GridX Africa Development to roll out solar and storage mini grid in Africa with funding from Ncondezi Energy

Lux Nova Partners are advising GridX Africa Development, a renewables private power developer, on their investment raise and alliance with Aim-listed Ncondezi Energy as selected lead investor. Investment financing from  both parties and potentially other third parties will enable GridX to develop out its initial portfolio of 15 mini-grid projects (over $20million in capex terms) that will deploy small-medium sized solar and battery storage solutions to serve commercial and industrial businesses across the African continent. 

Projects include those like the smaller solar mini-grid servicing the Singita Faru Faru Lodge in the Serengeti National Park in northern Tanzania, with the integration of around 200kWp solar with 522kWh battery systems, replacing an average of 100,000 litres of diesel each year.  

GridX has identified significant market demand for cost effective and reliable power in the African commercial and industrial sectors, and solar and battery storage increasingly makes economic sense against traditional power generation such as diesel generators. Developers with design, finance and operate solutions like GridX are positioned to help expand the sector as demand continues to grow.

The partnership between Ncondezi and GridX complements Ncondezi’s existing presence in the Africa region and its desire to diversify its portfolio to focus on construction-ready captive solar and battery solutions in Africa.

“Falling solar panel and battery costs are setting the foundation for a tide of disruptive technology in the African energy markets, allowing African countries to leapfrog to the next generation of sustainable energy supply.

“At the same time, significant investment appetite is growing in the sector as investors increasingly recognise smaller renewable captive generation projects as a source of steady returns,” Ncondezi nonexecutive chairperson Michael Haworth says.

To hear more about the projects, click here for an interview with GridX’s Hanno Pengilly.

Lux Nova advises Leapfrog Finance on ground-breaking subsidy free solar plus storage deal

The deal has been hailed by GridServe as one of the UK’s most advanced solar farms heralding a new era of subsidy-free renewable energy. 

Leapfrog Finance was supported by Lux Nova Partners to co-fund the landmark partnership between GridServe and Warrington Borough Council for the acquisition of two large scale solar farms in the UK once constructed by GridServe  - a 34.7MWp hybrid solar farm plus 27MW lithium-ion battery storage system at a third-party owned site close to York and a 25.7MWp solar farm (and potentially to include a battery storage system) at a third-party owned site near Hull.

These pioneering  projects, will supply 100% of the Council’s electricity cleanly and more cheaply than their current cost of energy, allow the Council to benefit from revenue maximisation through the use of the battery, and excess power will either be sold through the grid or ‘sleeved’ to other local authorities or businesses under a power purchase agreement generating millions of pounds of additional revenue every year to fund essential services and support economic regeneration in Warrington.

The technology is also ground-breaking for the UK, for the first time making use of bi-facial panels that generate electricity on both sides and utilising tilting and tracking technology. As a result the parks are expected to generate a power uplift of 20%.  Needless to say the technology and supply chain and contractual remedies for late delivery and non-performance was a focus for due diligence.

 The need to secure battery manufacturing slots placed considerable pressure on the timelines for the transaction, and incredibly the financing was brought together in only 7 weeks, which was testament to everyone’s experience in structuring complex transactions and the desire to make the project happen and show the market what was possible with bold thinking.

 Another important feature of the transaction for enabling Leapfrog’s £11million of mezzanine financing was building into the transaction a long-term social impact framework with a comitted stream of annual payments to a community benefit fund to support local social and environmental projects and reduce fuel poverty in Warrington. The transaction is expected to generate over £2 million in community benefit payments over the life of the projects.

For further details, see Leapfrog’s and Gridserve’s press releases.

Claire Hanratty, CEO of Leapfrog has commented that “The knowledge and professionalism that Louisa brought to the deal was second-to-none, addressing project financing risks, the complexities of a commercial & local authority transaction and enabling Leapfrog to secure £2.25m in community benefit funds to help local people in the Warrington area. We are enormously proud to partner with Lux Nova.”

