The proceeds of GSS bonds fund green, social and sustainable projects. I understand if the funds go towards loans for green business or maybe loans to local governments for social projects with payment by results schemes (savings generated in public budgets repay the loans). But what about projects that have no return? How does it work? I just don’t understand what generates the proceeds that pay the coupon to investors. Any thoughts?
If you're an investor or entrepreneur, I'd love your honest take: does this project sound compelling enough to attract investors?
The idea: develop a solar project in southern Morocco, one of the sunniest places on earth. As a Moroccan citizen, I have access to cheap agricultural land that can be converted to industrial use something foreigners can't do. I'm looking at roughly 10 hectares, which would support about an 8 MW solar plant.
The plan:
Secure the land.
Get government approval to convert it to industrial use.
Get the grid connection authorization
This is where investors come in. Covering the land with panels, the grid connection, installation and setup costs roughly €1.5–2 million. My rough estimate is that capital can be returned within 3–5 years, after which the plant keeps producing (and earning) for 20+ more years.
The attractive part: investors would come in only once the land is secured and the permits and grid connection are in place. That removes the biggest early hurdles before any investor capital is at risk. I'd be funding and carrying that risky front-end myself.
Being realistic: this is still an emerging market, so execution risk is real bureaucracy, timelines, and grid capacity are the genuine challenges. I'm not pretending it's risk-free.
One thing I want to be clear on: I'm not looking to raise debt. I want to avoid interest payments entirely I'm looking for equity partners who share in the project and its returns.
My main worry, and the thing I'd most like input on: the risk of securing the land and permits but then not being able to finish the project. Does this structure sound compelling? What am I missing?
Any feedback, referrals, or recommendations are much appreciated.
Hi everyone,
I'm a civil engineering graduate from Indonesia and have been working as an assistant lecturer in civil engineering for about a year. Lately, I've been considering a pivot into project finance, particularly infrastructure and energy projects.
My interest comes from realizing that project finance may allow me to contribute to a wider range of infrastructure projects (roads, hospitals, power plants, renewable energy, etc.) than a traditional engineering role.
How realistic is it for someone with a civil engineering background and no finance experience to break into project finance?
What does a typical day in project finance actually look like, and would a master's degree (such as UCL's Infrastructure Investment and Finance program or any MSc in Finance degree) help make the transition?
I'd especially love to hear from anyone who has moved from engineering into project finance :D
I am currently working in Valuations at an IPP but have started taking an interest in the lender side. I have experience across US renewables as well as PPPs (transportation, healthcare). In my current role, I am responsible for assessing the performance of US renewables investments. This includes modeling out the financing (debt and tax equity), so while I am not actively negotiating the financing, I am familiar with the structures.
The work is great but accounting heavy (not my thing), and I am seeking a bit more geographic diversity. I speak Spanish, French, and Portuguese at an advanced level, and it appears that some of the French/Japanese/Dutch banks have teams focused on the Americas, which could be a natural fit.
Origination/execution is certainly interesting as well, but I suspect it may be a tougher jump from my current role. I am willing to trade pay for a semi-decent WLB, so I reckon Portfolio Management might be the better option for me.
Does anyone here have experience in PM? If so:
Do you think my background could fit? Any obvious gaps?
Are there alternative names for this type of role? I see a lot of "Project Finance Associate" on LinkedIn but far fewer specifying Portfolio Management.
Out of curiosity, do you travel or go on occasional site visits?
Really appreciate any guidance!