With rising global temperatures, many investors have taken inspiration from clean energy projects. But let’s face it, saving the planet sounds attractive, but it comes with a high cost, which deters a lot of investors, creating bottlenecks.
In 2022, the US Government came up with the Inflation Reduction Act, and that changed everything as it introduced transferable tax credits, which helped address financing challenges, covering up to 30-50% of project costs.
In this article, we’ll understand what transferable tax credits are and how they boost investor engagement in clean energy markets.
What Transferable Tax Credits Are and Why They Matter
A tax credit lets a person or business use the amount of the credit they get to lower their tax bill by the same amount. In other words, it lets a taxpayer take the amount of the credit off the total amount they owe to a government tax agency. Tax credits are a way for governments to encourage specific behaviors and investments.
For the most part, the person or business that qualifies for a tax credit is the one that claims it on their tax return. Some tax credits are transferable, which makes them distinct. Taxpayers who earn transferable credits can sell them (just once) to another taxpayer who wants to pay less in taxes.
A buyer usually buys transferable tax credits for less than their face value. For instance, someone who buys $100,000 in transferable tax credits can agree to pay 80 cents on the dollar for them. They pay $80,000 for credits that let them lower their taxes by $100,000. This means they make $20,000 in profit on the deal, not counting any expenditures associated with the deal.
Why are Certain Tax Credits Transferable?
To make the credit work better as a government subsidy for a desired investment, policymakers make some tax credits transferable. A nontransferable tax credit is not useful as an incentive because the taxpayer who earns it has to pay taxes on it. That limit is gone when the tax credit is transferable.
For instance, Section 48E of the Internal Revenue Code says that a firm can get a regular Investment Tax Credit that is normally worth 30% of the price of establishing a clean energy asset, like a battery storage system or rooftop solar panels. But because the projects cost a lot of money up front, the full tax credit may be significantly bigger than the owner’s tax bill. In this instance, the taxpayer can opt to sell their tax credit to someone else who owes taxes.
How do they improve Investor Engagement?
Now, how do these transferable tax credits actually increase investor engagement in the clean energy markets? Well, there are ways they do:
Lowering Barriers to Entry for Investors
Transferable tax credits lower entry barriers for investors by offsetting 30–50% of project costs. This reduces the upfront expenditure investors must bear, attracting a wider pool of participants. As a result, not only banks but also corporations with tax liabilities can participate and claim deductions under this regime.
The entry barrier was also lowered due to the fact that this provision provides predictable return profiles and enables democratized participation.
Increasing Deal Velocity and Capital Recycling
As financing became available faster, projects got funded and started sooner. The timelines of negotiation and talks have also reduced significantly, and as a result, the project gets delivered faster. The best part? This has also reduced the overall cash flow timing, which has increased the flow of investors who seek a shorter time to return. This has greatly improved small and mid-sized developers who previously struggled with capital access.
Boosting Pipeline Confidence and Market Transparency
The need for all the documentation has made things quite transparent, and transferability creates standardised, tradable assets. Basically, buyers now have the freedom to check and understand whether the risk-to-value ratio is worth it or not. Also, this improved transparency builds investor trust, and this has actually stabilised long-term investment opportunities.
Other reasons for Investor Engagement
While these 3 are the primary reasons behind most investor engagement, there are some other reasons as well.
|
Reason |
What It Means |
Specific Benefits |
Why It Boosts Investor Engagement |
|
Broader Technology & Project Participation |
Transferability opens the door for more types of clean energy projects to get funded — everything from solar and wind to geothermal, hydrogen, and even nuclear. It also helps smaller efforts like community solar or distributed energy systems that often struggle to attract capital. |
– More diverse clean energy projects can move forward- Smaller and mid-sized developers get a real shot at financing- New and emerging technologies gain earlier market traction |
– Investors get access to a wider variety of assets- Portfolios become more balanced and resilient- The market becomes more welcoming to new investors who don’t specialize in traditional tax equity |
|
Strengthening U.S. Manufacturing & Domestic Energy Security |
Credits like 45X and 48C are encouraging companies to build clean energy factories in the U.S.—from solar components to batteries. This shift strengthens domestic supply chains and reduces reliance on imports. |
– More capital flows into American manufacturing facilities- Local economies benefit through job creation- Supply chains become more predictable and less dependent on global disruptions |
– Investors feel more confident in long-term returns when supply chains are stable- Geopolitical risk is reduced significantly- Domestic production creates steadier, more reliable investment opportunities |
|
Creating a More Resilient Clean Energy Investment Ecosystem |
Transferability helps spread investment across different technologies and regions, not just the biggest solar or wind farms. This leads to a stronger, more reliable grid and supports a cleaner, more balanced energy mix nationwide. |
– Growth becomes more evenly distributed across energy types- Projects get built faster, strengthening the grid- Exposure to fossil fuel price swings drops significantly |
– Investors face less volatility in returns- Energy infrastructure becomes more dependable- A stronger national energy security story supports long-term investment confidence |
Conclusion
This is how the transferable tax credits have boosted the investor ecosystem and participation in clean energy fields by increasing transparency and reducing costs. This has also given a significant boost to the US economy while safeguarding our planet for the next generation.
