Renewable Energy

Dale & Lessmann LLP has been a leader in the renewable energy industry from the beginning and has built one of Canada’s leading renewable energy practices.

Our Renewable Energy Law Practice Group is comprised of a multidisciplinary group of lawyers with extensive experience in all aspects of infrastructure and renewable energy projects.

We have been involved in the acquisition, construction, development, and financing of more than 2.5 gigawatts of renewable power projects. 

The firm has played a key role in assisting many European, Canadian, Asian and US based clients to successfully apply the technology, experience, and know-how advantages they enjoy to the rapidly growing Canadian renewable energy market.

Our lawyers are at the forefront of these developments as we work with exciting, entrepreneurial firms dedicated to taking advantage of new opportunities in renewable energy. We apply a special understanding of the needs of companies expanding to Canada that makes establishing new ventures efficient and cost effective. We support our clients with their business ventures across Canada. Our industry knowledge and network help companies move ahead confidently.

Our services include:

  • Mergers, acquisitions, restructuring, and joint ventures.
  • Tax planning.
  • Due diligence reviews.
  • Project structuring, financing, security documentation and creditor agreements.
  • Real estate acquisition, leases and easement registrations.
  • Power purchase agreements and Ontario Power Authority feed-in tariff contracts. 
  • Operation and maintenance agreements.
  • Connection agreements.
  • Product manufacturing and supply agreements.
  • Engineering, procurement, and construction agreements.
  • Municipal and environmental issues.
  • Permitting and licensing.
  • Securing work permits for foreign workers.
  • Advising on regulatory issues, including the requirements of the IESO’s FIT and MicroFIT programs and Nova Scotia's ComFIT program and RFP process.
  • Dispute resolution and litigation, including defending appeals of Renewable Energy Approvals before the Environmental Review Tribunal.

Whether you are starting a new venture, expanding into a new marketplace, or looking for partners in Canada’s growing renewable energy sector, Dale & Lessmann LLP can bring a unique global perspective to the legal and business issues you face. For more information, please contact any member of our team.

We are active members of various industry associations, including the Canadian Renewable Energy Association. Dale & Lessmann LLP acts for a wide spectrum of leading European, US, Asian and Canadian renewable energy companies, including participants engaged in the wind energy, solar energy, biomass/gas and hydroelectric power generation industries. Our client list includes the Who Is Who of the global renewable energy industry and includes leading equipment and technology manufacturers, suppliers, and installers, as well as developers, purchasers, contractors, consultants, and financing entities.

Wind Power

  • Successfully defended wpd Canada Corporation in relation to appeal of Renewable Energy Approval awarded to Ontario-based wind project before the Environmental Review Tribunal (full length hearing, not abridged or aborted). For more information, see ERT decision Cham Shan Temple v. Director, Ministry of the Environment.
  •  Acting as corporate counsel to AIM PowerGen Corporation, one of the largest and most successful wind power developers and operators in Canada.
  •  Acting as legal counsel to a major German wind power developer and operator. This company has developed wind farms with around 1,600 wind turbines globally and an estimated installed capacity of 3,000 MW. This developer was awarded more than 100 MW of FIT contracts by the Ontario Power Authority in 2010.
  • Acting as legal counsel to Austrian wind park developer in relation to the development, structuring and financing of 180 MW of projects across Canada, including Nova Scotia (under ComFIT and the RFP process), New Brunswick and Ontario.
  • Acting as legal counsel to Toronto, Canada-based wind park developer in relation to development, construction and financing (both construction and take-out financing) of 10 MW and 16 MW wind farms under version 1.0 of IESO's FIT Program.
  • Acting for a developer in relation to the negotiation of Wind Turbine Supply & Installation Agreement and Operation & Maintenance Agreement for 100 MW of installed generating capacity
  • Acting as legal counsel to various other wind park developers and supply chain participants across Canada.
  • Acting as legal counsel to various European and Canadian debt and equity financiers in relation to the due diligence and financing of wind power projects. 
  • Acting for European wind park developer in relation to the development, construction, financing and sale of its 25 MW and 30 MW wind farms in Ontario in accordance with the regulatory requirements of the Ontario Power Authority's FIT Program and development of more than 130 MW of large-scale wind projects.
  • Acting for numerous companies in relation to the due diligence review, acquisition, disposition, financing, development and commissioning of wind power generation facilities.

