IN THIS ISSUE

Coronavirus: Economic relief measures for companies

The massive relief bill – the CARES Act – that cleared Congress on March 27 has several provisions that may help companies in the project finance market.

Coronavirus: The tax equity, debt and M&A markets

A panel discussed these and other questions during a call on March 25.

Force majeure and coronavirus

Now that COVID-19 has hit the global economy like a meteor strike, it is time to dig in and understand what force majeure means for each player in an infrastructure project.

Coronavirus: Power sector outlook

This was expected to be a peak year in new capacity additions for wind and solar projects before the coronavirus. How has the outlook changed?

California update

California residents are under a statewide stay-at-home order that is in effect until further notice.

US Export-Import Bank resurfaces

The US Export-Import Bank has an updated mandate and a new lease on life.

US solar market snapshot

Two solar chief financial officers, one solar company co-CEO and one managing director from a private equity fund that is investing heavily in solar talked at the annual Solar Energy Industries Association...

US policy outlook for renewable energy

Abby Hopper, CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association, Tom Kiernan, CEO of the American Wind Energy Association, and Greg Wetstone, CEO of the American Council on Renewable Energy, talked at the annual...

Dieting and project finance

John L. Schuster, with JLS Capital Strategies LLC, discusses the comparison.

Environmental update

The US Environmental Protection Agency announced in late March that it is easing its enforcement of various environmental standards during the coronavirus pandemic on a temporary basis.

IN OTHER NEWS

Coronavirus fallout

Coronavirus disruptions may ultimately lead the US government to extend deadlines to start and finish construction of renewable energy projects to qualify for federal tax credits, but the effort is taking time.

M&A and state taxes

Asset sales can trigger taxes in multiple US states on the gain.

New CFIUS filing fees

CFIUS filings for US in-bound acquisitions will be more expensive in the future.

Charges against corporate officers

Public company executives can face charges of securities fraud if they make misleading statements about construction delays and cost overruns.

Lawsuits against international development banks

Lawsuits against international development banks in the US courts face daunting hurdles.

Blacklisted tax havens

The Cayman Islands are the latest tax haven to be added to a European blacklist.

Partnership tax audits

Partnerships are more likely to be audited by the US tax authorities in the future, but the percentage of partnerships that are audited remains small.

Worth noting

Warren Buffett said in his annual letter to shareholders of Berkshire Hathaway in late February that the company paid 1 1/2% of all corporate income taxes collected by the US government in 2019.