Overview

At Burges Salmon, our solar team has in-depth knowledge of the renewables sector and has strong experience in advising on solar photovoltaic (PV) solar power projects. Our team has helped shape the sector we see today through first-of-a-kind projects and innovative commercial and legal advice.

By working as one team (covering the whole of the UK) and drawing on our in-house expertise, we provide tier one advice for projects of every scale. We provide advice that is forward-thinking, commercially astute, and tailored to find solutions through every phase of a project’s life cycle. We offer a seamless service from real estate and planning through construction issues to financing and regulatory matters. Recently, we have been recognised in The Times Best Law Firms 2023 report in the Energy & Renewables category.

We also advise clients on investment in – and acquisition of – solar portfolios. Our expertise in renewable energy deals is nationally recognised. For the last nine consecutive years, we have been named in the top two most active law firms in clean energy M&A in the Clean Energy Pipeline Global League Tables.

Our lawyers are also members of key industry bodies including Solar Energy UK, Renewable Energy Association, RenewableUK and Scottish Renewables.

Areas of focus

Our expertise in solar projects and deals includes the following:

  • Ground mounted, rooftop and floating solar.
  • Corporate set up and joint development agreements.
  • Power trading agreements including private wire and Corporate PPAs.
  • Grid connection agreements, including private wire and GridCo structures.
  • Consenting.
  • Regulatory advice on the Renewables Obligation, Feed-in-Tariff and CfD regimes.
  • Co-location advice, including storage and hydrogen opportunities
  • Community energy companies.
  • Electricity Act licensing advice and structuring around exemptions.
  • Construction and procurement.
  • Real estate agreements.
  • Financing.
  • Acquisition and disposals.
Experience

Advising Bluefield Solar on the acquisition and subsequent £217m refinancing of a portfolio of solar sites onto a long-term whole-business style debt platform, including a £187m Aviva debt facility and a £30m RBS revolving credit facility.

Advising hosts including Affinity Water, Southern Water, Stansted Airport and Edinburgh Airport on solar deployment on their properties (including drafting precedent land agreements and floating solar contracts).

Advising several of the largest asset owning funds in the UK on asset optimisation of their solar portfolios including extending leases, adding rights for batteries and remedying lease defects.

Our Planning team has market-leading experience advising on numerous DCO and DNS applications for large-scale solar parks.

Advising a bidder on the sale by Centrica of its entire rooftop solar portfolio.

Advising ICG on the acquisition of one of the largest solar portfolios in the UK (at the time) as well as the acquisition of two overseas solar subsidiaries and advising on a management rollover.

Advising numerous solar developers including OPDE, Belectric, Low Carbon, Anesco, Conrad, Good Energy, Vattenfall and Renewable Connections on the development and/or sale of projects.

Advising National Trust on its procurement of rooftop and ground mounted solar PV for its Welsh properties – including drafting all documentation.

Acting for Marks & Spencer on the formation of M&S Energy Society – a ground-breaking project and collaboration with Energy4All to install solar panels on M&S stores, including on the public offer which allowed M&S's customers and the wider public to invest in the scheme.

Advising Sustainable Power Partners on private wire and direct PPAs / electricity sales arrangements to onsite and adjacent site users.

Advising a UK port authority in preparing EPC and O&M contracts to go out to tender on a planned solar park to be constructed on the port authority's land advising on tender returns and negotiating and finalising the contracts.

Advising Bath and North East Somerset Council on the roll out of solar panels on school rooftops.

Meet the team
Will Woodall

Will Woodall Partner

  • Energy and Utilities
  • Infrastructure
  • Healthcare
Ross Fairley

Ross Fairley Partner

  • Energy and Utilities
  • Head of Renewable Energy
  • Environment
James Phillips

James Phillips Partner

  • Head of Energy & Utilities
  • Head of Energy Transition
  • Energy Regulation

What others say...

Very strong name in the sector. Market-leading experience across the renewables market.
Legal 500 2023

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