Overview
Our Renewable Energy team’s advice is attuned to the client’s commercial imperatives, as well as to the political, technical, and stakeholder relationship aspects of the client’s business or operations. This frequently means a multidisciplinary, team-based approach to legal advice and problem-solving for our clients.
Our team is committed to working alongside our clients in a proactive manner, leveraging our expertise to provide you with legal advice for commercial solutions and working together for a positive outcome. We offer expert legal advice to clients in the renewable energy industry based on a combination of industry knowledge and legal expertise.
We offer a range of legal and strategic services, including:
- identifying and managing the legal and commercial issues associated with renewable energy projects; particularly wind and hydro projects
- advising on legislative impacts and compliance, including Renewable Energy (Electricity) Act 2000 (Cth)
- advising on the operation of the future green energy market and the process for trading renewable energy certificates
- advising on energy retailers requirements to surrender renewable energy certificates to the Renewable Energy Regulator
- strategic advice on the development of renewable energy projects to achieve renewable energy targets (including Renewable Energy Commercialisation Program and the Renewable Remote Power Generation Program).
We are a uniquely qualified team with outstanding experience in the renewable energy industry, major infrastructure development and the commercialisation of new technologies.
Experience
Our team has advised clients on a number of greenfield renewable energy projects and participated in several important negotiations on carbon sequestration and entitlements to, and sale of, renewable energy certificates.
Our experience encompasses the renewable energy industry, mainstream energy markets, major infrastructure development and the commercialisation of new technologies.
Examples of our recent experience include:
Wind farms
- Ryan Corner and Hawkesdale wind farms –Advising TME Australia in relation to the Ryan Corner Wind Farm and Hawkesdale Wind Farm.
- Emu Downs– Adviser to the financiers of the 80MW Emu Downs Wind Farm project in Western Australia.
- Chinese wind farms – Advising Roaring 40s Pty Ltd in relation to various Chinese wind farm opportunities.
- Hallett Wind Farm – Acting for the financiers on the Perpetual acquisition of the Hallett Wind Farm in South Australia and associated off take and operations arrangements.
- Clements Gap, Fremantle, Challicum and Portland Wind Farm – Acting for Pacific Hydro in relation to the 67.5MW Clements Gap Wind Farm, Fremantle Wind Farm, 75MW Challicum Hills Wind Farm and 180MW Portland Wind Farm.
- Nirranda South Wind Farm – Acting for Meridian Energy in relation to the proposed Nirranda South Wind Farm.
Hydro power
- La Higuera and La Conluencia – Acting for Pacific Hydro in relation to the development of the 155MW La Higuera and 145MW La Confluencia Hydro Power Project, Chile.
- Codelco – Adviser to Pacific Hydro on the US$75 million acquisition of the Chilean State owned Coya and Pangal Hydro Power Projects in Chile, financed out of New York.
- Luzon Hydro electric power station, Philippines – Adviser to Luzon Hydro Corporation in relation to the turnkey construction contract for a 70MW electric power station in Philippines.
- Belle Vue power project, Mauritius – Adviser to the sponsors on all aspects of the 70MW Belle Vue bagasse fired power project, the first limited recourse project financing in Mauritius.
- Savannah project, Mauritius – Adviser to the sponsors on all aspects of the 74MW Savannah bagasse fired power station in Mauritius.
Other
- Challenger forestry asset sale – Adviser to Challenger on the acquisition and subsequent sale of forestry assets and carbon sequestration rights in Western Australia, South Australia and Victoria.
- Green Fleet – Adviser to Green Fleet in relation to the drafting of a Carbon Rights Agreement and relevant carbon rights legislation in all states.
- Renewable Energy (Electricity) Act 2000 (Cth) – Adviser to various clients on their responsibilities, liabilities and opportunities under the Renewable Energy (Electricity) Act 2000 (Cth), including eligibility for renewable energy certificates and advising on terms of renewable energy certificates purchase agreements.
- Renewable energy certificates– Adviser to a client on the status of renewable energy certificates under the Financial Services Reform Act 2001 (Cth).
- European greenhouse trading initiative – Adviser to an Australian bank on the establishment of a greenhouse trading initiative in Europe.
- CarbonSmart initiative – Advising Landcare Australia on the establishment of a scheme for the sale and purchase of ‘carbon credits’, in the form of greenhouse gas abatement certificates, derived from tree plantings on private land.
Working with you
Renewable energy is one of Australia's fastest growing markets. A major catalyst for the growth is the international treaty to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the Kyoto Protocol. As a result, up to A$4 billion of new investment will be required to fulfil the Australian Government's renewable energy target of an additional 9500GW hours of renewable energy being generated by 2010.
We recognise the need to capture this significant business opportunity in the global market for green power as government incentives for generators to provide a percentage of their energy to the market sourced from an ‘environmentally friendly’ source will continue to lead to new investment in the renewable energy market.
To date wind-produced energy has been the favoured alternative over solar or hydro. As the market develops so will the diversity of alternative sources of renewable energy production.
We have been involved in domestic and international renewable energy projects. We are well placed to advise all participants in the renewable energy market and have a proven track record in this emerging area.
