We've been pressing governments - and the UNFCCC's Green Climate Fund - to use public finance mechanisms (PFMs) to support low-carbon investments. Yet not enough work has been done on evaluating the relative efficiency of PFMs.
1. The Southern California Public Power Authority is issuing a tax-exempt $159.4m project revenue bond to prepay for electricity from a wind farm.
The SCPPA is a non-profit “joint powers” agency of 12 public power utilities who come together to finance and acquire electricity generation projects, including many renewable energy projects.
Its model is to hold an undivided equity interest in the facility, issue tax-exempt debt financing to pay for the energy delivery, and sell 100% of the output to the interested members at cost.
Germany's SolarWorld is issuing a €150 million corporate bond.
Also in Germany, Windreich (wind energy) is issuing a €75 million corporate bond.
So you have some context for the news we post about climate and green bonds, here are some amazing facts about the bond market.
1. Global bonds outstanding in 2010 = $95 trillion. That's a big market. Global equity market capitalization in 2010 = $55 trillion
2. The bond market equals 130% of global GDP, up from only 80% 10 years ago. Equities used to be the bigger of the two, but the great financial crash has seen those positions reversed.
