Opening: Your Energy Ambition (Easy Start)

• What's your primary reason for exploring wind energy right now? Options: Meet clean energy targets / ESG, Reduce average energy cost / LCOE, Replace retiring thermal capacity, Regulatory or compliance requirement, Secure long-term price certainty, Other
• How soon do you need a commercial decision or go/no-go on this opportunity? Options: Immediately, Within 3–6 months, Within 6–12 months, 12–24 months, More than 24 months
• Which internal teams are directly involved in evaluating this project today? Options: Resource planning, Procurement, Finance / Treasury, Legal / Contracts, Regulatory & Permitting, Operations / O&M, Sustainability / ESG, Board / Executive Committee, Other
• Do you already have a target LCOE, PPA price, or capital budget range in mind? Options: Yes — specific target set, Yes — ballpark range only, No explicit target yet, Other
• If you indicated a target, please state the LCOE, PPA range, or budget assumptions and how firm that target is.
• When you talk internally about pursuing wind, what emotions or attitudes show up most often? Options: Energized / optimistic, Cautious but curious, Anxious about schedule, Pressured by budget, Skeptical of claims, Hopeful for strategic value, Other

What Would Break the Status Quo?

• If this project stalls over the next 12–24 months, what concrete risks or costs will your organization face?
• Which outcomes are absolutely unacceptable to let slide (e.g., missed capacity targets, regulatory fines, credit rating impact)? Options: Missed capacity targets, Regulatory penalties, Negative credit/ratings impact, Lost offtake opportunities, Reputational damage, Other
• How often have comparable projects in your portfolio missed their original milestones? Options: Almost always, Often, Sometimes, Rarely, Never
• Who in your organization has previously lost patience with slow projects—and can you share a brief example?
• Which internal policies or procurement rules usually add the longest delays? Options: Mandatory RFP cycles, Board-level approval gates, Financial threshold reviews, Local content or sourcing rules, Environmental review hold-ups, Other
• How willing is senior leadership to accept schedule or execution risk to accelerate delivery? Options: Very willing, Somewhat willing, Reluctant, Not willing, Unsure

Hidden Roadblocks — Where Projects Quietly Stall

• What procedural or political hurdle do you privately fear will stop this project?
• Where does the project currently sit in the permitting and approvals pipeline? Options: Not started, Scoping / pre-application, Application submitted, In formal review, Permits granted, Subject to appeal / litigation
• What best describes your interconnection status and expected timeline to an executed agreement? Options: Not in queue, Applied — early position, Applied — mid position, Applied — late position, Study underway / awaiting results, Conditional offer received, Active grid agreement / service schedule
• Have you encountered community, landowner, or stakeholder opposition in past projects here? Options: Yes — major opposition, Yes — minor issues, No significant opposition, Not applicable / new site
• If opposition or delays occurred, what were the top causes and how were they usually resolved?
• Which supply-chain elements worry you most for delivery timing (select all that apply)? Options: Turbine availability, Blades & rotors, Nacelles / generators, Cables & substations, Heavy transport/logistics, Civil works / contractors, Other
• How do these operational or political risks make your stakeholders feel—frustrated, cautious, resigned, or something else?

Decisions, Dollars, and Deadlines — Who Signs and When?

• Is the person leading this engagement authorized to sign the final commercial documents, or will the decision escalate—and how will that change timing?
• Which roles must sign off on the final commercial terms? Options: Procurement lead, CFO / Treasury, Head of Legal, CEO / Executive sponsor, Board / Investment committee, Regulatory affairs, Project finance lenders / partners, Other
• Please list the formal approval gates and typical cadences (e.g., monthly finance committee, quarterly board).
• Will a financing condition precedent (debt commitment, tax equity, letter of credit) be required before execution? Options: Yes — debt/term-sheet required, Yes — tax equity required, No financing condition, Unsure / depends on structure
• How many reviewers typically redline contracts in your organization before execution? Options: 1–3 reviewers, 4–6 reviewers, 7–10 reviewers, More than 10
• What worries stakeholders most when contemplating signing a long-term energy agreement?

