LK Shields Solicitors has been involved in several of the recent and most significant energy and natural resource sector developments in Ireland.

The team has the expertise and experience to ensure that clients comprehend and comply with the ever-changing legislative environment.

With an excellent reputation in the area of wind farms, we have acted for developers of onshore and offshore wind farms both in Ireland and overseas, including the largest private renewable energy provider in the State. We have also been involved in a number of solar farms, CHP projects, district heating schemes, waste management projects all reflecting our reputation in this area.

Given the current consolidation in the market, we have more recently been involved in a number of high-profile mergers and acquisitions in the energy area.

Our Services:

The Energy and Natural Resources team services all our clients’ needs in the sector including:

• Fundraising for energy companies, including both wind farm and solar farm projects
• Energy sector regulation at both domestic and EU level (regulatory compliance)
• Development of major infrastructure projects for renewable energy and joint venture agreements
• Project finance (acting for both borrowers and financial institutions)
• On shore and offshore wind farm and solar projects
• Combined heat and power and biogas plants
• Real property, environmental and planning law issues
• Electricity supply and connection contracts
• Energy components of mergers and acquisitions

Experience

• Advising on active projects within the Irish Maritime Area. The team here has built up a market leading reputation for offshore projects. This includes acting for Seabased in relation to highly bespoke supply and installation contracts for wave energy projects worldwide.
• Advising a number of clients on issues arising under the Marine Area Planning Act 2021 with regards to positioning themselves to be compliant with the Maritime Area Consent regime.
• Acted for Star Energy plc and Petronas in relation to the acquisition of Marathon Oil Ireland Limited and Marathon Seven Heads Limited and the related option arrangements entered into with Providence Resources.
• Advise Ameresco on all its wind farm and energy park/solar projects in Ireland in particular reenergising a number of windfarms.
• Advised Omnes Capital on the acquisition of a number of solar projects in Ireland.
• Acted for CLG Developments Limited in the establishment of a joint venture with the Balfour Beatty group which entered into a €400 million plus long-term contract for the provision of supply and maintenance services to the Bord Gáis network.
• Acted for the owners of Sorne Wind Limited on the development from planning stage to build out and turbine placement stage of a 38.9 MW wind farm and the onward sale once developed to Bord Gáis Eireann.
• Acted for energy and facilities management company, Veolia, providing advice on the area of district heating schemes and the development of a 42.5MW biomass powered CHP plant.
• Advised GT Energy Limited on legislative issues relevant to geothermal energy in Ireland and engaged with the relevant government department in the drafting of geothermal legislation.
• Advised Vayu (now Flogas Enterprise), one of the larger purchasers of energy in the State for onward distribution, on the drafting and negotiation of their power purchase agreements.
• Advised Fuels for Ireland the representative body of the major oil companies in Ireland on a number of regulatory issues.
• Acted for Templederry windfarm one of the first community-based windfarms in Ireland. More recently advised Natural Forces on community windfarm projects availing of exemptions for such community projects under RESS an area where we have also advised the state owned forestry company Coillte on.
• Advising Ion on battery storage placement across a number of sites to store electricity during periods of curtailment or constraints under ISEM and to avail of supporting DS3 payments to support the introduction of non-synchronous energy such as wind and solar.
• Advised on the establishment of a joint venture arrangement between Rika Biogas a UK specialist in biogas projects and French fund Swift which was established in Ireland to invest in European biomethane and BioLNG developers, the joint venture will also provide technologies that maximize resource use efficiency in the agriculture, waste and transport sectors.
• We have acted for companies such as Island Renewable Energy and GT Energy Limited in investment funding rounds.
• We acted for Airtricity (now SSE) in all aspects of the Coomatallin and Richfield Wind Farm Projects.
• We acted for the seller in the sale of Topaz Energy Group Limited and Esso Ireland Limited.
• We act for companies active in mineral exportation in Ireland and advise on mining licence issues.
• We act for a number of companies active in the Irish oil market - such as Tedcastles Oil Products one of the state’s largest distributors of oil products with a network of service stations who we advise on their day to day commercial and regulatory needs.