Project Finance vs Traditional Corporate Finance

Project Finance vs Traditional Corporate Finance | Plain-English Guide for Sponsors and Lenders

Project Finance vs Traditional Corporate Finance

The goal is simple: choose the structure that your lenders and investors will fund at the lowest total cost without restricting the business. This guide explains both approaches in plain English, defines the few necessary terms, and shows how to decide with real-world examples.

What each approach means

Project finance

Financing raised in a special-purpose company created only for one asset or one portfolio of similar assets. Lenders are repaid from that project's cash flow. After the asset is built and performs as agreed, the debt usually becomes limited recourse or non-recourse to the sponsors. In short, the project stands on its own.

Corporate finance

Financing raised at the operating company or holding company. Lenders are repaid from the company’s overall business. The debt is backed by the company’s full balance sheet. In short, the business as a whole supports the loan.

Terms used once and defined

  • Special-purpose vehicle (SPV): a ring-fenced company that owns only the project.
  • Debt Service Coverage Ratio (DSCR): cash flow available to debt service divided by scheduled principal and interest for the same period.
  • Loan Life Coverage Ratio (LLCR): present value of project cash flow over the loan’s life divided by outstanding debt.
  • Completion support: sponsor guarantees or other backing that apply only until the asset meets agreed performance tests.

Clear comparison

Topic Project finance Corporate finance
Borrower SPV that owns the asset and its contracts Existing operating company or holding company
Source of repayment Cash flow from the single asset Cash flow from the entire business
Recourse to sponsors Limited or none after completion tests are met Full corporate recourse
Security and controls Security over all SPV assets, share pledges, account control, strict cash waterfall, reserve accounts Security over group assets if secured, broader flexibility on cash movement
Key credit tests DSCR, LLCR, minimum reserve days, distribution lock-ups Leverage, interest cover, fixed charge cover, liquidity tests
Documentation Common terms agreement, intercreditor, direct agreements with key counterparties, hedging agreements Credit agreement, security documents, sometimes an intercreditor for multiple facilities
Typical tenor Matched to asset life or contract life Shorter to mid-term, based on corporate profile
Time and cost to close More time and higher third-party costs due to technical, legal, and insurance diligence Usually faster and cheaper to launch if the business is strong

When each approach fits, with simple examples

Project finance works best when
  • Revenues are contracted or regulated for many years.
  • Construction, operations, and supply risks can be passed to strong counterparties.
  • Higher leverage is needed against predictable cash flow.

Example: a 100 MW solar plant with a 20-year power purchase agreement and a fixed-price EPC contract.

Corporate finance works best when
  • Speed and flexibility matter more than ring-fencing.
  • The company has a strong balance sheet and diversified cash flow.
  • The project’s contracts are not fully ready and a bridge is needed.

Example: a regional distributor adds two warehouses and finances them on the corporate revolver and term loan.

Hybrid route
  • Short-term holding-company debt to reach notice-to-proceed.
  • Completion support that falls away after tests are passed.
  • Refinance into asset-level term debt once performance is proven.

Example: a data center uses corporate bridge funding, then refinances into SPV debt at practical completion with contracted tenants.

How credit committees look at each structure

Project finance focus
  • Quality of revenue: take-or-pay terms, availability payments, tariff design, and indexation.
  • Risk transfer: construction liquidated damages, long-term operations contracts, fuel or input contracts.
  • Resilience: base-case and downside DSCR, reserve sizing, and hedging for rates and commodities.
  • Control: step-in rights, direct agreements with key counterparties, and account control.
Corporate finance focus
  • Business strength: revenue diversity, margin stability, cash conversion.
  • Leverage and coverage: total debt to earnings, interest cover, and liquidity runway.
  • Security and guarantees: scope across the group and any structural subordination.
  • Flexibility: baskets for capital expenditure and acquisitions without constant consents.

Documentation, timeline, and cost

  • Project finance: expect a common terms agreement, security trust, intercreditor, account bank agreements, direct agreements with the offtaker, the EPC contractor, the operator, and key suppliers. Timeline is longer because technical, legal, insurance, and model audits are required.
  • Corporate finance: expect one or more credit agreements, security documents, and sometimes an intercreditor if there are multiple facilities. Timeline is shorter if the company has clean financials and a clear story.

A simple decision framework

  1. Cash flow quality: if revenues are contracted or regulated for the life of the loan, project finance is usually viable. If not, start corporate or hybrid.
  2. Risk transfer: if construction, operations, and inputs can be locked into firm contracts with strong counterparties, project finance improves quickly.
  3. Target leverage and control: higher leverage and tighter controls point to project finance. Lower leverage and flexibility point to corporate finance.
  4. Timing: if you must close quickly, start corporate or hybrid and plan a refinance when bankability improves.
  5. Sponsor objectives: if the group wants to protect its rating and ring-fence risks, use project finance or a hybrid that becomes non-recourse after completion.

Common mistakes to avoid

  • Starting a project financing without firm contracts or a clear revenue model.
  • Ignoring intercreditor terms until late. Align senior, mezzanine, and hedge positions early.
  • Setting a loan tenor that outlives the contract or the asset.
  • Overlooking reserve accounts and distribution lock-ups in the base case model.

Frequently asked questions

Is project finance always non-recourse?

No. During construction, lenders usually require completion support from sponsors. After tests are passed and the asset performs, that support can fall away and the debt becomes limited recourse or non-recourse.

Can I start with corporate finance and refinance into project finance later?

Yes. Many sponsors use a corporate bridge to reach key milestones, then refinance into SPV term debt once contracts and performance history make the project bankable.

Which ratios matter most in project finance?

Debt Service Coverage Ratio (DSCR) by period, Loan Life Coverage Ratio (LLCR), reserve sizing, and stress-case results. These show the ability to pay debt on time and withstand downside scenarios.

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