Lux Nova appointed as key member of HNIP consortium

Lux Nova are a key member of the team managing delivery of what is currently the Government’s biggest single energy programme. We are appointed as gatekeeper to £320m of Government funds and given the role of encouraging and assessing applications for, and awarding and managing, grants and for low rate, long-term loans for heat network projects, from public and private sector applicants.

The objective of the HNIP programme is to help stimulate a sustainable market for investment into low carbon heat networks, leveraging in up to £1billion of private funds.  The consortium is being led by our new client, Triple Point Investment Management (TP). Together with Amberside Infrastructure, they lead on inward investment and fund management. We (Lux Nova) add to the consortium our extensive legal and commercial knowledge of heat network projects.  We’re working alongside other sector experts, AECOM (heat network design and costing) and BDO (heat business financial models), as well as Ecuity (stakeholder engagement) and Gemserve (Government energy programme operation). 

Our role involves legal input into applicant guidance, application assessment, funding agreements, management of finance CPs and grant/loan management, developing standardised industry documentation and third party investor due diligence. Key in BEIS’ choice was our offer of promoting best practice and new / more effective approaches to project development.

For more information, click here.

See also our press release here.

Western Power Distribution study into "virtual private wires"

Lux Nova provided legal and commercial input into Western Power Distribution’s study into opportunities and models for locally matched electricity networks.

Working together with an expert consortium brought together by our client, Open Utility Limited, we provided regulatory input into this study.  Our role was to explain the regulatory boundaries to lawful distribution and supply activity, in connection with renewable electricity generation balanced with local electricity consumption, as well as explaining barriers to extension of some of the concepts involved and the limiting factors that presented on “virtual private wire” models. Based on our market knowledge, we were also able to highlight where market opportunities would arise, helping to direct other aspects of the work undertaken by other members of the consortium.

 The study is important in dismissing one model of ‘virtual private wire’ as non-viable but also identifying the potential value in another model, based on locational DUoS charging.  This is feeds into a broader programme of activity we are involved in, with a number of clients and independently, to promote the wider system, environmental and societal benefits ‘local energy’ and consumer engagement.

To learn more, take a look at the study here.

Piclo launch capacity market platform with all seven DNOs

Clean energy innovator Piclo (previously known as Open Utility) has been building software for the energy market since 2013.  Lux Nova have supported Open Utility from an early stage in development including the commercialisation of its peer-matching platform for clean energy suppliers, which was launched by Good Energy as Selectricity in 2016.   

In 2017 Piclo turned their software expertise towards a new challenge.  The UK’s Distribution Service Providers (“DSOs”) were under pressure to use innovative approaches procure grid flexibility from providers such as batteries, DSR, decentralised generation. With BEIS funding, Piclo embarked on an innovation project with DSOs to develop an online marketplace for Distribution System Operator flexibility services.  Lux Nova provided legal advice and drafting on the innovation stage collaboration agreements with DSOs.  We also advised on the implications of GDPR and new data protection laws in relation to all aspects of Piclo’s business and products. 

Following successful conclusion of the BEIS trial, Lux Nova provided legal support to enable Piclo Flex to launch on a commercial basis to Flex providers and DSOs.Working collaboratively with the client we drafted bespoke platform terms of service and system operator service agreements. Piclo has now signed commercial agreements with all 6 DSOs and over 175 Flex Providers in the UK and is involved in further innovation collaboration projects to test and develop integrated clean energy systems, such as Project Leo in Oxford, which promises to be one of the most wide-ranging and holistic smart grid trials ever conducted in the UK.

Open Utility develop Selectricity: peer-to-peer matched energy

Open Utility (now known as Piclo) are one of Lux Nova’s long standing clients and we are proud to have assisted them with their market leading and transformational projects in the distributed energy market. Clean energy innovators, Piclo have been developing smart software solutions to address a number of energy market failures, including the ability to trade energy locally and to enable broader access to the grid flexibility and capacity market (see [link to Pixlo Flex study]).

