We advise Nomura Securities International, Inc. in relation to BESS projects in Australia and Scotland

A cross-border team from global law firm Norton Rose Fulbright has advised global financial services group, Nomura Securities International, Inc., on the pre-notice to proceed portfolio financing of battery storage projects in Australia and Scotland being developed by Amp Energy.

The projects in Australia are in stage 1 of an approved 280 MW utility scale solar photovoltaic and battery storage plant being developed in South Australia. The first phase of the projects is expected to be operational by early 2025, as part of a larger solar plus battery complex. The projects are part of Amp Energy’s Renewable Energy Hub in South Australia, an A$2 billion strategic portfolio of renewable generation and Battery Energy Storage Assets across three sites in Bungama, Robertstown and Whyalla, established in 2021.

The battery storage projects in Scotland, dubbed the Scottish Green Battery Complex, are located in Hunterston and Kincardine in central Scotland, each boasting a 400 MW battery facility with a storage capacity of 800 MWh.

Together with the facility in Windyhill, they form part of Amp Energy’s Scottish battery facilities, which will enable up to 1,750 GWh per year of additional renewable energy to be generated in Scotland and transported to other regions of the UK.

Todd Alexander, partner in New York at Norton Rose Fulbright, commented:

“We are so pleased to continue to support Nomura with their innovative approaches to financing renewables projects globally. This is another great milestone for our relationship with the Nomura team.”

Lisa Koch, partner and head of office in Sydney at Norton Rose Fulbright, commented:

“It has been a privilege for our global team to support Nomura Securities International with the pre-notice to proceed financing of these projects, including the Bungama BESS which will contribute to Australia’s transition to renewable energy.”

Rob Marsh, global co-head of energy and partner in London at Norton Rose Fulbright, commented:

“This is our global team operating at its best, being able to pull in the required expertise and deliver services on three continents for Nomura and Amp Energy in such an important sector.”

Vinod Mukani, global head of Nomura’s Infrastructure and Power Business (“IPB”) commented:

“We are pleased to leverage our global expertise and platform to provide a bespoke financing solution to support Amp Energy’s development. Providing superior execution in growing sectors – like the energy transition sectors – remains core to Nomura, and supporting strong sponsors like Amp Energy fits seamlessly with our strategic initiatives.”

”We appreciate Norton Rose Fulbright’s assistance and global expertise on this important multi-jurisdictional pre-NTP financing for Amp Energy”, commented Alain Halimi, managing director of Nomura IPB. “Nomura is pleased to have led this transaction by leveraging our global structuring capabilities to support Amp Energy’s battery-storage development across Australia and Scotland.”

The global team from Norton Rose Fulbright was led by partners Todd Alexander (New York), Lisa Koch (Sydney), and Rob Marsh (London), with support from many others at the firm, including Australian partners Claire Forster, Steven Choi, Greg Reinhardt, Gavin Scott, Kate Muller, Jacqueline Plant and Adrian Jones; special counsel Clare Samson and Seema Mishra; senior associates Kit Man Cheng, Amelia Martin, Carmen Bradfield and Jacinta Magazzu; associates Dania Ibrahim, Ryan Sribrath, Damien Vickovich, Tim Chia and Delfina Sutjiadi; and lawyers Christian Tesoriero and Sam Cowan. The UK team included senior associate Tom Passingham, associates Charles Winch and Christopher Aird, and trainee solicitor Emily Allison, and the US team included partner Adrienne Sebring, special counsel Kevin Prokup, senior associate Kim Stouffer and law clerk John Desan.

Norton Rose Fulbright has one of the largest and most dynamic energy practices in the world. We support our clients across the value chain in renewable energy projects, including major contractors, project owners, investors and lenders. We are proud to be at the heart of the transition to a low-carbon economy and help our clients in all industries assess and respond to the opportunities and challenges this presents.