What 'Good Enough' Looks Like — Outcomes and Non-Negotiables

• If you could lock a single success metric for this project, which would it be? Options: Lowest possible LCOE / Price, High availability (%), Energy production certainty (MWh/year), Firm capacity contribution, Regulatory compliance / deadlines met, Reputational/ESG impact
• Please specify measurable acceptance criteria you need (target LCOE or PPA $/MWh, minimum availability %, guaranteed annual generation).
• What minimum availability over the first five years is acceptable to your stakeholders? Options: ≥99%, 98–99%, 95–98%, <95%, Unsure
• How much year-to-year production variability are you prepared to tolerate without financial remediation? Options: <1%, 1–3%, 3–5%, >5%, Unsure
• Which risk allocations are non‑negotiable for you (select all that apply)? Options: Seller assumes performance guarantees, Buyer assumes curtailment risk, Shared contingency reserves, Fixed-price supply, Limited force majeure carve-outs, Other
• If acceptance criteria are not met, what remedies or escalation paths would satisfy your organization?

Site & Grid Reality Check

• What single unknown about the site or grid makes you least comfortable committing capital?
• Has an independent wind resource assessment and validation been completed? Options: Not started, Desk-based assessment only, On-site met mast or LiDAR in progress, 12+ months measured SCADA/wind data, Independent third‑party validated study
• What is the current status of land rights and lease agreements for the site? Options: No land rights secured, Options / letters of intent, Negotiating leases, Leases executed, Other
• Have environmental baseline studies (avian, habitat, noise) and mitigation plans been completed? Options: Not started, Scoping complete, Studies underway, Studies complete and mitigation identified, Mitigation implemented / permits obtained
• What substation or evacuation upgrades are expected and who is expected to fund them?
• Do you have historical transmission curtailment or congestion at the targeted interconnection? Options: Frequent curtailment, Occasional, Rare, None known, Unknown
• What evidence or steps would materially increase your confidence in site and grid readiness?

Commercial Structure — Are We Aligned on Risk and Reward?

• If your CFO could rewrite the commercial deal tomorrow, what single change would they insist on?
• Which commercial structure do you prefer for this project? Options: Long-term PPA (offtake), Build-Transfer (BT), Joint Venture / Co-development, Turbine supply + service agreement, Merchant / merchant-backed, Other
• What contract length are you targeting for the offtake or revenue stream? Options: 5–10 years, 10–15 years, 15–20 years, 20–25 years, 25+ years
• Which price indexation approaches are acceptable to you? Options: Fixed price, CPI-linked, Market-indexed (e.g., hourly or monthly), Blended / hybrid, Other
• What forms of credit support or guarantees can you provide or expect from partners? Options: Parent company guarantee, Letter of credit, Bank guarantee, Tax equity / lender structures, Balance-sheet support, None / limited
• Would you be open to a staged commercial approach (pilot phase, then scale) to de-risk execution? Options: Yes — favorable, Maybe — needs discussion, No — prefer full-scale commitment

Execution Confidence — Can You Live With Our Track Record?

• When you hear an OEM or developer claim 97%+ availability, what would make you doubt that number?
• Which types of proof would you want to see to validate operational performance? Options: Raw SCADA production data, Independent performance audit, Reference site visits, Long-term maintenance logs, Service-level dashboards, Other
• How important is a site visit to an operating fleet before you award supply or services? Options: Essential, Very helpful, Nice-to-have, Not necessary
• What maximum supply-chain lead times are acceptable for turbines and major components? Options: <6 months, 6–12 months, 12–18 months, 18–24 months, >24 months
• Describe any prior supplier failures or delivery issues you've experienced and the business impact.
• Which performance remedy structure would feel most balanced to you? Options: Liquidated damages / penalties, Availability guarantees with make-good, Performance bonds / escrow, Service credits only, Combination / tiered approach

Finance & Contracting Redlines — What's Non-Negotiable?

• Which contractual clause would cause your board, lender, or insurer to reject the deal outright?
• Which contract elements do you routinely push back on during negotiation? Options: Liquidated damages limits, Force majeure carve-outs, Indemnity caps, Currency / FX allocation, Termination for convenience, Change order process, Data / IP rights, Other
• What insurance types and limits will you require for construction and operations? Options: Standard construction all-risk, High-limit third-party liability, E&O/Cyber, Business interruption / revenue, Traffic / transport insurance, All of the above, Unsure
• What timeline do you need for legal review and closing (from first draft to signature)? Options: 1–2 weeks, 2–4 weeks, 1–2 months, More than 2 months
• Which financial milestones must align with contract signature (select all that apply)? Options: Lender commitment / term sheet, Tax equity allocation, Grant or incentive award, Internal budget approval, Other
• Are there regulatory approvals that, if not obtained, would invalidate or materially change the contract? Options: Yes — material, Yes — minor, No, Unsure

Next Steps & Commitment — What Would Make This Easy to Say Yes To?