In August 2016, Piclo launched Selectricity with Good Energy, an innovative P2P platform for renewable energy, where electricity supply and demand are matched between renewable generators and consumers on a half hourly basis, enabling renewable generators to promote their projects and consumers to select tranches of output from their preferred generations sources to construct their own generation portfolio, via an AirBnB-style platform. Consumers using the product include Eden Project in Cornwall.

We worked with Piclo to help design the legal framework for the platform and govern the relationship with commercial partners, including Good Energy and have continued to support them in the negotiation of contracts with their commercial partners, including with licensed utilities in Italy and the Netherlands.

Energetik District Heating Scheme

Since 2015, Lux Nova has been providing end-to-end legal support for the ground-breaking, local authority driven, energetik DH project, drafting and negotiating the full suite of documentation required for project development, from customer heat agreements through to connection, adoption, construction and operation agreements, bringing to bear our experience on numerous projects across the UK.

As part of the broader energetik offering, Lux Nova has also drafted a bespoke private wire electricity supply agreement for the use of electricity generated by CHP engines on developments by commercial customers and we have also provided in-depth advice on external debt funding, produced a suite of agreements to address state aid affected funds, and local authority governance. 

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The energetik scheme is an ambitious, city-scale project which will provide heating and hot water to thousands of homes in North London, with the potential to provide electricity in the future. The Enfield Council-owned heat company, energtik, has a clear purpose: a mission to provide better value energy that is reliable and low carbon and to revolutionise the local energy market with an aim to become the “local supplier to trust.”

The scheme will see low carbon waste heat utilised from the Edmonton EcoPark as well as other potential heat sources and traditional CHP and boiler units, and a close integration of the scheme with Enfield Council’s regeneration and economic development strategies. 

The scheme has been part funded by the European Investment Bank, through the London Energy Efficiency Fund, has benefited from the European Regional Development Fund and has the backing of the Mayor of London.

Lux Nova Partners has provided an integral role to the development of what is to-date, the largest proposed new district heating scheme in the UK (and one of the most complex). Appointed at the outset of the main stage of project development, other than in relation to property advice, we have provided the full suite of advice required for the scheme, supporting the client through all stages of the project’s development. We continue to provide key support on each phase role out of the scheme, negotiating the plot connection, asset adoption and framework supply agreements with each new Developer being served by energetik. 

Our work on the energetik project was awarded at the annual ADE Awards ceremony 2018, with Tom and Sandy winning the Consultancy of the Year award.

CEPRO community microgrid projects

We are working with developer Clean Energy Prospector (Cepro) on their innovative community microgrid projects. Cepro plan, construct and operate fully managed community microgrids that support maximised installations of onsite renewables in both the new build and retrofit housing markets.

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A typical project sees a private electric microgrid installed for a small community, behind the grid supply point. Batteries are also installed to store rooftop generated electricity not consumed at time of generation, whilst communal ground source heat pumps provide heat to the houses.

We have worked with Cepro to develop the funding models, the commercial structuring and the suite of contracts for project delivery. We look forward to continue to work with the client to further scale the projects as a template for decentralised, decarbonised and democratised energy solutions.

West Sussex County Council BISEPS project

Lux Nova advised West Sussex County Council on its pathfinder EU funded BISEPS project, developing proposals for an estate wide private wire electricity grid, on-site roof-top solar, combined heat and power generation, storage, plus a centralised ESCO to intelligently manage supply and demand across the site, together with the provision of ancillary grid services and potentially capacity to the electricity market.

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We are advising WSCC on its pathfinder EU funded BISEPS project. Chosen as one of only four European initiatives to receive funding, the project located within the Manor Royal Business District (MRBD), intends to prove models for distributed, low carbon energy generation that can be widely applied. MRBD (situated by Gatwick airport) is home to around 500 business who may participate in a site wide, low carbon infrastructure.

