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Jim Spano is co-founder of Radiant REIT, Managing Partner of Spano Partner Holdings and a nationally recognized expert in solar development and finance. He has been instrumental in the development of over 300 megawatts of solar generation primarily in the Northeast United States. He is the founder and President of the New Jersey Solar Grid Supply Association (NJSGSA), Vice-President of the Mid Atlantic Solar and Storage Industry Association (MSSIA), on the board of the International Battery and Energy Storage Association (IBESA), a conference committee member of the Intersolar North America Conference, as well as numerous other industry positions. Read the [...]

Over the past decade, demand for solar energy has skyrocketed in the United States and abroad – a trend that is expected to continue well into the 2020s. Despite the consistent growth of this transformative market, investment into the solar sector has been volatile and met with mixed results. Solar stocks, for instance, have taken investors on a wild ride time and again. There are several reasons for this, such as uncertainty in tax incentives, global trade restrictions and supply gluts. But there has also been a common thread to these historically unpredictable investments. Most publicly listed solar companies manufacture solar energy equipment, [...]

As the solar industry prepares strategies for dealing with the investment tax credit (ITC) step down, there is a silver-lining in that tax equity will become a smaller part of the capital stack, making more room for debt to fill that gap and enabling developers to own more of their assets. By owning more of their assets, developer's business model will shift from that of a service provider to asset owner. RadiantREIT is aiming to seize this opportunity by being the first-ever mortgage REIT offering loans to the solar energy market. The company uses a model that finances solar like [...]

By Jim Spano Installed solar capacity in the United States exceeded 10 GW for the third year in a row in 2018, and the pace of growth is expected to continue. The first quarter of 2019 was the strongest in the history of the U.S. solar market, according to a recent report from Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and Wood Mackenzie Power & Renewables. Yet inefficient and costly project financing inhibits many solar developers from tapping into the market’s true potential. With changes to the investment tax credit (ITC) looming, there is an opportunity to address some of the long-term [...]

By Jim Spano, co-founder and head of originations at RadiantREIT; managing partner of Spano Partners Holdings The solar industry is booming, with installed capacity growing by about 50% annually between 2015 and 2018. Yet inefficient and costly project financing inhibits many solar developers from tapping into the market’s true potential. With changes to the investment tax credit (ITC) looming, there is an opportunity to address some of the long-term financing challenges that have confronted the industry for many years. New debt financing vehicles, with terms that match the full operational life of solar projects, will support continued industry growth and will [...]

A Development Podcast. Check out the new episode of SolarWakeup Podcast with solar developer, Jim Spano, in which we talk about all things solar in New Jersey as well as his new venture to bring REIT capital to solar.  Climate At Fox News. Senator Sanders held a town hall on Fox News and did two things we talk about a lot. When asked about national security he pivoted the answer to include climate change and terrorism in the Middle East, a clear signal that he was speaking to the audience of Fox News. Second, as the article says, “Sanders drew cheers when [...]

By offering long-term solar mortgages that can be repaid from project cash flows, the founders of Radiant REIT plan to meet an industry need. The REIT is starting with a $300 million fund. A new company, Radiant REIT, is inviting loan inquiries from solar developers to refinance short-term debt and buy out tax equity investors. Radiant REIT plans to issue long-term loans that match the duration of a solar project’s lease or power purchase agreement.  The firm expects to make its first loans by the end of the year, as it is “in the middle of closing” a $300 million [...]

A group of solar industry veterans is launching Radiant REIT, a real estate investment trust focused solely on solar assets. Billed as the sector's first purely solar-focused REIT, the venture was launched at Solar Power International 2018 in Anaheim, Calif., during pre-conference workshops Sept. 24. The trust was founded by Jeff Just, its new CEO who is also the founder and CEO of Jersey City, N.J.-based Distribusun/Radiant Power, and Jim Spano, who will be in charge of originations and is managing partner of Spano Partners Holdings LLC Read the full article here

Event Details Date: 09/25/2018 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm Venue: Anaheim Convention Center (Room 203 AB) As a nationally recognized specialist and the driving force behind the role of renewable energy in the US energy mix, Jim Spano was invited to moderate a conference session at the SPI in Anaheim on September 25. Do not miss the opportunity to join The Technical Symposium, the event for the technical and scientific communities to present and share innovative research in the solar, storage, and smart energy industries at SPI & ESI. Jim will moderate the session “Everything Is Connected: Codependencies in the [...]

Event Details Date: 09/25/2018 1:30 pm – 2:30 pm Venue: Hilton Anaheim (Room Laguna A, 4th floor) This exclusive networking event aims to bring together decision makers from solar and finance sector and is brought to you by RadiantREIT. You will gain a deep understanding about: Long term mortgage debt financing at COD, committed at NTP Matching PPA/Lease terms, warranties, and revenues to a debt instrument Solar +/- Storage, personal vs. real property, get the answers here Positive cash flow at flip enabling refinancing option or sale financing to exit