Energy and infrastructure finance are critical drivers of economic growth, sustainability, and social transformation. Developing countries require reliable electricity grids, transport systems, and water networks to enable trade and industrialization. Developed economies must upgrade aging infrastructure, integrate renewable energy sources, and improve efficiency. These projects, whether a renewable energy plant, a highway network, or an educational institution, demand significant capital and sophisticated financial planning.
The challenge lies in designing financing structures that attract investment while distributing risk fairly between governments, private investors, and development partners. Traditional public budgets are rarely sufficient to cover the enormous costs of energy and infrastructure. As a result, financing solutions such as project finance, public-private partnerships (PPPs), and capital market instruments have become central to bridging the global infrastructure gap.
Education finance, while often overlooked in this context, plays a complementary role. Building schools, universities, and vocational training centers is a form of infrastructure investment, one that directly fuels human capital development. Without skilled professionals in finance, engineering, and management, energy and infrastructure projects cannot be executed or sustained. This course connects energy finance, infrastructure finance, and education finance with financial planning and risk management, giving participants a comprehensive view of how to fund and manage transformative projects.
Objectives
This training program by OCT is designed to:
- Explain the principles of energy and infrastructure finance, including funding sources and structuring methods.
- Introduce project finance techniques and demonstrate their use in complex, capital-intensive projects.
- Examine the role of PPPs in delivering large-scale energy and infrastructure projects.
- Highlight renewable energy financing models, such as green bonds, carbon markets, and climate funds.
- Provide tools for investment appraisal and financial planning, including NPV, IRR, and risk-adjusted returns.
- Explore risk management strategies to deal with financial, political, operational, and environmental uncertainties.
- Integrate education finance into the infrastructure discussion, showing its importance for capacity-building and sustainable development.
- Offer case studies and best practices from global projects to help participants link theory to practice.
Target Audience
The program is intended for:
- Government officials and policymakers responsible for infrastructure, energy, or education planning.
- Finance professionals and bankers engaged in project finance, investment banking, or infrastructure funds.
- Energy sector managers and engineers who need financial knowledge for project development.
- Development agencies, NGOs, and international institutions supporting sustainable infrastructure and education.
- Consultants and advisors working on PPP structuring, renewable energy, or infrastructure investment.
- Academics and researchers specializing in education finance, infrastructure development, or financial planning.
Course Content
Module 1: Introduction to Energy and Infrastructure Finance
- The global infrastructure investment gap.
- The role of energy finance in economic development.
- Infrastructure as an asset class: transport, energy, water, education.
- Traditional vs. innovative financing mechanisms.
Module 2: Project Finance Fundamentals
- Principles of project finance.
- Special Purpose Vehicles (SPVs) and contractual structures.
- Debt vs. equity in large-scale projects.
- Investment appraisal tools: NPV, IRR, payback period.
Module 3: Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs)
- Defining PPPs and their models (BOT, BOO, DBFO, concessions).
- Risk allocation between public and private sectors.
- Global best practices and lessons from failed PPPs.
- Case study: transport or energy PPP in an emerging economy.
Module 4: Renewable Energy Finance
- Financing models for solar, wind, hydro, and biomass.
- Green bonds, climate finance, and carbon credits.
- Investment risks and opportunities in renewable projects.
- International climate finance institutions and policies.