Lux Nova is leading with Ramboll on preparing a detailed feasibility study, examining and developing proposals for a MRBD estate wide private wire electricity grid, on-site roof-top solar, combined heat and power generation, storage, plus a centralised ESCO to intelligently manage supply and demand across the site, together with the provision of ancillary grid services and potentially capacity to the electricity market. 

Lux Nova is ideally placed to provide insights to this innovative and potentially first of kind project, having unique experience advising on alternative routes to market for independent and community energy electricity generators. A small sample of our clients in this space include GLA (advising on the first licence lite model); 10:10 Foundation (advising 10:10 on their innovative solar to rail electrification project); BEIS (guidance on routes to market for electricity); Western Power Distribution (on the legalities of “virtual private wires”).

Lendlease’s distributed energy counsel

Lux Nova have acted on a number of Lendlease’s district heating schemes, serving their new build developments. Their go-to lawyers for all distributed energy related issues, we have advised on the Elephant & Castle scheme in South London, the Timberyard scheme in Deptford and on a new (confidential) scheme in North London.

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The largest of their district heating schemes, Elephant & Castle, saw E.ON engaged under a Concession arrangement to install, operate and maintain a district heating scheme to serve the Elephant Park regeneration area. An innovative structure sees bio-gas offsets used to lower the carbon content of heat provided with the low carbon, low cost heat due to serve almost 3,000 homes.

We advised Lendlease as master developer, on the drafting of the full suite of contracts associated with the grant of the Concession to E.ON. From project inception, we advised on how best the client could achieve its aggressive timetable and delivered value to the client through the transferability of our experience working with the client and opposite the energy supplier on other projects, familiarity with the negotiating team and our stake in the documentation in use.  From our engagement in earnest, this project made record progress for a scheme of this size and complexity, closing in just under 9 months during 2014.

We now have an on-going role, advising on each plot connection agreement, connecting the building infrastructure to the main district heating spine, as plots in the regeneration area are developed out in sequence, together with adhoc advice on contract management as the Concession progresses. We have also moved on to assist Lend Lease with their low carbon communal heating scheme at their Timberyard development in Deptford.

Community Energy Scotland’s collective power purchase project

We worked with Community Energy Scotland (CES) on their Tower Power, Dumbiedykes project. Dumbiedykes is a small urban neighbourhood in Edinburgh, consisting of residential housing blocks with a mix of occupants, however known to be a deprived area with a high percentage of residents vulnerable or in fuel poverty.

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Tower Power (a not for profit, run by Community Energy Scotland), aimed to establish a roof top solar power project, plus a bulk power purchasing scheme under a smart metering arrangement, in order to assist individual residents’ management of demand and to leverage better retail sale prices for electricity from suppliers. CES also wanted advice on an interim collective electricity tariff switching scheme for residential customers, in order to obtain the best possible tariff for residents.

We explored the regulatory and contractual basis on which collectively electricity tariff switching scheme could be established by Tower Power in the role of “TPI” (Third Party Intermediary, switching on behalf of a group of consumers). Tower Power has gone on to successfully fundraise for the scheme, receiving £821,200 from the Scottish Government’s Local Energy Challenge Fund. It is hoped that all 670 homes within the development will be able to benefit, while a co-operative will be established in the community to manage the scheme.

Outer Hebrides ESCO

Lux Nova undertook a project for Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, the Western Isles Council in Scotland, to analyse the potential to utilise local renewable and low carbon assets for local energy supply and exploring alternative models of electricity supply, distribution and purchase. 

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This project was focused on developing the potential for the Outer Hebrides community to purchase a proportion of energy generation from local renewable energy generators (at the time, mostly wind energy). The aim was to create a community owned Energy Supply Company (ESCO) to retail this electricity to the local market at a competitive price. By making a connection between local generation and local consumption, an Outer Hebrides ESCO was envisioned as enabling the utilisation of renewable energy to directly reduce fuel poverty levels.