• If we could give you two tangible commitments today, which specific commitments would move you to a clear 'yes'?
• Which of these commitments would be most persuasive (select up to three)? Options: Firm delivery slot / serial number reservation, Fixed price for turbines, Availability / performance guarantee, Early-stage financing or term-sheet support, Access to SCADA / site data, Dedicated project delivery team, Community engagement plan
• What is the single next action we should take to increase your internal momentum?
• Who must be present in the next meeting and what evidence will each person need to see to move forward?

Tell Us About Your Project — The short version that gets everyone on the same page

• What best describes this opportunity? Options: Utility/ISO-backed procurement, Corporate procurement (offtake), Independent Power Producer (IPP) development, Merchant-ready asset, Consortium / Joint Venture, Other
• What is the project name or internal reference we should use?
• Where is the project located (primary county / region and grid/interconnect node)?
• Planned capacity (MW) and single-turbine size preference if known Options: Under 50 MW, 50–199 MW, 200–499 MW, 500–999 MW, 1 GW +, Undecided/To be defined
• Target commercial operation date (COD) or desired in-service year Options: Next 12 months, 12–24 months, 24–36 months, 36–60 months, Later / undetermined

Is the Interconnection Really as Safe as You Think?

• What is your current interconnection queue position and the queue name/ID?
• Which study or milestone is the project currently in? Options: Feasibility screening, System impact study, Facilities study, Preliminary/conditional queue position, Awaiting cluster study results, Interconnection agreement executed
• What COD window did you list in the queue, and how flexible is that date? Options: Fixed month/year (contractual), Year range (±6–12 months), Target year only, Flexible
• If the interconnection slips 6–18 months, what are the concrete commercial or regulatory consequences you're most concerned about? Options: PPA pricing exposure, Financing covenants breach, Permitting misalignment, Board/owner approvals delay, Loss of queue position to competitor, Other
• Have you identified mitigation levers (e.g., alternate substations, DER/curtailment strategies, or staged COD) and who would own them? Options: Yes—defined and owner assigned, Yes—options identified, no owner, Partially—concept only, No mitigation identified

What’s Actually Driving Your Energy Forecasts?

• Are your energy estimates based on measured on-site data, hub-height remote sensing, or modeled data only? Options: Long-term met mast (3+ years), Short-term met mast (<3 years), Lidar/SoDAR hub-height data, Satellite/Modeled data only, Combined measured and modeled
• What statistical confidence metrics do you use and target (e.g., P50/P90) for lender and offtaker approvals? Options: P50 & P90 provided, P50 provided only, Annual energy and sensitivity curves, Proprietary risk metrics, Undecided
• Which aerodynamic / windfarm models and software were used for the energy estimate (e.g., WAsP, WindPro, OpenFAST, CFD)?
• Have wake losses, terrain complexity, and micrositing uncertainty been quantified separately? If so, how were these validated? Options: Yes—measurement validated, Modeled only, Conservative allowance applied, Not fully quantified
• How long have you been collecting site data and what gaps remain that could materially change AEP or P50/P90? Options: 3+ years, 1–3 years, Less than 1 year, No site data yet
• Would you be open to an independent third-party resource reanalysis to tighten P90 certainty for lenders/offtakers? Options: Yes—required, Yes—optional, Maybe, No

Could Permitting or Local Opposition Stop This Project Cold?

• Which key permits and approvals do you already hold, and which remain outstanding? Options: Land use/lease agreements, Zoning/conditional use, Environmental permits (federal/state), Cultural/archaeological clearances, Construction permits, None obtained yet
• Has the project faced community opposition, legal challenges, or prior permit denials—how recent and what was the outcome? Options: No opposition, Minor concerns addressed, Active opposition/appeals, Previous denial with appeal pending, Other
• Are there known environmental or species risks (e.g., raptor corridors, wetlands) that require mitigation plans? Options: Identified—mitigation planned, Identified—mitigation pending, No known issues, Unknown
• What is your expected timeline for all local/state/federal approvals, and which approvals are the critical path?
• Who in your organization is driving permitting and community engagement, and do they have escalation authority when timelines slip? Options: Internal project lead with authority, Internal team w/o authority, External consultant manages, No clear owner

Who’s Really Committed on Supply — and Who Might Walk Away?

