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Energy & Infrastructure

William Fry specialises in large-scale, market-leading energy and infrastructure projects and transactions.

Our market leading Energy and Infrastructure Group is a multi-disciplinary team of highly experienced lawyers who provide sectoral expertise across a broad range of practice areas encompassing all aspects of energy, infrastructure and natural resources.

These areas include energy and infrastructure M&A, energy regulation, infrastructure and project financing, offshore & onshore Joint Ventures, construction (including conventional & renewable generation and large-scale demand with data centres), environmental and planning law and regulation, State aid, procurement, litigation, real estate, and tax.

We have first-hand experience of the landmark moments in Ireland’s energy and infrastructure development to date and understand what is required to ensure delivery.

Renewable Power Generation & Enabling Technology

We provide our clients with innovative advice on the transition from a system dependent on fossil fuels to an economy based on renewable power sources and less carbon intensive energy generation. We are committed to helping established entities keep pace with market and regulatory developments, as well as enabling new entrants into the Irish market. We assist all categories of market participants in facing the most complex and challenging issues associated with increasing the proliferation of renewables on the grid and meeting Ireland’s carbon reduction targets and obligations.

We advise on the full spectrum of zero and low carbon power projects and on the technologies necessary to support our transition to a zero-carbon economy. We have offer cross-sectional specialist advice on:

Wind farms (both onshore and offshore);
Solar farms;
Battery storage;
Renewable energy subsidies (RESS and ORESS);
Green fuels/Bioenergy projects (biomass, biogas);
EV infrastructure;
Interconnectors; and
Power purchase Agreements (PPAs), including for major corporate clients seeking to ensure additionality of renewable generation.

In this regard, we advise both the generators and users of electricity and we work closely with the Irish transmission system operator to facilitate the delivery of renewables.

Conventional Power Generation

As we look to transition to a renewables-based economy, we understand the necessity of maintaining diversified sources of power to ensure security of supply. In addition to our market leading renewables practice, we advise on all matters involving the development of thermal power projects and the gas and electricity demands of large energy users (LEUs). To that end, we have significant experience in all areas concerning the construction and operation of conventional power plants and their subsequent market interface. A selection of the areas we advise on includes:

Hydrocarbon power plant construction and operation (including peaking plants);
Liquified natural gas (LNG) projects;
Combined heat and power (CHP) projects;
Gas supply contracts, hedging and disputes;
Carbon trading contracts; and
SEM and Capacity Market participation.

Critical Infrastructure

With Ireland pledging unprecedented capital commitments towards major infrastructure projects, this is a critical era for the delivery of infrastructure (c.€102bn from 2026-2030) in the country.

In addition to our extensive transactional work on major infrastructure, we advise across all stages of the project lifecycle: from strategic planning and feasibility, planning and procurement, to construction, O&M, and decommissioning. Key areas for our practice in this regard include:

Data centres
Telecommunications
Civil works (including roads and bridges)
Transport
Waste processing
Housing
Water treatment

We also advise on public-private partnership (PPP) arrangements for the delivery of key infrastructure.

Experience

Our experience includes:

Energia, acting for a late stage bidder on its participation in the all-island, multi-billion euro sales process for Energia from I-Squared Capital. Energia is one of Ireland’s largest energy utilities (both electricity and gas), a major renewables developer and is developing a data centre at its Huntstown campus.
Celtic Interconnector, advising EirGrid, the national transmission system operator, in connection with the development and financing of the 700MW HVDC Celtic Interconnector between Ireland and France with a capital cost in excess of €1.6bn.
ORESS Tonn Nua, advising EirGrid on the first offshore wind energy auction and project to take place under the new plan-led approach offshore wind development in Ireland.
Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP), acting for CIP on its fund’s acquisition of a 50% stake in Statkraft’s 2.2GW Irish offshore wind portfolio. This portfolio includes the proposed 500MW NISA windfarm.
Digital Realty, advising Digital Realty, one of the world’s largest data centre developers across a number of data centre developments and on electricity market contracts (including complex corporate Power Purchase Agreements).
DAA plc, on the phased development project for the new 70-acre office park, “Dublin Airport Central”, which involves advising on all project development aspects including the procurement competition and construction documents for this unique development.
CIP, acting on its investment into Greengate Biogas Partnership a platform to develop, construct and operate multiple biogas plants across Ireland.
Aughinish Alumina, advising on all Aughinish’s activities undertaken in Ireland, including: the procurement, construction and creation of its 160MW CHP plant; its significant gas supply arrangements; its participation in the SEM; its carbon hedging and trading arrangements.
Temporary Emergency Generation, acting for EirGrid plc on the structuring and funding of the procurement of circa of 660MW temporary emergency generation services contracts to ensure the stability of Ireland’s national grid.
DIF Capital Partners, acting for a DIF fund on its acquisition of a 51% stake in ib vogt GmbH,one of the world’s leading developers in utility-scale PV solar.
Oweninny I and Oweninny II Wind Farms, acting for the European Investment Bank on the funding of both the Oweninny I and Oweninny II Wind Farms, a joint venture between Bord na Móna and the ESB which is one of the largest windfarms on the island of Ireland.
Brookfield Renewables, acting for Brookfield on its development and financing of the Slieve Callan wind farm project in South West Ireland (which included a 25km 110KV contestable grid connection).
EirGrid plc, advising EirGrd on grid connection matters including disputes, and separately acted for EirGrid on a dispute pursuant to the Capacity Market Code.
Dublin Waste to Energy, acting for Green Investment Group (GIG) on its investment in and subsequent sale of a portion of its interest in the Dublin Waste to Energy Facility located in Poolbeg, Dublin Port.
Oriel Offshore Wind Farm, acting for Parkwind NV one of Europe’s leading offshore Wind Farm developers, in its initial strategic investment in the Oriel Wind Farm – a 330MW offshore wind farm project proposed in the Irish Sea.

Areas of Expertise

Renewable energy infrastructure development (offshore and onshore wind and solar)
Participation in the RESS and ORESS Auctions
Power Purchase Agreements
Capacity and wholesale energy markets participation
System/Ancillary Services market development and participation
Energy related disputes, including disputes under market codes.
Clean hydrogen development
Battery storage
Data Centre development and private wires
EU Regulations and Directives
Grid Connection applications

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Sector

Energy & Infrastructure

William Fry specialises in large-scale, market-leading energy and infrastructure projects and transactions.

Renewable Power Generation & Enabling Technology

Conventional Power Generation

Critical Infrastructure

Key Contacts

Máire O’Neill

Fergus Devine

Jarleth Heneghan

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