Energy

Our expertise

The Danish energy sector has undergone rapid growth in recent years, driven in particular by industry-leading energy companies and the increased focus on sustainable growth in most markets. The global demand for sustainable, renewable and efficient energy solutions is affecting all industries, thereby creating new business avenues and challenges for all actors within the energy sector and supporting businesses. Meanwhile, a surge in governmental support to ‘next practice’ energy production, distribution and efficiency has introduced new investment opportunities, funding options and large scale public tenders whilst regulators – on the other hand – have tightened the regulatory regimes applicable to the sector. Establishment of and trade in energy assets have abundant national and international actors, while the Danish energy market has seen frequent consolidation of infrastructure companies to be able to support tomorrow’s energy systems.

To assist our clients in this fast-changing landscape, our energy and infrastructure team brings together cross-practice expertise to provide market-leading advice. Drawing on decades of experience from our practitioners, this enables us to support your business with all legal aspects relevant to the energy sector.

About our advice

Our energy team is comprised of experienced partners, attorneys and economists with specialist expertise within practice areas particularly relevant to the sector, enabling our team to provide full-service support with the necessary specialist attention.

Through years of services to our clients, all team members have extensive industry knowledge and considerable project management experience. Our experience covers all relevant types of commercial and public contracts such as sales and acquisition agreements, joint venture agreements, collaboration agreements, concession agreements and corporate power purchase agreements. We also frequently assist with regulatory matters, including application for and transfer of licenses, renewable energy subsidy schemes, state aid, merger control, grid connections and infrastructure planning and investments/divestments.
Meet the team

We advise on

• Mergers and acquisitions of businesses and assets in the energy and infrastructure sector
• Sector-specific merger control and competition law analyses
• Regulatory compliance in relation to production, trade and distribution of electricity, district heating, water and natural gas, including biogas
• Regulatory compliance in relation to communication networks including fibre optic networks
• Establishment of and investments in on- and offshore wind farms
• Establishment of and investments in solar farms
• Establishment of and investments in waste-to-energy facilities
• Establishment of and investments in Power-to-X projects
• Subsidy schemes for energy and infrastructure assets and projects
• Hydrocarbon activities in the North Sea and Greenland
• Environmental law and planning for infrastructure assets
• Licensing and transfer of public approvals for energy undertakings
• Trade in guarantees of origin/renewable energy certificates and carbon emission quotas
• Power purchase agreements and energy trading
• Public tenders for large-scale renewable energy production
• Collaboration agreements, joint ventures and consortia
• Public-private partnerships
• Dispute resolution and representation in legal actions/hearings with public authorities
• Tax-related aspects of energy and infrastructure projects, including tax structuring and assistance in respect of the Danish hydrocarbon tax regime.

Memberships

As one of Denmark’s leading law firms, Gorrissen Federspiel is a member of the Energy Law Group (ELG), comprising more than 550 European, Middle Eastern and African legal experts in the fields of energy and minerals law.

We are also members of Wind Denmark, the leading Danish organization for players within the wind energy industry, and the Danish Climate and Energy Law Society, an association for legal practitioners in the Danish energy sector.

Further, several of our practitioners are members of national and internal associations relevant for their practice area of expertise.

Ratings

Our energy sector group is a leader in the Danish market, consistently ranked at the top of all relevant rankings of legal advisers.

“They have a holistic approach to the matters at hand and are able to pinpoint commercial and legal problems.”
Chambers Europe, 2023

“Strong knowledge of industry and current law. Foresight into trends and technology. Ability to target advice to the clients’ specific needs.”
Legal 500, 2023

“Very skilled team with deep industry insight. Good overview of trends and activities in the sector. The team is always willing to go the extra mile to find the best tailored solution.”
Legal 500, 2023