• Do you have executed turbine supply agreements (TSAs) or binding letters of intent? If yes, which items are firm (slot, price, delivery window)? Options: Fully executed TSA with firm slots, LOI with conditional slot reservation, No TSA—market outreach only, Turbine supply via OEM+developer combined contract
• What are the currently promised turbine lead times (months from PO to delivery) and how sensitive is your schedule to a ±3–6 month shift? Options: <6 months, 6–12 months, 12–18 months, 18+ months, Unknown
• Have you secured logistics (port access, heavy-lift windows, road upgrades) and who bears those costs/risks? Options: Owner/Developer bears, OEM bears, Shared/negotiated, Not secured
• Have contract clauses been discussed for supply disruption (force majeure, supplier insolvency, allocation, substitution) and are there performance bonds or penalties? Options: Yes—detailed clauses & bonds, Yes—high-level only, No—yet to negotiate, Uncertain
• If your primary supplier cannot deliver, what is the practical backup (alternate OEM, delayed COD, reduced scope)? Options: Alternate OEM available, Delay COD, Stage project (partial COD), No realistic backup

Who Carries the Biggest Contractual Risk — You, the Offtaker, or the Lender?

• Which commercial model are you planning to use for this deal? Options: PPA long-term (utility/corporate), Build-Transfer / Build-Own-Transfer, Joint Venture / Consortium, Turbine supply + service to third party, Merchant
• What offtake or revenue certainty is required by your financiers or board (e.g., long-term PPA length, minimum credit rating)? Options: 15+ year PPA required, 10–15 year acceptable, Shorter-term OK with merchant hedge, Offtaker credit rating required, Undecided
• How are schedule risks allocated in your current term-sheet—are liquidated damages, extension windows, or contractor incentives defined? Options: Yes—clear allocation & LDs, Partial—some items defined, No—still negotiating, Not sure
• What security instruments are expected or in place (parent guarantees, completion bonds, letter of credit)? Options: Parent company guarantee, Completion/Performance bond, Letter of Credit, Escrow/retention, None agreed
• If a key milestone is missed (e.g., interconnection date), what are the immediate contractual remedies or escalation steps you expect?

What Happens If the Schedule Starts to Slip — Do You Have a Contingency Play?

• Do you hold contingency budget and timeline buffers; if so, what percent of capex and what month buffer do you carry? Options: Contingency >10% capex / >6 months, Contingency 5–10% / 3–6 months, Contingency <5% / <3 months, No contingency defined
• Who is the named escalation owner for schedule or supplier crises, and do they have authority to make trade-offs (scope vs. time vs. cost)? Options: Yes—named with authority, Yes—named but limited authority, No named owner, External consultant handles escalation
• Which of these acceleration levers would you be willing to deploy if needed (select all that apply)? Options: Pay premium for earlier delivery, Stage commissioning (partial COD), Accept different turbine model, Increase local logistics spend, Fast-track permitting with additional mitigation
• Have financing covenants been stress-tested against a 6–12 month schedule slip, and what lender remedies would be triggered? Options: Yes—stress test done, Partially tested, Not tested yet, Unknown
• What’s the single contingency you don’t have yet but believe would materially reduce execution risk?

How Much Certainty Do You Need to Say Yes?

• What minimum availability guarantee do your stakeholders require (select single target or range)? Options: >98% annual availability, 97–98%, 95–97%, <95%, Availability not primary concern
• What is the LCOE or PPA price target range that will make this economically viable for your organization? Options: Aggressive target—lowest market, Competitive market range, Willing to pay premium for certainty, Undetermined / need analysis
• How much energy uncertainty (e.g., tolerance for P90 shortfall) can your finance team accept without re-pricing? Options: <2% shortfall, 2–5% shortfall, 5–10% shortfall, >10% shortfall
• Which guarantees or financial instruments would you require from an OEM/developer (availability guarantees, availability-linked payments, liquidated damages, performance bonds)? Options: Availability guarantees with LDs, Performance bonds, Availability-linked payments, Operational insurance cover, None/negotiable
• Are there internal metrics or board-level KPIs that would block go/no-go if not met (e.g., IRR threshold, debt coverage ratio, emissions targets)? Please list the top 2–3.

