Renewable Energy Derivative
Encyclopedia
A renewable energy derivative is based on a new method of securitization, which is a structured finance
process that pools and repackages cash-flow-producing financial assets into securities which are then sold to investors. The term "securitization" is derived from the fact that securities are used to obtain funds from investors.
, and life insurance premiums for captive orcas. In essence any asset's cash flow can be securitized if the historical, realized cash flow demonstrates a statistical predictability. This process was first applied to renewable energy by Joseph Brant Arseneau
and his team at IBM
.
A renewable energy derivative is just that: a cash flow that has been proven historically and demonstrates a statistical predictability. The predictability of the cash flow is achieved by consulting with professionals to ensure that the primary asset, in this case a private home, is equipped with the optimal types of renewable energy sources for its immediate environment. These energy sources are chosen with respect to the location of the home, the weather, and supporting data, including historical wind patterns, heat changes, and earth core temperatures.
If the assets produce more power than is required by the home, the excess power is sold to a Special Purpose Vehicle (SVP), which pools all of the surrounding assets, conducts credit enhancement
s, and may buy weather derivatives to offset some local weather risk. The accumulation of these cash forms are considered to be the earnings of the SVP. The SVP is a company that owns the cash flow and is capitalized in a structure that provides several different types (tranches) of debt and a few layers of equity. These capital structures are then sold to the capital markets as securities.
concepts, such a company would have three options to raise new capital: a loan
, a bond issue, or the issuance of stock
. However, stock offerings dilute the ownership and control of the company, while loan or bond financing is often prohibitively expensive due to the company's credit rating
and the associated rise in interest
rates.
s or on the open market. The performance of the securities is then directly linked to the performance of the assets. Credit rating agencies
rate the securities to provide an external perspective on the liabilities being created and help investors make better-informed decisions.
, meaning their credit quality is increased above that of the originators' unsecured debts or underlying asset pools. This increases the likelihood that the investors will receive cash flows to which they are entitled, causing the securities to have higher credit ratings than the originators. Some securitizations use external credit enhancement provided by third parties, such as surety bond
s and parental guarantees, although this may introduce a conflict of interest.
The servicer can significantly affect the cash flows to investors because it controls the collection policy, which influences the proceeds collected, the charge-offs, and the recoveries on the loans. Any income remaining after payments and expenses is usually accumulated to some extent in a reserve or spread account, and any further excess is returned to the seller. Bond rating agencies publish ratings of asset-backed securities based on the performance of the collateral pool, the credit enhancements, and the probability of default.
, meaning that the principal amount borrowed is paid back gradually over the specified term of the loan rather than in one lump sum at the maturity of the loan. Fully amortizing securitizations are generally collateralized by fully amortizing assets such as home equity loan
s, auto loans, and student loan
s. Prepayment uncertainty is an important concern with fully amortizing ABS. The possible rate of prepayment varies widely with the type of underlying asset pool, so many prepayment models have been developed in an attempt to define common prepayment activity. The PSA prepayment model
is a well-known example.
Structured finance
Structured finance is a broad term used to describe a sector of finance that was created to help transfer risk and avoid lawsStructured finance is a broad term used to describe a sector of finance that was created to help transfer risk and avoid laws...
process that pools and repackages cash-flow-producing financial assets into securities which are then sold to investors. The term "securitization" is derived from the fact that securities are used to obtain funds from investors.
Summary
Cash-flow-producing financial assets were traditionally mortgages, credit cards, and then student loans. More recently the assets have become more exotic, like annual airline flight tax, intellectual property such as Bowie BondsBowie Bonds
Bowie Bonds are asset-backed securities of current and future revenues of the 25 albums that David Bowie recorded before 1990.Issued in 1997, the bonds were bought for US$55 million by the Prudential Insurance Company. The bonds paid an interest rate of 7.9% and had an average life of ten years, a...
, and life insurance premiums for captive orcas. In essence any asset's cash flow can be securitized if the historical, realized cash flow demonstrates a statistical predictability. This process was first applied to renewable energy by Joseph Brant Arseneau
Joseph Brant Arseneau
Joseph Brant Arseneau is generally known in finance and technology for first formally defining finance techniques for third world housing by describing the securitization of excess cash flow from renewable energy with the use of Renewable Energy Derivatives.The technique was first based on...
and his team at IBM
IBM
International Business Machines Corporation or IBM is an American multinational technology and consulting corporation headquartered in Armonk, New York, United States. IBM manufactures and sells computer hardware and software, and it offers infrastructure, hosting and consulting services in areas...
.
A renewable energy derivative is just that: a cash flow that has been proven historically and demonstrates a statistical predictability. The predictability of the cash flow is achieved by consulting with professionals to ensure that the primary asset, in this case a private home, is equipped with the optimal types of renewable energy sources for its immediate environment. These energy sources are chosen with respect to the location of the home, the weather, and supporting data, including historical wind patterns, heat changes, and earth core temperatures.
