Germany

Eversheds Sutherland’s German offices stand out for their work concerning renewable energy projects, with a focus on the wind market. Werner Brickwedde is leading the team on a matter representing RWE Renewables on the establishment of a joint venture with Northland Power, with the aim of developing and operating three offshore wind farms in the German North Sea, with a total capacity of 1.3 GW. The transaction value is expected to be worth several billion euros. Alongside the Paris office, the Düsseldorf team is also advising Rencore Energy in connection with the development of a 150 MW wind power project in Mali, representing one of the first projects in the area well as one of the biggest energy deals to take place in the country.

A UN Global Compact participant, the firm is a founding member of the Net Zero Lawyers Alliance, and a member of the Legal Sustainability Alliance, the Chancery Lane Project, and the Legal Renewables Initiative. Internally, the firm has demonstrated its commitment to sustainability with a firmwide initiative to reduce its scope 1,2 and 3 emissions by 50% by 2030 or sooner, and being net-zero by 2050.

Netherlands

Michel Chatelin and Max van Drunen led Eversheds Sutherland’s Dutch team in advising Groenleven/BayWa, a major renewable energy project developer, in a dispute with the local tax authorities regarding one of the largest floating solar parks in the region, Bomhofplas. The client argues that since the solar park is a movable property, it should be legally qualified as a ship and therefore not taxed as real property. This matter is likely to play a part in determining the future commercial viability of floating solar parks in the Netherlands. Chatelin also recently advised 2tokens Foundation on the development of infrastructure that supports an energy token enabling fractionalised ownership of renewable energy assets and the tokenisation of green certificates and energy.

The firm’s engagement goes beyond work for clients: Chatelin authored a chapter on solar energy for the Elgar Encyclopedia of Environmental Law series, and often speaks about renewable energy, having recently given an interview on the topic for Solar Magazine. Drunen publishes frequently in the field of renewable energy and lectures on building rights related to sustainable energy projects, and Natascha Geraedts, also based in the Netherlands, was a speaker at the first Global Floating Solar Conference in Amsterdam.

The firm is a UN Global Compact participant and a founding member of the Net Zero Lawyers Alliance.

Netherlands

In the UAE, UN Global Compact signatory Eversheds Sutherland stands out for its work in the renewable energy space, and for enabling governments and organisations to reach their ESG objectives. The team includes UAE ESG legal director Christopher Shelton.

Led by Ashley Halewood and others, the firm is advising the Ministry of Energy in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on the procurement of 12 renewable projects including several solar PV projects and an innovative 500 MW CSP/PV hybrid project, which will provide at least 12 GW of renewable energy. Halewood and Adite Aloke are also advising The Iraqi Ministry of Electricity on the procurement of 6 solar PV projects totaling 2 GW in capacity, one of the first renewable projects procured on a PPP basis in Iraq.

The firm is a founding member of the Net Zero Lawyers Alliance, and a member of the Legal Sustainability Alliance, the Chancery Lane Project, and the Legal Renewables Initiative. Internal commitments to sustainability include reducing its scope 1,2 and 3 emissions by 50% by 2030 or sooner, and being net-zero by 2050.