Before We Move Forward — What Would Give You Real Confidence?

• Which deliverable from a developer/OEM would increase your confidence most right now? Options: Independent resource reassessment, Firm turbine delivery slot confirmation, Draft of commercial term-sheet, Permitting milestone schedule with owners, Lender comfort letter
• What timeline would feel realistic and acceptable for receiving those deliverables? Options: 2–4 weeks, 1–3 months, 3–6 months, Longer than 6 months
• Who are the internal stakeholders we should engage next (titles/roles) and what decision authority do they each hold?
• If we identify a single critical unknown that could derail your schedule, what decision would you want within 2 weeks to prevent it? Options: Approve contingency spend, Authorize alternative supplier negotiations, Shift COD window, Escalate to board/owners, Other
• Finally, what would you most like us to solve or take off your plate in the next 30 days to move this opportunity forward?

Start Here: The Big Picture You're Trying to Solve

• What is the primary objective driving your interest in wind generation right now? Options: Long-term PPA to meet targets, Build-to-transfer (BT) / asset sale, Joint venture / co-development, Turbine purchase + service agreement, Portfolio diversification / merchant exposure, Regulatory compliance / RPS obligation, Other
• What timeline are you targeting for final investment decision (FID) and first energy? Options: FID within 3 months, FID 3–6 months, FID 6–12 months, Planning >12 months
• Who on your team will be directly responsible for procurement, finance, and board approvals? (name, role, and ideal point of contact)
• Which commercial structure(s) are you actively considering? Options: PPA (offtake), Build-Transfer (BT), Joint Venture / Co-development, Turbine supply + OEM service, Hybrid (e.g., PPA + JV), Undecided
• How urgent does this decision feel to your executive team on a scale from 'exploratory' to 'mission-critical'? Options: Exploratory / informational, Interested but not urgent, Important within 6–12 months, Mission-critical / immediate

Who's Holding the Keys? (Decision Roles, Politics & Hidden Gates)

• Who inside your organization is most likely to block or slow this project—and what usually motivates their hesitation?
• List the formal approval gates and decision thresholds we should expect (procurement committee, finance committee, board thresholds, delegated authorities). Options: Procurement committee, Finance committee, Executive leadership, Board approval, Regulatory sign-off, Delegated approval thresholds
• How do your board or executive stakeholders view long-term PPAs and merchant exposure today—enthusiastic, cautious, or opposed? Options: Enthusiastic, Cautiously supportive, Neutral / undecided, Skeptical / opposed
• When a project has hit political friction in the past, what remedies or evidence have convinced decision-makers to move forward? Tell us a concrete example.
• If we needed an internal champion to accelerate approvals, what role and qualities would be most persuasive for your organization? Options: CFO/Finance lead, Head of Procurement, Chief Sustainability Officer, Project sponsor/Business lead, Board member / external advisor

Where the Risk Lives (Permits, Queue Position, Community Heat)

• Which single permitting, interconnection, or community issue do you believe is most likely to derail schedule—and why?
• What is the current status of these specific items for the site: land/lease, environmental permits, local zoning, and community agreements? Options: All secured, Mostly secured (minor outstanding), Several major permits pending, Significant local/community opposition, Unknown / need assessment
• Where do you sit in the interconnection queue today and what contingency do you expect if the queue moves slower than planned? Options: Queued with an allocation date, Submitted, awaiting study results, Not yet submitted, Unclear—need support
• Have you experienced community opposition or local permitting delays on past projects? If yes, what tactics helped reduce friction and how long did those delays last? Options: No prior opposition, Minor opposition—resolved quickly, Moderate delays (months), Major delays (year+)
• Are there any regulatory or market constraints (e.g., state interconnection rules, permitting moratoria, local content requirements) that we should map right away?

