Boston, MA Law firm Sherin and Lodgen LLP has expanded its award-winning solar energy practice and created a national renewable energy practice group to meet the needs of the accelerating renewable energy and energy storage industries. Chaired by firm partner, Bethany Bartlett the new group will represent lenders, developers, municipalities and companies committed to sustainability through solar, wind and energy storage and saving initiatives. The team will provide a wide range of legal services to help clients achieve their financial, real estate and environmental goals, including:
• Purchase and sale of renewable energy projects at all stages of development/operation;
• Securing easement and leasing rights in connection with solar and wind farm assemblages, collection systems, and transmission;
• Structuring debt financing for solar project portfolios;
• Engineering, procurement, and construction contracts with third party contractors for both solar and storage development;
• Environmental issues related to the development of ground mounted facilities on landfills, brownfields, and Superfund sites;
• Negotiating power purchase agreements with private, public, and municipal offtakers;
• Negotiating ground, rooftop, and parking canopy leases for solar development;
• Advice and consultation related to securing, documenting and preserving tax credits through federal and state incentive programs (includes Massachusetts SMART program) arising from renewable energy production;
• Utility RFP bids for renewable energy;
• Payment in Lieu of Tax Agreements (PILOT) with Massachusetts municipalities;
• Environmental regulatory matters related to Massachusetts Endangered Species Act, Massachusetts Chapter 91 (tidelands), and Massachusetts Environmental Policy Act and other marine mammal protection regulations impacting offshore wind development; and
• Negotiation of energy savings agreements for manufacturing entities.
Sherin and Lodgen managing partner Douglas Henry said, “We are witnessing a nationwide transformation to clean energy as the cost of renewable energy decreases and the investment into new, sustainable technologies increases. We’ve supported numerous banks, developers, municipalities, building and land owners in their pursuits of solar energy, and we look forward to further expanding our services to support the companies investing in this maturing market.”