Solar Power

  • Acting as legal counsel to German EPC Contractor in relation to construction of approximately 100 MW DC of ground-mount solar projects in Alberta. 
  • Acting as legal counsel to the world’s largest integrator of photovoltaic systems for residential and commercial application purposes.
  • Acting for German O&M provider in respect of Samsung's Grand Renewable Solar LP 130 MW DC ground-mounted solar photovoltaic project.
  • Acting for German O&M provider in respect of Samsung's Kingston Solar LP 130 MW DC ground-mounted solar photovoltaic project.
  • Acting for Global PVQ Canada Corp. in relation to the sale of 65 MW pipeline of ground-mounted solar photovoltaic projects contracted under version 1.0 of the IESO’s FIT Contract.
  • Acting in relation to successful private placement and take-out financing of rooftop solar portfolio comprised of 34 projects under version 2.1 of the IESO's FIT Program.
  • Acting on behalf of developers in relation to development of rooftop and ground-mount solar projects under version 3.0 of the IESO's FIT Program.
  • Acting on behalf of U.S. based equity firm in relation to the acquisition of 85 rooftop solar projects awarded under version 2.1 of the IESO's FIT Program.
  • Acting as legal counsel to a European solar pv project developer in relation to its acquisition and disposition of a 150 MW ground-mounted solar project pipeline in Ontario.
  • Acting as legal counsel to one of Europe's largest equity financiers of ground-mounted solar projects in relation to the due diligence and acquisition of solar pipelines in Canada. 
  • Acting as legal counsel to major developer in relation to the development and commissioning of 60 MW of ground-mounted solar under the Ontario Power Authority's Renewable Energy Standard Offer Program.
  • Acting as legal counsel to European investor in relation to due diligence, acquisition and financing of 90 MW ground-mounted solar project pipeline.
  • Acting as legal counsel to Canadian equity financier in relation to acquisition and financing of various rooftop solar portfolios, including a portfolio of projects in excess of 5 MW.
  • Acting as legal counsel to US based developer in relation to development of 25 MW ground-mounted solar park under the IESO FIT program.
  • Acting as legal counsel to European investor in relation to the acquisition of more than 1,200 microFIT solar projects.
  • Acting for numerous companies in relation to the due diligence, acquisition, disposition, financing, development and commissioning of rooftop and ground-mounted solar project pipelines under the IESO's FIT Program.
  •  Acting as legal counsel to European investor in relation to due diligence and acquisition of 100+ MW of ground-mounted solar. 
  •  Acting as general corporate counsel to a number of the world’s largest supply chain participants, including inverter, racking system and module manufacturers.
  •  Acting as legal counsel in relation to the development of the single largest rooftop solar project in Canada at 7.9 MW on a 2 million square foot roof.

Hydroelectricity

  • Acting as general corporate counsel to a major European construction conglomerate, which was awarded a $1 billion contract by Ontario Power Generation to design and construct a 10.4 kilometer hydro tunnel 140 meters below the City of Niagara Falls to transport water from the upper Niagara River to the Sir Adam Beck Power Station. This complex tunnel project produces 1.6 GW of additional energy and increases output by 14 percent - enough to power an additional 160,000 homes.
  • Acting for a European company in relation to its successful bid for the procurement and installation of equipment and the refurbishment of BC Hydro’s 126 MW John Hart Power Generation Station in Campbell River, British Columbia.
  • Acting for a European company in relation to its successful bid for the procurement and installation of equipment and the refurbishment of the Chaudière Hydro Redevelopment Project.
  • Acting for European company in relation to successful bid to supply formworks for Churchill Falls Hydro Project.
  • Acting for Canadian company in relation to the development of small 4 MW and 5 MW run-of-the-river hydroelectric power generation facilities. 

Biogas (Cogeneration)

  •  Acting as corporate counsel to Europe's largest developer of turn-key biogas plants in relation to the development of projects in Ontario, British Columbia and Alberta, including a 2.7 MW biogas project in Lethbridge Alberta.

Biodiesel (Cogeneration)

  • Acting on behalf of German investor in relation to acquisition of one of Canada’s largest biodiesel refineries.