Practice Areas: Renewable Energy - Fredrikson & Byron P.A.

Daniel A. Yarano, Chair
(Wind)

dyarano@fredlaw.com

612.492.7149

Todd A. Taylor
(Biofuels)

ttaylor@fredlaw.com

612.492.7355

Minnesota Wind Overview

3rd Annual Midwest Wind Development Conference - February 22, 2010

Fredrikson & Byron’s Energy Group held its first webinar in the group’s new quarterly webinar series last week. Todd Guerrero (Fredrikson & Byron, P.A.), Bruce Browers (Barr Engineering Company), William McLean (Cook Engineering), and Rich Hardegger (Barr Engineering Company) discussed biomass power project development. Please click here for an article written by BBI’s Biomass Magazine covering highlights of the webinar. Fredrikson’s Energy webinars will take place quarterly on the third Wednesday of the month. We invite you to join us for our next webinar in the series, scheduled for Wednesday, March 17, presented by Rich Weiner of Fredrikson & Byron and Greg Waranica of Crown Iron Works. More details will be provided closer to the webinar.

Todd Taylor was extensively quoted, and Fredrikson & Byron's August 18, 2009 Midwest Algae Commercialization Workshop was discussed in the July 17, 2009 Star Tribune business section article, "Pond scum finally gets some respect - as oil resource," by Neal St. Anthony.

Overview

Renewable energy industries, such as wind, solar and bioenergy, provide the nation, investors, and industry with great economic opportunities. These opportunities are not without risk. In 2008, new investment in clean energy reached $155 billion, compared with $148 billion in 2007, according to New Energy Finance. As with any rapidly-evolving industry, there are risks to overcome, and those who know how to spot risks and transform them into opportunities will be tomorrow’s industry leaders. Industry veterans and entrepreneurs alike look to Fredrikson & Byron’s Renewable Energy Group for this key industry perspective and experience to help them create successful energy ventures.

Industry veterans and entrepreneurs alike look to Fredrikson & Byron’s team for their key industry perspective and experience to help them create successful energy ventures.”

Fredrikson & Byron’s Renewable Energy Group combines in-depth industry knowledge and experience, strong industry relationships, and legal skills to represent independent power producers, utilities, cooperatives, municipalities, renewable energy developers, suppliers, investors, lenders, and landowners to successfully complete the development and financing of projects, as well as acquire energy assets. We provide a comprehensive range of services, including project administration, real estate, regulatory, financing, mergers and acquisitions, securities, government relations, intellectual property, real estate, and litigation.

Services

Our Renewable Energy Group provides services to clients throughout the energy industry, with a core focus on renewable sources of electricity (wind, biomass, and solar), as well as sustainable biofuels.

Wind, Solar, and Bioenergy

Fredrikson & Byron has played a leading role in the development, financing, and acquisition of more than 1,000 MW of wind projects in the Upper Midwest and Southwest, with another 6,000 MW currently under development. On the solar side, we represent the developer of the largest solar PV project in Minnesota as well as a number of other developers on smaller projects. For bioenergy projects, we have represented developers with a wide range of projects ranging from stand-alone power plants, biomass repowering of existing power plants, and combined heat and power (CHP) projects for commercial and industrial facilities. We represent international, national, and regional developers in every aspect of project development including site control, regulatory approvals, power purchase agreements, interconnection, and tax equity financing.

Our work also extends to the supply chain, where we help companies make strategic acquisitions of up and down stream companies, including manufacturing and service companies, to advance their interests within the renewable energy markets.

Advanced Biofuels and Biomaterials

The evolution of next generation biofuels and biomaterials technologies, processes, and feedstocks – such as algae or cellulosic materials as feedstocks and thermo chemical and bacteriological processing – are critical for these industries to continue to experience strong growth. We work to stay ahead of the curve on these new areas in order to provide proactive, strategic advice to our clients. Clients see us as strategic partners to aid major business decisions, such as analysis of site locations, selection of designers and builders, finance strategy advice and review, review of offtake agreements, partnership and joint venture agreements, and assistance with feedstock mechanics.

We advise clients through each stage of development from patenting or licensing of technologies and construction of the plant through production, and we often continue to represent plants as outside general counsel. These plants range in size from pilot plants to commercial operations producing 10 million gallons to 100 million gallons per year. In addition, we help companies experiencing financial troubles through strategic advice on refinancing, workout, and bankruptcy.

Industry Involvement

Because of our deep involvement in the renewable energy arena, we are active participants in key trade organizations, including the Renewable Fuels Association, American Wind Energy Association, Wind on the Wires, Windustry, Women of Wind Energy, Algal Biomass Organization, Midwest Solar Energy, National Biodiesel Board, North Dakota Ethanol Association, Minnesota Coalition for Ethanol, American Council on Renewable Energy, Northwest Biofuels, Minnesota Cleantech Group, and Minnesota’s Community Based Energy Development (C-BED) Advisory Task Force.