International law firm Bird & Bird teamed up with more than 10 law firms to scale up solar power as part of the Open Solar Contracts initiative, launched on 13 June 2019 at the African Energy Forum in Lisbon, Portugal.
Open Solar Contracts is a standardised suite of six contracts for the procurement of solar projects commissioned by the Terrawatt Initiative (TWI) and International Renewable Energy Association (IRENA). The aim of the initiative is to promote the deployment and aggregation of solar projects around the world by creating bankable contracts which promote best practice and are easy to use. It also introduces innovative cost saving measures and risk allocation, which challenges existing concepts in order to drive the solar market.
Bird & Bird has contributed to the Open Solar Contracts initiative on a pro-bono basis over the past two years. Alongside Solar Power Europe, Bird & Bird led the drafting of the Operation and Maintenance Agreement, one of six contracts in the suite and consulted with a range of industry stakeholders, including banks, funders, asset owners, contractors and other law firms. Bird & Bird also attended regular meetings held by TWI and IRENA in Paris, London and Abu Dhabi, in order to encourage collaborative innovation during the drafting process.
The Bird & Bird team was led by partners Sophie Dingenen (The Hague) and Elizabeth Reid (London) and was assisted by legal director Carol Cloughley (London) and associate Rhianna Wilsher (London).
Other law firms collaborating with the initiative include Baker Mckenzie, Covington, Dentons, Eversheds Sutherland, Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer, Latham & Watkins, Milbank, Norton Rose Fulbright, Reed Smith, and White & Case.
Sophie Dingenen and Elizabeth Reid, partners in our Energy & Utilities sector group at international law firm Bird & Bird say:
"We are thrilled to be involved in the Open Solar Contracts initiative alongside Solar Power Europe. It's been a great opportunity to collaborate with our partners in the solar industry and showcase our international expertise, particularly around how to achieve bankable, simple project contracts. We are looking forward to continuing our contribution to the Open Solar Contracts initiative in the months to come."
Open Solar Contracts will be available for review by the global solar power community until September 30, 2019. If you would like to provide some feedback, please click here.