Simultaneously, it was anticipated that this would allow for an exploration of the potential for innovative solutions in local energy management, supply and storage, to reduce grid connection costs and the carbon footprint of the Outer Hebrides. 

Together with the other consultants engaged on the project, we concluded that an ESCO of this nature is viable within the Outer Hebrides, offering both economic and environmental benefits. We hope that our recommendations will be taken forward and a body of this nature established to benefit the local population.

West African PPA training

One of our pathfinder projects in developing markets, Lux Nova analysed the renewable energy support frameworks in the ECOWAS region of West Africa, taking learnings from identified gaps in the market to design and deliver 4 weeks of in-depth training on bankable renewable energy Power Purchase Agreements.

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This assignment was delivered as part of IRENA’s (the International Renewable Energy Agency), wide reaching programmes which are aiming to increase the uptake of renewable energy in developing markets by training Government and Utility officials in best practice.

The assignment saw Lux Nova lead a team of legal, commercial and financial consultants to undertake the analysis and subsequent in-country training, to relevant government departments and utility companies across the 15 ECOWAS countries. This took place in French (in Cote D’Ivoire) and English (in Ghana) during 4 weeks across May and July 2018 and was very well received by delegates. Following learnings from the training and feedback from delegates, we also set out recommendations for IRENA to take forward further capacity training within the region.

This was a great opportunity to help up-skill local capacity in the region, enabling the faster deployment of renewable energy and we hope to continue our work with IRENA to deliver the recommended next steps which include the analysis for inter-country trading of power, off-grid projects and more detailed procurement design.

ADECOE’s innovation project too improve social housing through smart data

Adecoe is a small business with deep experience in helping the social housing industry meet its energy and climate change challenges.

Adecoe required legal support on a new venture creating a software platform and commercial offering called “Hygge”, which will enable social housing landlords to reduce energy spend and carbon emissions whilst improving maintenance cost performance.  Partly funded by Climate-KIC, the innovative project involved relationships with energy suppliers, landlords and tenants and using granular energy data from smart meters and housing stock technical data.  Legal issues needed to be considered from the start in terms of data protection laws, energy regulation, commercial relationships and intellectual property protection, to ensure the business was compliant, protected and scalable.

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Lux Nova was able to offer a special innovation package to fit with client requirements and budgets. Through meetings, calls and a detailed memo of advice, we provided analysis of how data protection laws and energy regulation applied to the design of the software and the commercial relationships, as well as support on IP protection and drafting NDAs.  In particular, we advised on how consents or other lawful bases might be used to ensure data protection compliance.

Lux Nova’s advice helped Adecoe future-proof the way they set up the commercial relationships and designed the database, software and processes, taking into account the applicable legal frameworks.We also helped the client understand the options for protecting their product through intellectual property rights and commercial agreements.

Cloud software contract for Demand Logic

Construction and use of buildings account for approximately 40% of global carbon emissions, as well having a major impact on the health and wellbeing of every human on the planet (as most of us spend 90% of our lives inside buildings!).

Demand Logic have an Ashden award-winning product that provides benefits on both those fronts. They are able to integrate with the building management and data systems of commercial buildings and provide a cloud-based platform to analyse, take action and improve building performance in terms of occupier comfort and energy use. Partner, David Short, had first-hand experience of Demand Logic as an early adopter of the system in his previous role at GE Capital Real Estate and early stage adviser to the firm.

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As Demand Logic have grown from innovative start-up to major player in their field, their customer terms and conditions were in need of attention. Their SaaS product involves some hardware installation, connection to customer data systems, and storage and analysis of large amounts of data using machine learning. We were instructed to undertake a workshop with the client and to redraft their template customer contract to ensure clarity over ownership and use of data, compliance with data protection laws, protection of IP rights, as well as adapting the document to the commercial reality of their installation process and improving commercial contract points to protect the client properly.

