We’re hearing some very welcome words from Governor Crist these days. He announced in his State of the State Address this month that Florida needs to be a leader in the fight against global warming. He went as far recently to say he wanted to see Florida become another California in terms of renewable energy policies. You can read more about it here. Perhaps now we have the renewable energy champion we’ve been needing for so long.
-Craig Williams
April 1, 2007 at 8:40 pm
Lets all help the environment and save money at the same time!
I am an Independent Ecopreneur Manager with a company called CitizenRe Solar. Stop paying your dirty energy company and generate your own power using your roof and solar panels from CitizenRe.
This great company will provide the panels, the maintenance, and the installation for no upfront investment! All you do is pay for the energy that is produced.
Have a look at their environmental website:www.jointhesolution.com/yorkville
August 19, 2007 at 8:22 am
global warming is becoming such a obvious problem that someone somewhere other than Al Gore needs to step up to help drive the bus!
August 20, 2007 at 10:48 am
People should be aware that Mr CitizenRe’s company has yet to install a single panel anywhere in the US. Many of us in the solar industry think they are not going to either. People involved in this industry should be up front in what they are trying to sell. False promises will only detract from our ability to keep the solar movement going forward.
August 20, 2007 at 5:11 pm
Howdy Bruce,
Just thought I would inform you that Citizenre has installed their first system. It is one of the beta-units and the install was filmed for the “Living with Ed” series 2nd season on HGTV this fall where Citizenre’s program will be explained during the episode. Citizenre is comin’ rest assured. I’m happy to be a part of a Grass Roots Movement to bring solar to the masses. Our Earth needs all the help it can get.
Peace,
Frank Knight
Concrete,WA
August 20, 2007 at 11:24 pm
Frank You rock dude !!! I wanna party with you !!! Citizenre is real man !!!
August 21, 2007 at 6:45 pm
Thanks stoner
C’mon up Bro’…. I’ll introduce ya’ to BigFoot. You wouldn’t believe the parties he throws in the backwoods. You would dig it!
Of course Citizenre is real…. I have spent 14+ hours a day 7-days a week totally passionate about what I feel is going to make a major difference in the future health of this awesome planet since last Sept.! Lovin’ every bit of it and it just gets better everyday. I can’t wait (but legally have to) to release the next bit of news.
The much needed change of how folks accept renewable energy is about to change and I feel it is way past due!
Peace,
Frank Knight
August 21, 2007 at 6:48 pm
Oh…. yeah…. I almost forgot! Here is the News that was released yesterday mornin’:
CITIZENRE ANNOUNCES FINANCE TEAM:
PROVEN INNOVATORS GUIDE GROUND-BREAKING SOLAR ENERGY COMPANY
August 20, 2007 – The Citizenre Corporation is making solar electricity (photovoltaic, or “PV”) simple and affordable. Today Citizenre announced its finance team, providing the first look at how the company’s innovative business model works.
Citizenre’s groundbreaking “REnU” program lets households rent solar systems. Several forms of structured finance support the company’s activities. Guiding Citizenre is a team of distinguished experts, all experienced in the application of structured finance to the renewable energy industry:
Brown Rudnick Berlack Israels LLP Ronald S. Borod and Jonathan C. Black, both of Brown Rudnick’s structured finance practice, assist Citizenre in developing the Company’s corporate finance, real estate, vendor finance and banking relationships.
“We are delighted to serve as special counsel to Citizenre, helping to secure the company’s major funding for its Northeast manufacturing facility,” said Ron Borod, chair of Brown Rudnick’s structured finance practice. “Citizenre expects many forms of revenue – from PV rentals, franchise revenues and long-term equipment sales agreements, among others—that create an excellent foundation for securitization and structured finance.”
Brown Rudnick is one of the nation’s premier law firms in the development and application of structured finance to the renewable energy industry. The firm has teamed with both issuers and underwriters to use Asset-Backed Securities to make financing more available and more efficient for innovative renewable energy companies like Citizenre.
Structured Growth Partners “Citizenre is perfectly situated for structured finance by virtue of several unique ‘Best of Breed’ elements in its business model,” said Douglas R. Grossinger, President of Structured Growth Partners (SGP). “These result in a far lower cost of PV to its customers and can therefore be leveraged to derive funding for the company’s infrastructure and growth.”
SGP partners Grossinger and Mark Lundquist work in close collaboration with Citizenre and Brown Rudnick to raise finance for Citizenre’s manufacturing activities and in the structuring of power purchase agreements with creditworthy large customers.
Anthony Dixon serves as senior advisor to Citizenre’s finance team, drawing on his international perspective and 16 years experience in securitization, structured finance, and debt capital markets. Most recently Mr. Dixon was Managing Director in the Financial Institutions Debt Capital Markets group for Citigroup in London, where he raised over $4 billion for clients in the European, Asian and US debt markets. His securitization work has been recognized with the Asia Securitization Deal of the Year 1997 and the Japanese Securitization Deal of the Year 2001.
In describing the work of Citizenre’s finance team, Mr. Dixon said, “Citizenre has undertaken to reduce the cost of PV use for all customer categories. The company’s planned use of structured finance will help achieve that objective. It’s an exciting business model, an extremely capable team and a great time to be launching Citizenre”.
About Citizenre Corporation
Founded in 2005, Citizenre Corporation introduced its “solar made simple” residential rental model in late 2006. High-volume manufacturing, a national network of branded franchise installation companies, proprietary technology and innovative finance will enable Citizenre to achieve similar breakthroughs in cost and customer service for non-residential solar customers as well. Further announcements about Citizenre’s plans and achievements are expected throughout the fall. http://www.citizenre.com
About Brown Rudnick Berlack Israels LLP
Brown Rudnick’s Structured Finance Group provides legal services in all types of structured finance and securitization transactions. This group has special expertise – recognized internationally – in developing innovative structured finance products, derivatives and financing programs in the renewable energy and climate change space that are both cutting edge and commercially viable. For more information see http://www.brownrudnick.com.
Examples of the firm’s recent work in securing finance for renewable energy projects:
§In June 2006, Brown Rudnick counseled the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) in creation of its Multi-lateral Carbon Credit Fund (MCCF), the only carbon fund dedicated to countries across central Europe and central Asia. MCCF projects will span industrial energy efficiency, power plant and district heating renovation and renewable energy across all 29 EBRD countries.
§In June 2007, the firm announced completion by its client, a Portuguese diversified industrial group, of the first round of debt and equity financing for wind projects in Latin America. Overall, the $2 billion in projects will generate approximately 220 MW of power and will be completed by 2011.
About Structured Growth Partners
Structured Growth Partners has deep expertise in developing complex structured finance solutions for project finance and corporate growth capital. The firm is headquartered in Bala Cynwyd, PA (near Philadelphia) with affiliate partner offices in other US cities, and has developed a diverse deal flow involving United States and international business ventures. SGP utilizes its partners’ multidisciplinary backgrounds to accelerate client success through financing and strategic partner development in several industries, including renewable energy.
September 13, 2007 at 1:07 am
“Governor Crist takes on global warming”?