Project Development interview prep.

Behavioural questions to expect

1. Walk me through your background + project development experience.
2. Tell me about a project you've led or significantly contributed to.
3. Why renewables development vs other energy paths (utility ops, finance, oil + gas)?
4. Why this technology / geography - solar / wind / storage / offshore / hydrogen + US / EU / EM?
5. Why the firm?
6. What's your read on our portfolio + market position?
7. Tell me what you understand about our deal-making + financing strategy.
8. Walk me through advancing a project to a major development milestone.

Technical concepts to master

• Development workstreams

  Origination + site control · Permitting + environmental · Interconnection · Off-take + commercial structuring · Financing + construction

• Interconnection process

  IC queue + position · Phase 1 / Phase 2 / Phase 3 study · Cluster study (modern reform) · Network upgrades + cost allocation · LGIA (Large Generator Interconnection Agreement)

• Off-take structures

  Utility PPA · Corporate PPA + virtual PPA (VPPA) · Merchant + hedge · PPA pricing structures · RECs (Renewable Energy Certificates)

• Financing structures + IRA

  Tax equity · Tax credit transferability + direct pay · Construction + term debt · Sponsor equity + IRR · LCOE + project economics

Practical drills

• You're 12 months from a planned NTP for a 200 MW solar project. The interconnection cluster study just identified a $40M network upgrade + 6-month delay. Walk through your response.
• Phase 2 study identified an environmental constraint on your preferred substation tap. You have two alternative POIs - one closer with higher IC cost, one further with lower cost but adds 12 months. Walk through your decision.
• You're negotiating a 15-year corporate VPPA for a 300 MW wind project. Walk through key commercial + financing considerations.

Smart-question anchors

• Portfolio + pipeline - operating / construction / dev MW by technology + geography
• Recent milestones - FC, COD, off-take signings, IC awards
• Off-take strategy - corporate / utility / merchant mix, hedge use
• Financing posture - tax equity + debt + sponsor equity partners, recent deals
• Permitting + interconnection track record - cluster + LGIA delivery

Sourced from

FERC Order 2023 + ISO / RTO interconnection tariffs · Inflation Reduction Act (IRA, 2022) + IRS guidance · EIA + S&P Global Commodity Insights + Wood Mackenzie market reports · American Clean Power Association + SEIA + AWEA materials · Lazard's LCOE + LCOS + LCOH annual reports