Wind farm expertise

Fenwick Elliott has significant experience advising on offshore wind farm projects all over the world. We understand the structuring of wind farm projects and the key risks involved. We are also well placed to advise on alternative structures and drafting to standard industry contracts, giving you access to high quality, flexible support in your commercial operations.

Thanks to the breadth of our wind farm expertise, we have developed valuable insights into the nature of offshore wind farm projects, they key issues and risks to consider, and how best to protect our clients’ interests and achieve their objectives.

Our experience includes advising on disputes and dispute avoidance, operational advice, upstream and downstream contact advice, including contracts, sub-contracts and supplier agreements across a number of different contract types, and advice during and after the design, supply and installation of the works.

Some examples of our wind farm expertise are below:

Galloper and Race Bank offshore wind farm, UK
Advising a major Dutch offshore contractor on its potential involvement as the monopile supplier and installer for the Galloper and Race Bank projects. Our role involved reviewing, re-drafting and negotiating the main contract (and ancillary security documents) with the project owners, together with advice on the major subcontracts for the steel monopile manufacture and for the required vessel hire.

Round 3 offshore wind farms, UK
Advising on tender documentation for two different Round 3 projects for a client bidding for EPCI contracts for those projects. Advising on upstream and downstream obligations. Advice is ongoing during the tender process.

Offshore wind farm, Europe
Advising on a tender for a client bidding for an EPCI contract for a major European offshore wind farm. Advice is ongoing during the tender process.

Round 2 offshore wind farm, UK
Providing ongoing project assistance and advice throughout the course of this project for the foundations contractor, including claims for variations and extensions of time. Also advising on the construction aspects of the effect of refinancing by the owner of the project and consequent amendments to project documents.

Round 1 offshore wind farm, UK
Successfully defending LCIA arbitration proceedings brought against the foundations contractor by the owner of the wind farm. During the arbitration, defects of both workmanship and design were alleged, raising complex engineering and allocation of risk issues in relation to corrosion and fatigue.

Robin Rigg offshore wind farm, UK
Providing advice during the course of the project and subsequently advising the foundations contractor on disputes in relation to the account, including variations and alleged defects. Advising on two sets of High Court proceedings and successfully advising on two occasions in the Court of Appeal on areas of contract interpretation which affect both the construction and offshore wind industry. The value of the matters in dispute totalled over €75 million.

Round 1 offshore wind farm, UK
Advising the foundations contractor on final account issues and allegations of defects.

Round 2 offshore wind farm, UK
Providing advice to the foundations contractor on discrete contract issues, and defending significant claims from the owner in ICC arbitration proceedings.

Offshore wind farm, Europe
Acting for a German contractor, we advised on all commercial and legal issues during the project, including issues that appeared when our client’s partner underwent a change of ownership, as well as on dispute avoidance. The project was completed largely on time and without any major dispute.

Offshore wind farm, Europe
Acting for a joint venture contractor on a substantial offshore wind farm under an amended FIDIC 1999 Yellow Book contract. Advising on design obligations, extensions of time, disruption, money claims and dispute resolution procedures.

Offshore wind farm, Europe
Advising a firm specialising in erecting wind turbines at sea on contractual issues.

Round 2 offshore wind farm, UK
Advising a German/Danish joint venture contractor on its £400 million contract as the foundations contractor, supplier and installer of monopiles for one of the world’s largest offshore wind farm projects.

Round 2 offshore wind farm, UK
Advised an OFTO on matters concerning the offshore transmission assets of an offshore wind farm.