CleanTech Alliance Hosts EXIM Bank Chairman

 
  Fred P. Hochberg

Fred P. Hochberg, Chairman and President of the Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM Bank) and one of the highest ranking business leaders in the Obama Administration, visited the CleanTech Alliance on October 26.

The mission of the EXIM Bank is to create and sustain U.S. jobs by financing sales of U.S. exports to international buyers. According to its charter, the EXIM Bank does not compete with private sector lenders, but rather provides financing for transactions that would otherwise not occur because commercial lenders are either unable or unwilling to accept the political or commercial risks inherent in the deal.

The roundtable discussion allowed Chairman Hochberg to hear first-hand from CleanTech Alliance members about project financing challenges they have faced abroad. AltaRock, Oscilla Power, SuperCritical Technologies and UniEnergy Technologies heard the chairman explain the EXIM is “agnostic” on fuel source per their bylaws.

“If [the technology] is from the U.S., it supports U.S. jobs, and we’ll get paid back…we’re there,” explained Chairman Hochberg.

As CleanTech Alliance members expressed interest in EXIM’s product portfolio, Hochberg suggested a follow-up webinar with key EXIM staff in their Project and Structured Finance division and their Office of Renewable and Environmental Exports. CleanTech Alliance is working now to make this webinar happen in mid-November; email Sharon Schierle to be notified of the webinar details.