Through working closely with the client to understand the technical aspects of their platform and use of data, as well as some of the commercial issues being experienced when negotiating terms with their major customers, we helped Demand Logic to develop a practical set of terms that should protect their position, ensure fairness to clients and users and speed up the signing process.

Mongoose acquires three co-located solar and battery storage plants from Anesco

Storage technologies (including batteries) are the key to unlocking the full potential of renewable energy generation, due to the intermittent nature of most renewable energy sources.

We have been involved in a number of battery storage transactions, including those at Drayton Manor Farm, a 75 acre site near Stratford-Upon Avon in Warwickshire.

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We acted for Mongoose Energy, a leading asset manager, on what was, at the time, the UK’s first community energy deal involving co-located solar and battery storage (prior to Ofgem’s guidance), comprising acquisition from commercial developer Anesco (and related acquisition financing from Close Brothers and SASC) of three separate operational ground-mounted solar parks (aggregate 15MW) plus three co-located utility scale batteries.

Although we were acting for Mongoose, the transaction was part of the wider process to set up Heart of England Community Energy, the UK’s largest community energy company by assets, which owned the solar farms.

The transaction was Mongoose’s first foray into hybrid solar-battery projects. The battery systems were retrofitted following commissioning of each solar park. Importantly, the structuring of the grid sharing and metering arrangements had to be addressed, to allow the batteries and the solar parks, which were separately owned, to co-exist while using the same substation.

Our role was to conduct legal due diligence on all three sites, located on former Defra land.

We negotiated the SPA with the Sellers, including all related corporate documentation, and also negotiated the financing arrangements, including the senior and mezzanine debt facilities, and all related intercreditor arrangements. Separately, we worked on the long-term O&M contract with Anesco as well as the long-term asset management agreement.

The projects are set to deliver £3 million in local community benefits over the project lifetime. Mongoose Energy have since sold their asset management business to Bright Renewables, and we continue to work with the team (for which see our page dedicated to community energy).

Charity Bank finance one of the largest community-owned hydro schemes in Europe

Acting on this £3.2million hydro project was a labour of love for all involved.

We were retained by Charity Bank to act on their financing of the 440k/W Sandford Lock Hydro Scheme, on the iconic River Thames near Oxford, the largest community-owned hydro scheme in Europe at the time of operational start in 2018 and the Bank’s largest renewables financing.

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The development was undertaken by Low Carbon Hub, one of the UK’s most experienced and passionate community energy developers, and involved the installation of three solid steel Archimedes screws (each weighing 22 tonnes). The journey to build the scheme was over 10 years in the making and is a great example of how ambitions can be made into reality with belief and dedication and everyone working together to achieve a common purpose.

The scheme had a number of challenges:

• A lengthy construction process which was weather dependent – work would need to stop if the river rose beyond a certain level.

• Access issues, thanks to a low bridge that needed to be temporarily moved to allow cranes on site to install the screws, as well as the construction of a temporary road to enable heavy loads to reach the river set down point during the construction phase.

• Development of a new ‘fish pass’ system for the turbine, allowing fish to migrate upstream beyond the Lasher Weir for the first time in over 400 years.

• A complex matrix of contracts with no single point responsibility EPC contract.

• Transportation, including shipping from the Andritz factory in Hungary, barges on the Thames and floating pontoons from the Wharf at Sandford to the Weir.

• Pressured installation deadlines to preserve the pre-accredited FiT rate, necessary to ensure the scheme remained financially viable.

The Bank really cared about the positive environmental and social outcomes of the scheme (as much as the financials) and wanted to make it happen, as did we, so there was no shortage of willingness to find solutions in the long hours.

The transaction involved us conducting due diligence, strengthening the contractual documentation and preparing and concluding all of the finance and security documentation.