Are We Confident in the Resource? (Wind Data, Forecasts & Uncertainty)

• How confident are you that the wind resource assessment reflects realistic year‑one and long‑term production—could those numbers be off by 5%, 10%, or more? Options: <5% uncertainty, 5–10% uncertainty, 10–20% uncertainty, >20% uncertainty / unknown
• What type of wind data do you have available today (met mast, LiDAR, SCADA from existing turbines, third‑party assessment)? Options: Long-term met mast (3+ years), Short-term met mast (<3 years), LiDAR / SoDAR data, SCADA from existing turbines, Third-party MERRA/ERA analysis only, No data collected yet
• Has an independent third-party verified your AEP model and assumptions? If yes, what were the key findings or caveats? Options: Third-party verified—no major caveats, Third-party verified—some caveats noted, Not yet verified, Not planning third-party verification
• If production falls short by a material amount, what financial or contractual levers does your organization prefer (reserves, performance guarantees, indexation, price adjustments)? Options: Contingency reserves, Performance guarantees from OEM/developer, Indexed pricing, Insurance products, Absorb risk internally
• How would a multi-year variability trend (e.g., 10% lower AEP over 3–5 years) make you feel about moving forward—would you pause, renegotiate, or continue? Options: Pause and reassess, Renegotiate terms, Proceed with caution, Continue as planned

What’s Your Risk Budget—Really? (Availability, LCOE & Non‑Negotiables)

• If you had to prioritize one non-negotiable outcome—lowest LCOE, highest availability, or guaranteed delivery date—what would it be and why? Options: Lowest LCOE, Highest availability / uptime, Guaranteed deployment schedule, Preserve balance sheet (minimal capital), Other
• What specific LCOE range and availability target would you need to see to recommend this project to your board?
• How much of the commercial risk are you willing to accept (e.g., availability performance deductions vs. developer/OEM guarantees)? Options: Owner bears most risk, Shared risk with developer/OEM, Developer/OEM bears most risk, Undecided
• Which contractual protections matter most to your lenders or treasury team (e.g., step-in rights, escrow, debt draw triggers, SPV covenants)? Options: Step-in rights, Escrow / reserve accounts, Strict draw conditions, SPV isolation, Other
• When you look at past projects, where have contingency budgets been most drained—construction cost overruns, interconnection upgrades, or operational shortfalls? How long has that been a pattern?

Can the Supply Chain & Financing Move at Your Pace?

• If a critical vendor missed delivery by six months, which part of your plan would break first—financing, grid readiness, or commercial commitments? Options: Financing draw schedule, Grid/interconnection milestone, PPA delivery commitments, Construction sequencing, Other
• Which turbine power class and rotor size range are you most inclined toward for this site? Options: 3–5 MW (smaller), 5–8 MW (mid), 8–12 MW (large), 12+ MW (very large), Undecided / need recommendation
• Do you currently have supply‑chain reservations or option slots with any OEMs? If so, which and for what delivery window? Options: Reserved with OEM—confirmed slot, Optioned but not committed, No reservations, Unsure / need verification
• What is the status of project financing (term sheets, committed lenders, internal approval) and what remaining conditions are hardest to satisfy? Options: Committed lenders & term sheet signed, Indicative term sheets, Seeking lenders, Self-finance / internal approval pending
• If we offered a staged delivery or partial-supply approach, how open would you be to trade-offs between schedule certainty and price? Options: Very open, Somewhat open, Prefer all-or-nothing, Need to understand details

If We Built It, Would You Accept It? (Acceptance, Testing & KPIs)

• What single acceptance condition would make you reject commissioning even if other milestones were met (e.g., guaranteed availability, independent performance test, environmental compliance)?
• Which acceptance tests and benchmarks are must-haves for you (power curve validation, full-load testing, SCADA baseline, grid-code compliance)? Options: Power curve validation, Full-load capacity test, SCADA baseline comparison, Grid-code dynamic testing, Availability benchmark period
• How long of a performance observation window post-commissioning do you require before releasing final acceptance and final payments? Options: Immediate at handover, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months, Other
• What KPIs and reporting cadence will satisfy your asset management team for handover into operations (availability %, downtime events, AEP variance, maintenance backlog)? Options: Availability %, AEP vs forecast, Downtime events & causes, Maintenance backlogs, SCADA performance metrics
• If early operational issues arise, what escalation and remediation path gives you confidence (OEM service response times, penalties, third-party oversight)? Options: Fast OEM response SLA, Performance penalties, Independent technical auditor, Joint remediation plan, Other

A Practical Next Step — Who Does What, By When?

