Skip to main content

Clifford Chance

Clifford Chance
All

Energy & Infrastructure

Critical architecture underpinning energy transition

Investment is needed in critical infrastructure including battery storage, EV charging and interconnectors. We have experience advising clients across each of these key areas.

Battery storage helps to balance electricity supply and demand and will be particularly important given the scaling up of intermittent renewable energy production.

The development of the high-speed electric vehicle (EV) charging network represents a huge infrastructure challenge and a corresponding opportunity for developers, infrastructure investors and debt providers.

Many of the changes required to enable the energy transition: the scaling up of renewable electricity generation; switching from natural gas to green gases such as clean hydrogen; sector coupling, require significant investments in grid infrastructure. This will include both refurbishment and new build, including interconnectors between nations.

betting-on-batteris-1000x600

Betting on Batteries: Powering the clean energy transition

With increasing global demand for batteries to power the clean energy transition, the opportunities and risks are multiplying. New technology, new markets and new deals, including those associated with mineral extraction, human rights and the supply chain, regulatory changes and the race to find funding are giving rise to a number of issues for businesses to grapple with. In this extract from a recent seminar, our international team considers the implications for the automotive sector, which is predicted to make up to 90% of future demand for batteries, as well as renewable energy generation, energy storage and beyond.

 Find out more

Recent client highlights

Battery Storage

  • Two battery storage assets, Central America: advised IDB Invest on the financing to Neoen SA for two battery storage projects with a total capacity of 11MW and 8 MWh to be installed at the existing Capella and Providencia solar plants in El Salvador.
  • Solar grid/lithium battery storage, Australia: advised Nord/LB on the financing of a 13MW PV solar plant with a grid connected 5.4MWh/1.3MW lithium battery in Queensland, Australia. Asia Pacific Solar Deal of the Year 2016, IJGlobal Asia Pacific Awards
  • Temple Power Solar and Battery Scheme, Ghana: advised Globeleq and its joint venture partner on the development of the first battery installation in Ghana and one of the first in West Africa.

 

EV Charging

  • Heliox Energy, Europe: advised Waterland's portfolio company Heliox on its partnership with Green Investment Group to deliver pioneering EV charging-as-a-service across Europe.
  • EV fast charger SPAC, Australia: advised Decarbonization Plus Acquisition Corporation II (DCRN), a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC) on its merger with the maker of fast chargers for electric vehicles Tritium Holdings Pty Ltd, becoming the first Australian company to reach a deal with a SPAC.
  • Allego, the Netherlands: advised Meridiam on the acquisition of Allego B.V., the Netherlands-based company that develops charging solutions for electric vehicles. European Innovation Deal of the Year 2019, IJGlobal Awards.

 

Interconnectors

  • Viking Link Interconnector, UK/Denmark: Advised the lenders on the export credit agencies (ECA)-backed financing of a pan-European subsea electricity cable, known as an interconnector, between the UK and Denmark. Named Viking Link, the 1400 MW cable will supply renewable energy to 1.4 million households thereby contributing to a more effective use of green energy.
  • Greenlink interconnector, UK-Ireland: advised Partners Group in relation to all aspects of its investment in the proposed 200km subsea and underground Greenlink electricity interconnector between UK and Ireland.
  • NordLink interconnector, Norway-Germany: advised KfW on the joint venture project with TenneT and Statnett to build a high-voltage transmission cable. The investment amounts to €2 billion.
  • EuroAsia Interconnector: Advising EuroAsia on the development and construction of the EuroAsia Interconnector, a flagship project in the European energy market. The project will connect Cyprus with Israel and Cyprus with Crete and mainland Greece. This will create security supply and an energy highway between Europe and Asia that will deliver up to 2,000 MW of energy to Europe and will be the largest submarine electricity interconnector in history.

Our insights

unlocking-uks-net-zero-investment_1000x600

Unlocking UK's net zero investment

As one of the first countries to enact net zero emissions legislation, the UK has led in its ambitions to deliver the net zero transition. The CBI, in partnership with Clifford Chance, worked with investors and businesses to identify “pull factors” for net zero investments and propose immediate actions that need to be prioritised by the government to strengthen the UK’s offer.

 Find out more about Unlocking UK's net zero investment
energy-transition-trends-2023_1000x600

Energy Transition Trends 2023

Energy security and affordability have become a major issue for many countries. Rising inflation, increasingly frequent and significant climate events, and an uncertain geopolitical and economic outlook provide a challenging backdrop for governments committed to net zero targets and keen to accelerate the development of low-carbon energy. We highlight some trends which focus on some of the innovations and legal developments that we are seeing in a number of sectors to meet these challenges.

 Find out more about Energy Transition Trends 2023

Multi-Purpose Interconnectors: Enabling the transmission of clean energy in the UK

As the UK strives towards its ambitious target of 50GW of offshore wind capacity by 2030, large-scale investment will be required in the offshore wind industry. It is increasingly clear that point-to-point connections between offshore wind farms and the grid will not be efficient for an expansion of this magnitude.

 Find out more about Multi-Purpose Interconnectors: Enabling the transmission of clean energy in the UK
Move carousel left Move carousel right

Related services

  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on LinkedIn
  • Share via email
Back to top

Toolkits & Client Log-in