Renewables and alternative energy projects are significant drivers of change and innovation across the American economy. Buchanan’s team of more than 100 energy lawyers and government relations professionals have a long history of helping energy companies develop and grow their businesses. Whether it’s interpreting and shaping complex legislation or new tax rules, obtaining a local permit in one of our energy communities or handling a dispute in an unfamiliar court, we have the national expertise and the local knowledge to be your “go-to” advisor.
Our lawyers and government relations professional help the renewable energy industry achieve its potential by:
- Representing investors, developers and operators in financing renewable energy projects.
- Securing grants for renewable energy projects.
- Counseling on tax credits and incentives.
- Providing assistance with all real estate and corporate structuring and transactional matters.
- Assisting developers with contracting and project development.
- Providing guidance on regulatory compliance at every level.
- Managing environmental due diligence.
Cross – Functional Teams Meeting the Needs of the Renewables and Alternative Energy Industries
Our renewables expertise stretches across the entire energy landscape. No matter what type of renewables project your pursuing, our attorneys can help:
Solar
The booming solar industry has led to an explosion of new solar projects across the U.S. As more businesses and residential houses seek to install solar panels to power their facilities and homes, Buchanan is the solar power law firm that companies go to for help with overseeing the process and ensuring all local laws and regulations are followed. Our attorneys also have vast experience helping businesses secure financing and navigate the various risks of solar power transactions large and small.
Wind
As large-scale wind turbine projects continue to pop up across the U.S., our attorneys can help energy companies navigate all aspects of the wind power development process, including site acquisition, permitting, real estate agreements, regulatory compliance, and more. The Buchanan team’s broad array of expertise can even assist with antidumping investigations on unfairly priced wind towers and other international trade agreements. From start to finish, our attorneys have the experience to get your wind project done right.
Autonomous & Connected Vehicles
All components – mechanical, electrical, digital and, yes, regulatory and legal – must be built not only to work smoothly together, but to evolve synchronously and synergistically. And that is how we can help you. We work cohesively across several practices including intellectual property, corporate law, insurance, products liability, data privacy and litigation. We are already deeply involved in the developing AV/EV industry.
Combined Heat & Power (CHPs)
CHP Systems, also known as cogeneration, allow businesses to generate their own safe, reliable and cost-effective electricity on-site without needing to relay exclusively on the grid or costly backup generators. Building a CHP comes with its own legal issues to navigate. At Buchanan, we’re a one-stop shop. From construction and regulatory approval to energy servicing, net metering and finance agreements, navigating utility CHP requirements and options, to installation compliance, we’ve done it all for clients and can guide you through the process to deploy your CHP.
Hydrogen
Two Regional Clean Hydrogen Hubs have been selected to be located in the Firm’s Mid-Atlantic and Appalachian home base. We have been actively working with government and industry leaders so our region is prepared to realize the benefits of this new evolution of the energy landscape. With a long history of working with the energy industry and a second to none set of relationships with state and federal regulators, the Firm is perfectly positioned to assist businesses that will be directly and indirectly working on and around the Hydrogen Hubs.
Renewable Natural Gas, LNG and CNG
As traditional natural gas producers evolved to produce natural gas from renewable sources and transform natural gas into new products, we evolved with them. We have assisted a number of publicly held and privately owned companies expand their renewable natural gas production from sources that include landfills, farm waste as well as other biodegradable feedstocks. Given our knowledge of natural gas production, we have helped several LNG and CNG technology companies structure partnership and commercial frameworks with natural gas producers to produce both LNG and CNG at the well site for transport and use at other locations.
When it comes to Renewables and Alternative Energy, we have you covered
Transactions & Project Financing
Our attorneys know the renewable energy industry so well that we can help you structure transactions for maximum success from the very beginning. We have assisted clients with clean energy projects in many states including Pennsylvania, Florida, North Carolina, Maryland, West Virginia, Texas and Hawaii. We support clients throughout the lifecycle of a deal from project development and site acquisition to permitting, real estate agreements, and financing.
Renewable energy projects can carry a sizable price tag. Whether you’re an energy company seeking financing or a lender looking to fund a project, our energy finance attorneys can protect your financial interests and navigate the complex financial terms of the deal. With deep experience representing both sides of these transactions, our attorneys can anticipate challenges and negotiate to get you the best terms.
Tax
Our tax lawyers have significant experience assisting clients in the renewable and alternative energy sector. We help clients navigate unique issues related to renewable energy including biodiesel tax credits, carbon offset programs, tax equity financing and any state renewable energy tax credits. Our lawyers build and implement tax strategies for any renewable energy transaction including acquisitions and dispositions of equity interests and assets, spin-offs, partnerships and joint ventures and project financings. Similar to our many years of experience in structuring joint ventures with flip structures formed for the purpose of drilling and developing oil and gas assets (e.g., drillco transactions), our lawyers have experience structuring solar and wind tax equity ventures utilizing flip structures.
Government Relations
Buchanan is unique in that not only do our clients have access to skilled attorneys, but they can also engage our deep bench of highly knowledgeable government relations professionals who bring specific expertise in renewable energy. Our government relations team has former regulators and government officials on staff who have close connections with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and state regulators. Our team can also help businesses apply for and secure government grants that can power your next project.
Among the many ways that we can assist you with a renewable energy project are:
- Advising you on federal and state renewables mandates.
- Obtaining the necessary approvals and permits from federal and state environmental agencies.
- Representing you in compliance with the Endangered Species Act and other environmental regulations at every level.
Real Estate, Land Use and Zoning
Foundational to any renewable or alternative energy project is securing the a suitable location as well as the necessary permits to legally build and operate. While simple in concept, this can very both complex and nuanced to achieve in reality especially in rural areas that aren’t necessarily used to evolving, complex technologies. Our professionals are used to helping companies to secure land rights as well as permits everywhere from large cities to small townships. We know how to handle multi-layered real estate transactions in highly populated areas as well as how to obtain permits and approvals in areas so rural they don’t have zoning regulations. With our long history working in the energy sector, we also are well versed in how to navigate the correlative rights of other energy producers in energy communities with a long history of traditional energy production.
Public Utility and Grid Interconnection
Fundamental to any electricity production or driven project is an understanding of the complex public utility legal landscape as well as the very practical (but also complex) need to connect to the electrical grid. Our professionals include a myriad of state and federal utility lawyers, regulators and legislative staffers. We know the laws, regulation as well as the people you need to know to make your project successful.
Bankruptcy and Creditor Rights
The energy industry, like all commodity-based industries, goes through its financial ups and downs as economic cycles fluctuate. Our bankruptcy and creditor rights professionals have helped countless banks, financial institutions and investors protect their energy investments when companies go bankrupt or projects falter. With billions of dollars being invested in renewable and alternative energy projects and technologies, they will have the experience and insights to help this generation of energy financiers and investors if they find themselves in a similar circumstance.
Litigation
The rapid increase in renewable energy projects has resulted in a wide range of litigation. Our energy litigators are accomplished trial attorneys who will fervently fight for your interests. Buchanan’s renewables team has spent countless hours in front of state and federal judges, and we are never hesitant to escalate cases to trial to help our clients achieve their version of a successful outcome.