate renewable
energy
- Increased credits for alternative fuel pumps
Source: ACORE
Summary of Stimulus Bill
Among the questions raised by the package that our
speakers will address:
- What are positive impacts expected in Colorado
from the Stimulus Package?
- Is Colorado positioned to double production
of alternative energy in 36 months, as outlined by the stimulus
package?
- Which Colorado companies are suited to help
modernize more than 75 percent of federal buildings and improve
the energy efficiency of two million American homes?
- What impact will programs like Red Rocks
C.C.'s Energy Technology Program, CU's Energy Initiative and
CSU's School of Global Environmental Sustainability have on the
President's goal to develop knowledge, the economy and the country's
technology leadership position?
- How will Colorado's Public Utilities Commission
facilitate investment in Colorado renewable energy projects?
November 20, 2008
The
Synergies: International Perspectives, Colorado Impacts
Speaking — Derek Stilwell of Vestas-American
Wind Technology, Leopoldo
Burguete Stanek and Luis
A. Esparza Romero of González Calvillo, S.C., a
Mexican law firm involved with noteworthy renewable energy
projects; opening remarks from Roger Freeman and Scot Anderson
of DGS.
Join us for a cross-border look at how
renewable energy initiatives abroad are having an impact on
Colorado, including a review of Mexico's recently approved Law for
the Improvement of Renewable Sources of Energy and the Financing for
Energy Transition (LAERFE) and a Vestas perspective on the
international climate in Mexico, Europe and across the world.
Discussion will focus on the international
attention our state and its renewable energy resources are garnering, and
will compare new energy economy lessons from Mexico, Europe and
the U.S., including:
- Who are the international
companies operating or establishing renewable energy
operations in Colorado?
- What lessons can Colorado learn from Mexico's
renewable energy projects and experiences?
- How are the global supply chain and other market
forces internationally affecting domestic, particularly Colorado,
businesses and projects in the renewable energy space?
- How do Colorado projects compare to those in
Mexico and Europe?
- Is the state seeing investment or strategic
partnership opportunities, and from where?
October 6, 2008
The Innovators:
The Clean-Tech Deals Seeding Our Renewable Future
Speaking — DGS Partners Ryan Arney and Roger Freeman along with Blake Jones of
Namaste Solar and John
Hereford of Hereford Capital.
Join us for a look at how clean-tech deals come
together and how renewable energy/clean-tech companies
operate. First, we'll take a look at the unique path Boulder's
Namaste Solar has followed in establishing its company and vision.
Then, we'll review the Belmar project, which has matched solar
energy with commercial development and project finance. Company,
investor and consultant views will help us explore the interplay between
new ideas, technology development and deployment, funding and
business issues.
From these examples, we'll discuss and examine:
- Who are the companies developing clean-tech
products and services, and
what are their experiences? - How do clean-tech deals work?
- Who's funding clean-tech in Colorado and beyond?
How are projects financed?
- What are investors and/or lenders looking for
from clean-tech companies?
- When and where do early-stage companies look for
investors; are "legacy" energy companies viable candidates
to invest in emerging clean-tech companies?
- Does the New Energy Economy differ from the
Internet Economy? Is clean-tech sustainable?
September 2008
See October detail above for program information.
August 19, 2008
The Economics: Attracting
Financing and Paying for Renewable Energy
Speaking — DGS Partners Judy
Matlock, Larry Nemirow and Ron Levine.
With Congress debating the extension of about-to-expire
federal tax credits, the Colorado PUC considering rulemaking procedures
and the Colorado Governor's Energy Office promoting the state's new
energy economy, the mix of renewables-related incentives, financing,
lending and tax issues is complex — and must be clearly understood to
advance projects.
At this session, we'll discuss:
- How are renewable energy projects financed?
- What are the key considerations in investing and
attracting investment in the renewable energy sector?
- What are lenders concerned about in this sector?
- What federal tax credits and deductions are
available for renewable energy projects?
- What structures are available for transferring
tax benefits to investors?
