Why TBRE?

Landowners Who Deal Directly with Large Developers: The Problem

In considering a renewable-energy project, a technique large developers favor is to have land agents obtain long-term options on a landowner's property. Although the developer may offer a fair option price, its commitment may not include a relatively near-term determination whether a land parcel is suitable for renewable energy development. Large developers may not commit to a timeline within the option period as to when they will make a pre-construction assessment whether land parcels are suitable for development.

The large-developer approach may leave open an entire option period during which it may determine whether optioned land is suitable for a renewable energy project. This resulting ambiguity could cloud the value of optioned land and permit the large developer, for a significant period of time, to postpone deciding whether it will spend funds to evaluate the suitability of land for development.

The TBRE Solution

Thompson Brown Renewable Energy take a different approach. Neither the developer nor the landowner makes any initial payment to TBRE. Thereafter, TBRE is paid only by the large developer when TBRE presents a "shovel ready" land assemblage for development. TBRE risks its own financial capital to cover pre-construction costs and assure a project is "shovel ready." Such costs include pre-construction studies to confirm the suitability of land for renewable energy development. Pre-construction costs are required to cover environmental, wind, solar, grid studies, regulatory compliance, entitlement, easement review, legal, and community support. In presenting a "shovel ready" project, TBRE adds value both to the landowner and to the large developer.

Why Doing Business with TBRE Matters

Large renewable energy developers may delay allocating capital to pre-construction expenses and may not address the timing of such expenditures in a landowner option agreement. Pre-construction planning includes site studies that will show whether land should be suitable for renewable energy development. Landowners will want option agreements to expire should an assemblage be deemed unsuitable for development. Developers prefer "ready-to-build" assemblages since they are cost-effective.