About Us
RENEWABLE ENERGY TAX ADVISORS LLC
Renewable Energy Tax Advisors is a boutique tax consulting firm supporting the Clean Energy Industry. We work with developers, EPCs, IPPs, manufacturers, and investors in optimizing federal, state, and local tax benefits and minimizing tax expenses affecting renewable energy projects and energy storage projects.
The firm is led by Daniel Nelson, with over 35 years of tax expertise. Before launching RETA, Dan was most recently the VP of Tax at Avantus (formerly 8minute) for the 6 years, and previously the global head of tax at First Solar, Inc. Dan's experience includes over 15 years at PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP (PwC) where he was a tax partner.
Dan is a frequent speaker at renewable energy conferences including SEIA's tax and finance conference, RE+, and Infocast, most recently discussing Begin Construction strategies due to the One Big Beautiful Bill (OBBB) at RE+ in Las Vegas. Dan received his undergraduate BBA from Southern Methodist University, and an MS in Taxation with high distinction from Bentley University.
Dan was an active member of SEIA's IRA implementation tax force and was an alternate Board member to the SEIA BOD.
Services
RETA provides a range of tax advosry services to its clients in the renewable energy industry including, but not limited to:
- Providing Buy-side and tax equity due diligence
- Helping optimize the tax benefits from the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) and preserving benefits from the OBBB.
- Providing Tax Consulting and Due Diligence in connection with buying and selling tax credits under the IRA's new credit transferability regime
- Negotiating or securing Tax Abatements, IRBs, and Tax Exemptions at the State and Local level
- Identifying tax-upside opportunities from buyer-model tax assumptions
- Implementing strategies to optimize the amounts of ITCs and PTCs of a given project
- Supporting tax-centric provisions of PPAs, PSAs, MIPAs, CUPs, etc.
- Obtaining private letter rulings regarding the tax treatment of renewable energy power plants.
- Prepare income tax provisions under US GAAP in accordance with ASC 740.
- Providing Tax Compliance and Tax Examination Services
- General tax consulting services
Recent Projects
Examples of RETA's recent work includes the following:
- Provided tax due diligence and tax structuring to a real estate developer with its purchase of its first large solar farm.
- Supported an equipment manufacturer's 48C tax credit recognition and subsequent transfer of such credits under IRC 6418.
- Issued a tax opinion regarding a hydrokinetic renewable energy facility's qualification for federal tax credits.
- Supported the passage of California S.B. 302, to ensure the monetization of federal tax credits is not taxable in the state.
- Issued a tax opinion regarding a project's compliance with the Prevailing Wage and Apprenticeship (PWA) requirements.
- Assisted a Fortune 250 company launch a strategy to optimize solar tax credits for both on-site rooftop projects and credits purchased under the IRA transferability window
- Helping a taxpayer secure a New Mexico IRB
- Supporting utility-scale clean energy projects in Arizona, Virginia, Caliofirnia, Texas, Utah, Louisiana, and Mississippi.
- Supporting a clean hydrogen start-up that will produce sustanable aviation fuel (SAF).
- Provide IRA optimization advice to a manufacturer of PV tracker systems.
- Assist developers with identifying, implementing, and documenting Begin Construction plans in response to the OBBB.
- Issued a tax opinion regarding the California property tax impact of federal investment tax credits.