- What renewable energy incentives exist on the
state and local level in the Rocky Mountain West?
- How are electric retail rates established and how
does the retail rate impact cap under the Colorado PUC rules for
renewable energy work?
Click here for materials
Click here for handouts
July 30, 2008
The Challenges:
Environmental Issues in Renewable Energy
Speaking — DGS Renewable & Alternative
Energy Group Partners:
Roger Freeman, John Jacus and Zach Miller.
Building from a typical wind/solar transaction, we'll
cover topics and transactional elements such as:
- Environmental Issues Typical in Developing,
Financing or Acquiring Alternative Energy Projects
- Environmental Permits/Approvals Required for
Alternative Energy Projects
- Wind, Solar & Geothermal - Unique Issues,
Similarities & Differences
- "Bird & Bees" of
Wildlife Protection - Legal Framework /Mitigation
Techniques for Wind Turbines
- PUC Environmental Requirements
- Federal Lands and Agency Actions - Unique Issues
- Case Studies - Notes & Lessons for the Rocky
Mountain West
- Click here for materials.
June 26, 2008
The Project:
Developing a Renewable Energy Site
Speaking — Partner Barbara
Mueller
and Senior Associate Paul
Means
of the DGS Real Estate and Renewable & Alternative Energy
groups.
Join Barbara and Paul and your colleagues in a
down-to-earth discussion and plenty of pointers for developing buildable,
finance-friendly sites for renewable energy projects, including:
- What leasing, easement or ownership rights does a
developer positively, absolutely
have to have? - What will the lender want?
- What will the planning and zoning office insist
on? (And how to make it happen.)
- Transmission line issues – How do you get from
there to here?
- Checklists, sidesteps, pitfalls and accounting
for human nature.
May 22, 2008
The Mandates:
States Set the Standards for Renewable Energy
Speaking —
Judy Matlock - Partner in the DGS energy
practice group. She represents companies in connection with electric
integrated resource planning, electric rate cases, and the construction
and financing of both utility and independent electric generation
projects involving natural gas, solar and wind.
Steven H. Denman - Attorney who has
represented Aquila, Inc. in PUC and other regulatory matters in Colorado
for over 20 years.
Join Judy and Steve for a detailed discussion of how
industry, legal and administrative requirements impact renewable
energy projects in Colorado and other states.
- How did Colorado's Amendment 37 and Renewable
Energy Statute change the renewable energy playing field?
- How did a negotiated rulemaking process result in
our current renewable standards rules?
- What are the requirements of Colorado's Renewable
Energy Standards Statute and the Colorado PUC's implementing
regulations?
- What issues have been resolved in renewable
energy dockets at the PUC to date?
- What compliance plans and reports need to be
filed by utilities?
- What renewable energy mandates are pending in
other western states?
April 30, 2008
The Vision:
Colorado at the Forefront of the Renewable Energy Industry
Speaking — Roger Freeman with Morey Wolfson, Colorado Governor's Energy
Office, Utilities Program Manager
Learn more about how Colorado and other Rocky
Mountain states are leading the way in the renewable energy
industry.
- What are the major public and private
sector initiatives that will foster the development of
renewable energy projects in the next decade?
- What is the overall legal and political construct
for these rapid changes?
- What impact will Governor Ritter's Climate Action
Plan have on this process?
- What implications do new technologies have for
our conventional electric generation facilities?
Click here for materials. (1 of 2)
Click here for materials. (2 of 2)
INFO
8:00 to 9:30 a.m. RSVP now
for next program to Phone-in
participation is welcome. Email Lauren
for instructions. Davis Graham & Stubbs
LLP Info: (303) 892-7527 http://www.dgslaw.com/attorneys/ DGS Renewable &
Alternative Energy Group Please forward this
invitation to colleagues who may be interested. |
Davis Graham & Stubbs LLP | 1550 17th
St., Suite 500 | Denver, CO | 80202 | phone: 303.892.9400
http://www.dgslaw.com/attorneys/