Verderg develop first-of-kind run of the river hydro projects

We have advised VerdErg on their first of kind, run of the river hydro projects. VerdErg developed the co-axial VETT technology (Venturi-enhanced Turbine Technology) which produces cost effective hydrodynamic power from low head (i.e. shallow water) projects in rivers and estuaries, by pressure amplification.

The nature of the technology is cost effective but with a low impact on the environment, particularly for fish. VerdErg’s mission recognises that “attempts to lower the carbon footprint go in vain if our solutions do not also work in conjunction with the environment”.

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We first worked with VerdErg in 2015 on their Dalston project, a proposed 40kw scheme on the river Caldew, advising on commercial arrangements, including PPAs, development agreements and leasing documentation. We then advised on the Eaton Socon project, the first commercial deployment of a VETT installation on the Great Ouse River at an old mill pond. The scheme which was constructed through 2018 will provide electricity to the mill building which is now the River Mill pub and restaurant.

The VETT technology has great scope to be deployed in tidal flows as well as rivers in a manner which minimises impacts on flora and fauna, due to its ability to amplify a low head of water, rather than requiring a maximum tidal range. We look forward to seeing the roll out of this innovative technology.

Leapfrog finances utility scale solar and battery storage plants

In 2016, we originally advised Leapfrog Bridge Finance Limited on their bridge loan, which enabled a “community interest company” (Verdant Community Energy CIC) to own two adjacent utility scale solar parks.

This was the UK’s largest community solar project at the time (9.3MW including a shared grid connection arrangement with an adjacent commercial solar park). The 2016 financing was an innovative 100% debt (0% equity) bridging loan to enable the acquisition of Verdant Community Energy CIC, by community-focused developer and asset manager Communities for Renewables (CfR), from Gamma Energy.

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In December 2017, we then advised Leapfrog on the refinancing and restructuring of the debt, with Leapfrog’s facility being repaid in part by Triodos Bank (as incoming senior lender) with the remaining Leapfrog debt restructured as mezzanine debt.

Finally, in 2018, an innovative (and largest at the time) 18-year community investment bond offer (circa £4 million with 5% inflation linked bonds) was launched to local retail investors, underwritten by Triodos Bank and Big Society Capital. The result was to refinance Leapfrog in full.

Our role was to conduct the full legal due diligence on the project, and we prepared and negotiated the finance documentation throughout the various iterations of the project from 2016 until 2018. We ensured the community-focused approach was maintained at all times (across the senior, mezzanine and shareholder documentation) to guarantee surplus cashflows for the local community.

The projects are innovative in that they have a guaranteed return for the local community, ahead of equity distributions, and the potential to generate approximately £3 million of income for local community organisations and projects over the next 20 years, an achievement all parties involved can be proud of – thanks primarily to the vision and commitment of everyone involved who made this project happen, and the power of the sun!

A link to Leapfrog’s website is here: www.pureleapfrog.org

First utility scale solar farm in Jordan

Another of our firsts, the Lux Nova team built on the work we did on the Tafila Wind Farm, advising Samer Judeh (part of the Tafila consortium) and Jordan private equity fund, Foursan, on the first utility scale solar farm (10 MW) to become operational in Jordan.

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Leveraging our in-country experience having developed the precedent Jordanian PPA on the Tafila project, we were able to guide negotiations with the government off-taker on power purchase and grid connection to swift conclusion. Part of a series of projects in Jordan debt financed by the International Finance Corporation (IFC), given our previous in-country experience we were also able to set direction for the other IFC funded projects in relation to the project finance elements.

The full turnkey design build operate and maintenance (DBOM) Contract was developed by us based upon FIDIC gold and concluded quickly, with the identity of the debt funders in mind and leveraging our knowledge of what was “bankable” in the jurisdiction. Enerray S.P.A, of Italy, are the construction contractors, supplying, installing, operating and maintaining the solar panels.

We continued to advise the Shamsuna project team on issues arising on contract management and equity interests, maintaining an integral advisor role as the life of the project progressed until its recent sale.