Steptoe & Johnson Webinar – “Opportunity Zones and Renewable Energy Development”

Opportunity Zone investments are on the cutting edge of economic development. Commonly associated with commercial real estate, the program’s potential to impact renewable energy is under-appreciated. Designed to stimulate economic development in designated low-income communities (“Qualified Opportunity Zones”), the program allows investors with eligible gains to enjoy a tax deferral for up to seven years, a reduction in the amount of recognized gain, and an exclusion on the appreciation of their investment if held for 10 years or more. Many Qualified Opportunity Zones are located in areas that are attractive sites for renewable energy development, offering developers access to potential new sources of capital to fund projects or close funding gaps, alone or potentially in conjunction with existing incentives.

In this webinar we discuss:

• What Opportunity Zones are, where they are located, and how they were selected;
• The tax benefits Qualified Opportunity Zones offer;
• The landscape of renewable energy development in the U.S.;
• Typical funding structures for renewable energy projects;
• How renewable energy development projects may qualify as Opportunity Zone investments; and
• Potential synergies between Opportunity Zone benefits and existing renewable incentives.