There is general agreement that, below a certain size, the transaction costs of a renewable energy project become prohibitive relative to the scale of the benefits. Typical transaction costs include the time and cost involved in: The many legal documents
Tax breaks and subsidies for energy
Hovering in the background of several current energy and sustainability-related news stories is the question of tax breaks and subsidies for energy. In the wake of the BP oil spill disaster, the Senate Finance Committee will discuss a possible rollback
Fannie and Freddie stall PACE programs
In May, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac threw a monkey wrench into programs set up to encourage and enable homeowners to make energy savings investments in their homes. PACE (Property Assisted Clean Energy), described in this earlier post, funds energy
Mutual Fund proxy voting on climate continues upward trend
The fifth annual study of Mutual Fund proxy voting on climate change from CERES shows a continuing upward trend in the number of fund families voting for climate-related proxies. The growth has been steady and impressive over the five years
An overview of Exchange Traded Funds
Understanding the structure and characteristics of Exchange Traded Funds is essential to effectively evaluating the potential benefits and pitfalls of this investment vehicle First, the basics. An Exchange Traded Fund owns a basket of securities, like a mutual fund, but