March 2020 – Global Power Law & Policy

‘Fitness for Purpose’ and Conflicting Obligations in Offshore Wind Projects

Mar 29 2020

Two recent cases in the UK illustrate the tricky issues Employers and Contractors have to grapple with in defining the responsibilities of contractors involved in the construction of offshore wind projects.

There are no established standard form contracts for offshore wind farm projects. The standard forms that are often adapted for this purpose include traditional offshore forms used in the oil and gas industry such as the LOGIC forms and standard engineering contracts more commonly used for onshore projects such as FIDIC, particularly the FIDIC Yellow Book.

Neither form is ideally suited for use in the offshore wind industry and they are often heavily amended, particularly in relation to design obligations. The cases summarized below illustrate some of the tensions that can arise, particularly in relation to design and fabrication of monopiles and transition pieces and requirements that they should be fit for their intended purpose.

To read the full alert, please click here.

Join us for a Webinar: COVID-19: Impacts on Solar Supply Chain

Mar 16 2020

Join us for a webinar on Tuesday, March 17, discussing the impact of COVID-19 on the solar supply chain. Industry leaders will be hosting a discussion on the impact of COVID-19 related measures on the solar supply chain. Moderated by K&L Gates’ Elizabeth Crouse, panelists will discuss the improving situation in Asia, the Europe travel ban, and concerns about labor and components availability in the United States, with an emphasis on (1) troubleshooting supply chain and development disruption now and as the global manufacturing industry comes back online, and (2) the broader impact of the pandemic on the American solar industry.

For more information and to register, please click here.

For more information on our response to COVID-19, please click here.

The Energizer – Volume 62

Mar 12 2020

By: Buck B. Endemann, Daniel S. Cohen, Molly K. Barker, Olivia B. Mora, Abraham F. Johns, Natalie J. Reid, Matthew P. Clark

A biweekly update on blockchain technology applications, distributed energy resources, and other innovative technologies in the energy sector.

There is a lot of buzz around blockchain technology, distributed energy resources (“DERs”), microgrids, and other technological innovations in the energy industry. As these innovations develop, energy markets will undergo substantial changes to which consumer and industry participants alike will need to adapt and leverage. Every other week, K&L Gates’ The Energizer will highlight emerging issues or stories relating to the use of blockchain technology, DERs, and other innovations driving the energy industry forward. To subscribe to The Energizer newsletter, please click here.

IN THIS ISSUE:

Researchers Create Nanowire Device That Can Generate Electricity “Out of Thin Air”
Shell’s Offshore Wind Farm Wades into Deep Waters for the World’s Largest Green Hydrogen Project
EWF Completes Joint Test of Renewables Blockchain Market in Japan
University of British Columbia Engineers Combine Microgrids and Low-Power Systems to Reduce Blackouts
Think Tank Envisions Artificial Intelligence Solutions to Combat Climate Change

To view more information on these topics in Volume 62 of The Energizer, click here.

Overview of Policy and Technical Progress in Fusion Energy Development Around the World

Mar 04 2020

Authors: Tim L. Peckinpaugh, R. Paul Stimers, James Green, Michael L. O’Neill, Francis E. Iyayi, Abraham F. Johns

Fusion energy is moving towards technological and commercial reality. Fusion involves the release and harnessing of energy by fusing two atomic nuclei to form a heavier nucleus. Fusion reactions differ from nuclear fission, which is the splitting of relatively heavy atoms to release energy. Fusion avoids potential downsides to nuclear fission by leaving behind no long-lived and highly dangerous radioactive waste and creating no risks of a runway chain reaction or meltdown. Fusion also releases substantially more energy, such that it is capable of replacing fission to become baseload power that operates 24/7 and releases no CO2 emissions.

To read the full alert, please click here.

Archive:March 2020