• What is the single piece of information or decision that, if provided this week, would move you from evaluation to a firm next step?
• Which milestones do you need owners for right now (permitting, grid agreement, financing draw, turbine procurement, construction schedule)? Please identify names/roles where possible. Options: Permitting owner, Grid agreement owner, Financing lead, Procurement lead, Construction/project manager, O&M lead
• How quickly would you be willing to sign a non-binding term sheet or MoU if it aligned to your top priorities? Options: Within 7 days, Within 30 days, Within 90 days, Not ready for MoU
• What openness do you have to joint technical due diligence (shared site visits, data room access, third-party resource verification) and who would lead that from your side? Options: Fully open—can start immediately, Open but needs scheduling, Prefer limited / staged access, Not open
• Finally, how would you like us to communicate—one weekly touchpoint, detailed bi-weekly reports, or an on-demand shared workspace—and who should be included? Options: Weekly sync call, Bi-weekly written update, Shared project workspace (preferred), Ad hoc as needed

Start Here — Describe Your Project in One Line

• In one sentence, describe the project or portfolio you’re evaluating for wind energy (location, scale, and stage).
• What best describes the project’s current stage? Options: Scoping / Feasibility, Wind measurement underway (met mast / lidar), Permitting & community engagement, Financing & contract negotiation, Construction ready / procurement, Operational / Repower
• What is the target installed capacity for the opportunity? Options: < 50 MW, 50–150 MW, 150–300 MW, 300–500 MW, 500–1000 MW, > 1 GW, Not yet determined
• Which commercial structure are you currently considering for this project? Options: PPA (offtake), Build-Transfer (BT), Joint Venture / Co-development, Turbine sale + service agreement, Merchant / Hybrid, Exploring multiple options
• Who will sign off on the final commercial terms from your side? (select all that apply) Options: Procurement / Head of Energy, Finance / CFO, Board / Executive Committee, Legal / Regulatory, Operations / Asset Manager, External lender / investor

What Keeps Your Board Up at Night?

• If you had to name the single risk that would make your board refuse to proceed, what would it be?
• Which three priorities matter most when the board evaluates a wind project? Options: Lowest LCOE / PPA price, Energy production certainty (P90), Availability / reliability, Regulatory & permitting certainty, Balance-sheet/funding impact, Reputation & community acceptance, Speed to COD
• What maximum LCOE or PPA price range would you consider acceptable for this project (baseline expectation)? Options: < $30/MWh, $30–$40/MWh, $40–$50/MWh, $50–$60/MWh, > $60/MWh, Price dependent on structure / term
• How do you prioritize trade-offs across availability, energy certainty, and price right now? Options: Availability first, Energy certainty (P90) first, Price / LCOE first, Balanced trade-off across all three
• Are there regulatory, offtake, or board conditions that would be absolute deal-breakers? Options: No foreign equipment allowed, Local content thresholds, Specific insurance/credit ratings, Guaranteed availability thresholds, No material curtailment allowance, Other / see notes

When Did You Last Feel Truly Confident About a Generation Forecast?

• How confident are you that your current resource assessment reflects the actual energy you’ll receive on site? Options: Very confident, Somewhat confident, Uncertain, Not confident at all
• What measurement data underpins your current forecast (select all sources you rely on)? Options: On-site met mast, On-site lidar / sodar, Remote sensing / satellite, Long-term reanalysis models, Third-party independent study, Vendor-provided modeled dataset
• How many years of on-site, validated wind data do you have? Options: < 1 year, 1–2 years, 2–3 years, 3–5 years, > 5 years, None / modeled only
• Have you completed or requested an independent P50/P90 or uncertainty analysis for financiers? Options: Yes — independent third party, Yes — internal only, Planned / in progress, No — not planned
• What percentage deviation between your P50 and P90 would your financiers accept (approximate)? Options: < 5%, 5–10%, 10–20%, 20–30%, > 30%, Unsure / depends on other terms
• How does potential curtailment or transmission constraint factor into your production forecast and risk tolerance?

