While investments in renewable energy, like all investments, entail risk, investors that are successfully able to establish themselves in the renewable energy market today will find themselves well positioned for success in the new energy economy of tomorrow.
(As seen in Journal of Equipment Leasing & Finance)
In the past, interest in alternative energy financing seemed to have a direct correlation to the cost of traditional energy sources (e.g., fossil fuels): When the cost of traditional energy increased, interest in alternative energy increased; when the cost of traditional energy decreased, interest in alternative energy correspondingly declined. More recently, however, there has been a sustained interest, both on a governmental and societal level, to become “green.” This may be attributed to the three-headed monster in our political discourse over alternative energy. Not “jobs, jobs, jobs,” although that may be the rallying cry that prompts congressional action. The three-prong argument that continues to help green technology and renewable energy (via government incentives, for the most part) is: (1) concerns regarding national security due to our dependence on foreign oil; (2) increased awareness and concern over the climate crisis; and (3) jobs, jobs, jobs!