If the assets produce more power than is required by the home, the excess power is sold to a Special Purpose Vehicle (SVP), which pools all of the surrounding assets, conducts credit enhancement
Credit enhancement
Credit enhancement is a key part of the securitization transaction in structured finance, and is important for credit rating agencies when rating a securitization. The credit crisis of 2007-2008 has discredited the process of credit enhancement of structured securities as a financial practice as...
s, and may buy weather derivatives to offset some local weather risk. The accumulation of these cash forms are considered to be the earnings of the SVP. The SVP is a company that owns the cash flow and is capitalized in a structure that provides several different types (tranches) of debt and a few layers of equity. These capital structures are then sold to the capital markets as securities.
Pooling and transfer
The originator is the initial owner of the assets engaged in the deal. This is typically a company looking to raise capital, restructure debt, or otherwise adjust its finances. Under traditional corporate financeCorporate finance
Corporate finance is the area of finance dealing with monetary decisions that business enterprises make and the tools and analysis used to make these decisions. The primary goal of corporate finance is to maximize shareholder value while managing the firm's financial risks...
concepts, such a company would have three options to raise new capital: a loan
Loan
A loan is a type of debt. Like all debt instruments, a loan entails the redistribution of financial assets over time, between the lender and the borrower....
, a bond issue, or the issuance of stock
Stock
The capital stock of a business entity represents the original capital paid into or invested in the business by its founders. It serves as a security for the creditors of a business since it cannot be withdrawn to the detriment of the creditors...
. However, stock offerings dilute the ownership and control of the company, while loan or bond financing is often prohibitively expensive due to the company's credit rating
Credit rating
A credit rating evaluates the credit worthiness of an issuer of specific types of debt, specifically, debt issued by a business enterprise such as a corporation or a government. It is an evaluation made by a credit rating agency of the debt issuers likelihood of default. Credit ratings are...
and the associated rise in interest
Interest
Interest is a fee paid by a borrower of assets to the owner as a form of compensation for the use of the assets. It is most commonly the price paid for the use of borrowed money, or money earned by deposited funds....
rates.
Issuance
To be able to buy the assets from the originator, the issuer SPV issues tradable securities to fund the purchase. Investors purchase the securities, either through a private offering targeting institutional investorInstitutional investor
Institutional investors are organizations which pool large sums of money and invest those sums in securities, real property and other investment assets...
s or on the open market. The performance of the securities is then directly linked to the performance of the assets. Credit rating agencies
Credit rating agency
A Credit rating agency is a company that assigns credit ratings for issuers of certain types of debt obligations as well as the debt instruments themselves...
rate the securities to provide an external perspective on the liabilities being created and help investors make better-informed decisions.
Credit enhancement and tranching
Unlike conventional unsecured corporate bonds, securities generated in a securitization deal are credit enhancedCredit enhancement
Credit enhancement is a key part of the securitization transaction in structured finance, and is important for credit rating agencies when rating a securitization. The credit crisis of 2007-2008 has discredited the process of credit enhancement of structured securities as a financial practice as...
, meaning their credit quality is increased above that of the originators' unsecured debts or underlying asset pools. This increases the likelihood that the investors will receive cash flows to which they are entitled, causing the securities to have higher credit ratings than the originators. Some securitizations use external credit enhancement provided by third parties, such as surety bond
Surety bond
A surety bond is a promise to pay one party a certain amount if a second party fails to meet some obligation, such as fulfilling the terms of a contract...
s and parental guarantees, although this may introduce a conflict of interest.
Servicing
A servicer collects payments and monitors the assets at the crux of the structured financial deal. The servicer can often be the originator because the servicer needs very similar expertise to the originator and would want to ensure that loan repayments are paid to the Special Purpose Vehicle.The servicer can significantly affect the cash flows to investors because it controls the collection policy, which influences the proceeds collected, the charge-offs, and the recoveries on the loans. Any income remaining after payments and expenses is usually accumulated to some extent in a reserve or spread account, and any further excess is returned to the seller. Bond rating agencies publish ratings of asset-backed securities based on the performance of the collateral pool, the credit enhancements, and the probability of default.
Repayment structures
Unlike corporate bonds, most securitizations are amortizedAmortization
Amortization is the process of decreasing, or accounting for, an amount over a period. The word comes from Middle English amortisen to kill, alienate in mortmain, from Anglo-French amorteser, alteration of amortir, from Vulgar Latin admortire to kill, from Latin ad- + mort-, mors death.When used...
, meaning that the principal amount borrowed is paid back gradually over the specified term of the loan rather than in one lump sum at the maturity of the loan. Fully amortizing securitizations are generally collateralized by fully amortizing assets such as home equity loan
Home equity loan
A home equity loan is a type of loan in which the borrower uses the equity in their home as collateral. These loans are useful to finance major expenses such as home repairs, medical bills or college education...
s, auto loans, and student loan
Student loan
A student loan is designed to help students pay for university tuition, books, and living expenses. It may differ from other types of loans in that the interest rate may be substantially lower and the repayment schedule may be deferred while the student is still in education...
s. Prepayment uncertainty is an important concern with fully amortizing ABS. The possible rate of prepayment varies widely with the type of underlying asset pool, so many prepayment models have been developed in an attempt to define common prepayment activity. The PSA prepayment model
PSA prepayment model
PSA Prepayment Model is a prepayment model by the Bond Market Association formerly known as Public Securities Association or PSA that assumes increasing prepayment rates for the first 30 months of the lifetime and constant rates thereafter...
is a well-known example.