Where Execution Tends to Break Down

• Think of previous projects — what execution issue most often derailed timelines or budgets?
• Which execution risks do you view as highest for this project right now? (select all that apply) Options: Turbine / OEM delivery delays, Grid / interconnection queue delays, Permitting / community opposition, Financing draw-down conditions, Balance-of-plant contractor reliability, Logistics / heavy-lift constraints, Supply chain components (gearbox, blades)
• Have you experienced turbine supply or logistics delays in the last 24 months on your projects? Options: Yes — significant delays, Yes — minor delays, No, Not applicable / new to development
• What contractual protections or remedies do you expect from suppliers if schedule or performance slips occur?
• If a major schedule slip happens, who from your organization will own escalation and mitigation decisions? Options: Project Director, Procurement, Finance, Legal, External Lenders, Joint steering committee
• How comfortable are you with the contingency and buffer currently budgeted for schedule and cost overruns? Options: Very comfortable, Somewhat comfortable, Barely comfortable, Not comfortable

If Everything Went Right, What Would Success Feel Like?

• Imagine we sign today — three years after COD, what would make you stand up and say, 'we nailed it'?
• Which KPIs will you use to judge whether the project is a success? (select all that apply) Options: Availability (%), Annual energy produced (GWh), Capacity factor (%), LCOE / PPA price vs forecast, O&M cost per MWh, On-time / on-budget delivery, Emissions reduction targets met
• What minimum average availability % would you require in years 1–5 to consider the project successful? Options: > 98%, 97–98%, 95–97%, 92–95%, < 92%, Not yet defined
• What acceptance tests, performance guarantees, or commissioning criteria must be documented and met at handover?
• How important is a predictive-maintenance / data-driven O&M program to achieving your long-term KPIs? Options: Critical — must have, Very important, Nice to have, Not important
• Would you consider a shared-risk commercial model (e.g., availability-linked pricing) to align incentives? Options: Yes — open to fully performance-based, Yes — open to hybrid model, Prefer fixed-price / fixed availability, Need more info

Non-Negotiables — The Lines You Won’t Cross

• Which single contractual term or operational constraint would make you walk away from a deal immediately?
• Are there environmental, community, or permitting constraints that are absolute for this site? (select all that apply) Options: Strict bird/bat mitigation required, Noise level caps, Minimum setback distances, No construction during certain seasons, Protected cultural/heritage areas, No offshore cable crossings
• Do your financiers or internal policies require named vendors, minimum insurer ratings, or specific warranty terms? Options: Yes — named OEMs required, Yes — insurer rating minimum, Yes — minimum warranty lengths, No specific vendor/insurer requirements, Unsure / depends on lender
• What minimum warranty or guaranteed availability term would you require from the OEM (years / % availability)? Options: > 25 years warranty, 10–25 years warranty, 5–10 years warranty, Availability guarantee ≥ 97%, Availability guarantee 95–97%, No strict minimum
• Which payment or financing structures are unacceptable to you? Options: Short-term merchant exposure, Uncapped availability penalties, No escrow for supplier payments, Unsecured supplier performance, Other
• How immovable is your timeline — are there regulatory, commercial, or offtake milestones you cannot miss? Options: Very immovable — hard deadline, Somewhat immovable, Flexible within 6 months, Flexible

What Would a Realistic Next Step Look Like?

• If we could remove your single biggest barrier in 30 days, what is the one deliverable you would ask us for?
• Which immediate next steps would add highest value for you right now? (select all that apply) Options: Independent resource reassessment & P50/P90, High-level LCOE and cashflow modeling, Risk register and mitigation workshop, Supply / lead-time availability check with OEM, Draft commercial term sheet for review, Site visit and community stakeholder briefing
• What documents or datasets can you share immediately to accelerate our assessment? (select all that apply) Options: Topographic & site maps, SCADA / met mast / lidar data, Interconnection study, Permitting status / comments, Existing vendor contracts, Financial model assumptions
• Who are the essential decision-makers we should include in a scoping workshop? Options: Head of Procurement, CFO / Treasurer, Head of Legal / Compliance, Operations / Asset Manager, External lender / equity partner, Local stakeholder liaison
• What is your target decision window for moving from discovery to a formal commercial proposal or FPA (firm agreement)? Options: Immediately / next 30 days, 1–3 months, 3–6 months, 6–12 months, Undecided
• How would you prefer we communicate progress and escalate blockers so your team stays comfortable? (select all that apply) Options: Weekly written updates, Bi-weekly executive call, Shared project portal with tracker, Monthly executive summary only, On-site progress reviews