Many computer software companies rely on a combination of patents, copyrights, trademarks and trade secret laws to establish and protect their proprietary rights in their products and technologies. There can be no assurance that the steps taken by computer software companies to protect their proprietary rights will be adequate to prevent misappropriation of their technology or that competitors will not independently develop technologies that are substantially equivalent or superior to such companies’ technology.

The electricity produced and revenues generated by a renewable energy generation facility, including solar electric or wind energy, is highly dependent upon suitable weather conditions. These assets may not be able to operate in extreme weather conditions, such as during a severe freeze. Furthermore, components used in the generation of renewable energy could be damaged by severe weather, such as hailstorms or tornadoes. In addition, replacement and spare parts for key components may be difficult or costly to acquire or may be unavailable. Unfavorable weather and atmospheric conditions could impair the effectiveness of assets or reduce their output beneath their rated capacity or require shutdown of key equipment, impeding operation of renewable assets. Actual climatic conditions at a facility site, particularly wind conditions, may not conform to the historical findings and, therefore, renewable energy facilities may not meet anticipated production levels or the rated capacity of the generation assets.

A portion of revenues from investments in renewable infrastructure assets will be tied, either directly or indirectly, to the wholesale market price for electricity in the markets served. Wholesale market electricity prices are impacted by a number of factors including: the price of fuel (e.g., natural gas) that is used to generate electricity; the cost and management of generation and the amount of excess generating capacity relative to load in a particular market; and conditions (such as extremely hot or cold weather) that impact electrical system demand. Owners of renewable infrastructure assets may attempt to secure fixed prices for their power production through the use of financial hedges; but may not be able to deliver power to collect such fixed price, rendering those hedges ineffective or creating economic losses for renewable infrastructure assets. In addition, there is uncertainty surrounding the trend in electricity demand growth, which is influenced by macroeconomic conditions; absolute and relative energy prices; and energy conservation and demand management. This volatility and uncertainty in power markets could have a material adverse effect on the assets, liabilities, financial condition, operations and/or cash flow of the Renewable Energy Infrastructure Companies in which the Fund invests.

The United Kingdom (“UK”) formally withdrew from the EU on January 31, 2020 (commonly referred to as “Brexit”) and entered an 11-month transition period, which concluded on December 31, 2020, with the UK leaving the EU single market and customs union under the terms of a new trade agreement. The agreement governs the new relationship between the UK and EU with respect to trading goods and services, but critical aspects of the relationship remain unresolved and subject to further negotiation and agreement. Certain aspects of Brexit have had an adverse impact on the region, leading to increased inflation, labor shortages and business closures, among others. There is still considerable uncertainty relating to the potential consequences associated with the UK’s exit and whether its exit will increase the likelihood of other countries also departing the EU. Any exits from the EU, or the possibility of such exits, may have a significant impact on the UK, Europe, and global economies, which may result in increased volatility and illiquidity, new legal and regulatory uncertainties and potentially lower economic growth for these economies that could potentially have an adverse effect on the value of the Fund’s investments. In addition, the UK has been a target of terrorism in the past. Acts of terrorism in Europe or the UK or against such countries’ interests abroad may cause uncertainty in the European or UK financial markets and adversely affect the performance of the issuers to which the Fund has exposure.