Norton Rose Fulbright advises Greencoat on purchase of French wind portfolio

Global law firm Norton Rose Fulbright has advised Irish renewable infrastructure company Greencoat Renewables PLC on the purchase of a portfolio of wind farms in France.

The company will purchase the assets from UK-based infrastructure investor John Laing Group Plc. The portfolio consists of three operational wind parks, including the 20-MW Passilly in Burgundy, the 21.6-MW Sommette in Picardy and the 10.3-MW St Martin in Saint-Martin-l'Ars. Equipped with Gamesa, Nordex and Senvion hardware, the wind farms were brought online between September 2016 and June 2018.

With this purchase, which is its first investment in the continental European renewable energy market, Greencoat Renewables has expanded the capacity of its operational wind portfolio to 528.1 MW.

A multi-jurisdictional French and UK team from Norton Rose Fulbright advised Greencoat Renewables. Led by corporate partner Stephen Rigby in London, the team included senior associate Greg Smith and associate Marley Ali, plus Paris-based partner Arnaud Bélisaire, counsels Véronique Bruel and Amandine Delsaux, and associate Clément Charon.

Stephen Rigby commented:

“We have a longstanding relationship with Greencoat, and we are very pleased to have helped Greencoat Renewables PLC facilitate its first investment into the renewable energy market in mainland Europe. The onshore wind market across Europe remains continues to grow and provide attractive investment opportunities for infrastructure investors.”