As pressure grows to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions, oil reserves decline and Western nations become
increasingly concerned about the security of their energy supplies,
wind is being increasingly utilised as a source of renewable
energy. Wind power has come a long way from the small research
projects of ten or twenty years ago and in Europe alone there is
currently some 17,000 MW of installed capacity. However,
organisations operating within the wind sector still face a variety
of challenges, including access to grid and payment for grid
connections, planning hurdles and objections from bodies like the
MoD and the RSPB as well as the general public, and financing
issues for what is still relatively new technology.
For these and other reasons, attention is
becoming increasingly focussed on sources of renewable energy
beyond wind power. At Pinsent Masons we have acted not only for
developers of both on and offshore wind farms, but also for
developers of biomass and bio-diesel fuel and other renewable
energy projects and on innovative emissions trading transactions at
the cutting edge of developments in this important area of today's
energy business.
Our experience in the power and gas
sector including renewables includes:
- procurement advice to UK and international power generators
including drafting and negotiating EPC and O&M contracts
- regulatory advice
- advice on refinancing issues, investments, divestments, mergers
and acquisitions
- emissions trading advice
- pre-contract risk analysis
- advice on planning and consents issues
A comprehensive team approach is adopted to
bring a successful conclusion to our clients' projects by
integrating a firmwide team of specialist lawyers.
Our key experience in the renewables sector
includes:
- Advising one of the UK’s largest developer/operators of wind
farms in relation to regulatory issues and procurement strategy;
drafting arrays of project documentation (including EPC and
operations and maintenance conditions of contract and associated
security documents); and negotiating terms and conditions with
contractors.
- Advising the developer on an EPC contract and project
management agreement for a bio-diesel plant in Scotland.
- Advising a Danish offshore wind farm developer regarding
procurement issues arising out of an offshore wind farm in the UK
territorial waters.
- Advising the project company on procurement, including EU
issues, drafting EPC contracts and tender documentation for the
design and construction of a renewable energy wave test centre in
Scotland.
- Advising wind farm developer/operator in connection with grid
connection agreements, planning and EU procurement issues, EPC
conditions of contracts, consultancy agreements, survey contracts
and O&M conditions of contract.
- Drafting and negotiating EPC contracts for the design and
construction of a chicken litter fired power plant in Europe.
For information on how we can help you please call or email
Richard
Foley.