Assertion certainty 4/5 debate potential 2/5

Fernandez: Customers accept offtake pricing tied to final CapEx and project returns

Mario Fernandez · FOAK tales · Jun 4, 2025 · at 26:19

Mario Fernandez of Breakthrough Energy Catalyst discusses innovative flexible contracting mechanisms used in climate infrastructure.

0:00 / 0:23exact quote · 23.9s
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“We've seen projects pricing this either of the final capex number or of a margin or of a return for the project. So we have seen customers be willing to use those structures, right? You say, hey, we're going to make X, let's agree that this project will make X return for the company, and we'll price the offtake base on that return based on the final feed number.”

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