HIGHER EDUCATION ENERGY AND FINANCE WORKSHOP
Tuesday, August 8, 2023
10:00 AM - 2:00 PM ET
Bricker Graydon Columbus Office
100 S 3rd St. Columbus, OH
The Grand Conference Room
*Zoom option is also available
Join Bricker Graydon’s Public Finance, Energy and Higher Education attorneys for an informative session on transformative financial and energy use practices within higher education institutions. Lunch will be provided for in-person attendees.
AGENDA
9:30-10:00 AM
Check-in and registration
10:00-10:10 AM
Introduction and welcoming remarks
Presenter: Josh Nolan
10:10-11:10 AM
Clean Energy Changes in Higher Education - the Inflation Reduction Act
Recent federal legislation has created many incentives that encourage funding domestic clean energy projects and to own clean energy-related assets. The Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), enacted in August 2022, established a set of energy-related asset categories that are now being directly subsidized by the federal government. Many advanced or renewable energy assets or the manufacturing of clean energy components and minerals may be eligible for a federal subsidy via grants, rebates, tax credits and deductions. Thanks to a new system of direct payments that operate as cash subsidies in lieu of federal tax credits, higher education institutions can take advantage of these incentives. This presentation will provide an overview of the key incentives available under the IRA for institutions seeking to invest in green, energy-related assets ranging from small-scale solar projects to the renovation and construction of energy efficient buildings.
Presenters: Caleb Bell and John Flis
11:10-12:10 PM
Energy Procurement and Renewables on Campus
As colleges and universities move toward comprehensive plans for energy use and sustainable infrastructures, many have turned toward banding together for joint purchasing and exploring other cost-effective options. This session will focus on an examination of group energy procurement models and related objectives, including price and organization funding. The sessions will discuss considerations for onsite renewable energy, battery storage, and microgrids. The program will also provide an overview of the benefits of group procurement from offsite utility scale renewable energy projects through virtual power purchase agreement.
Presenter: Dylan Borchers
12:10-12:50 PM
Networking and Lunch
12:50-1:50 PM
Trends in Higher Education Public Finance
Join Bricker Graydon attorneys for a discussion about the current trends in public financing activities of colleges and universities. This session will focus on the challenges facing the use of traditional tax-exempt bonds, alternative forms of raising funds in the current interest rate market, and a discussion about the use of Green Bond Certification. This session is geared toward college and university administrators and partners working collaboratively with raising funds through issuing debt.
Presenters: Sara O’Dea and Rob McCarthy
Additional Information
In-person attendance is limited and lunch will be provided. These sessions will be presented for 3.0 hours of CLE credit in Ohio and Illinois.