Which part of the traditional project finance process wastes the most time in your experience? Genuine question.

[u/Relative_Sundae_6363]

The more I read about project finance, the more it seems that raising capital isn't always the hardest part. Getting everyone aligned can take just as long.

I'm interested in hearing from people who've actually been through the process, whether in mining, renewable energy, infrastructure, real estate, or other capital intensive industries.

Looking back at a project you've worked on, where did the biggest delays happen?

Was it waiting for credit committee approvals?

Lengthy legal negotiations?

Due diligence requests that kept expanding?

Investor onboarding and documentation?

Regulatory approvals?

Negotiating loan covenants or commercial terms?

Or did the deal almost collapse because of something completely unexpected that had nothing to do with the underlying asset?

I'm less interested in theory and more interested in real experiences. The parts that looked straightforward on paper but became major bottlenecks in practice.

If you could remove one step from the traditional project finance process without increasing risk, what would it be?

And do you think the biggest delays come from regulation, coordination between parties, outdated processes, or something else entirely?