About the Course
Introduction
This CLE course will guide counsel to companies involved in renewable energy projects to identify and understand the critical terms and effectively negotiate and structure power purchase agreements (PPAs). The panel will discuss key provisions of PPAs for buyers and sellers, highlight the differences between corporate and traditional PPAs, discuss pitfalls to avoid, and offer practical methods to allocate risks and benefits in long-term contracts.
Description
The PPA is an intricate component of renewable energy projects. Given the current regulatory and legislative environment and heightened construction risks related to potential coronavirus-related delays, the thoughtful negotiation of long-term PPAs is integral to obtaining project financing.
A PPA must address the current regulatory environment and contain anticipatory language to capture future regulatory regimes. The agreement must also include fundamental commercial terms and meet renewable portfolio standards and renewable energy targets now in effect in most states.
Counsel to companies developing or negotiating PPAs must understand the key terms and provisions and variations on the PPA geared to different renewable energy sources, new energy storage technologies, and new hybrid projects. It is also important to address the risk of change in law and changes in the market and to understand common PPA structures, such as the physical PPA, virtual PPA, and green tariff PPA.
Listen as our authoritative panel experienced in PPA negotiations discusses the key terms, risk mitigation strategies, adapting the PPA to the type of renewable energy, and strategies for effectively negotiating and structuring the agreement. The panel will review key provisions of PPAs for buyers and sellers, highlight the differences between corporate and traditional PPAs and pitfalls to avoid, and offer practical methods to allocate risks and benefits in long-term contracts, including the impact of recent state-level construction restrictions and other potential related delays.
Presented By
Mr. Christensen is a leading energy and natural resources attorney in the Pacific Northwest. He assists renewable and traditional energy companies, as well as major energy consumers, to navigate the complex legal and regulatory systems governing the nation’s energy industry. With more than 30 years of experience, Mr. Christensen has successfully represented clients in litigation and regulatory matters, ranging from the U.S. Supreme Court to proceedings before federal and state agencies. Before entering private practice, he served as Assistant General Counsel at Snohomish County (WA) Public Utility District, one of the largest publicly-owned utilities in the U.S., and as a trial attorney at the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC).
Mr. Holmes focuses his practice in the area of energy and infrastructure projects and transactions with an emphasis on wind energy, solar energy, hydroelectric power, geothermal, biomass, natural gas, carbon offsets, and energy storage. His experience extends into corporate transactions, water law, and real estate law. Mr. Holmes also advises clients in negotiating major power purchase agreements, acquisition and sale of energy projects, EPC agreements, O&M agreements, fuel supply, and energy project development agreements.
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This 90-minute webinar is eligible in most states for 1.5 CLE credits.
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Date + Time
- event
Thursday, March 19, 2026
- schedule
1:00 p.m. ET./10:00 a.m. PT
I. Key provisions of a PPA
II. Key terms
A. For buyer
B. For seller
III. PPAs for different types of renewables and hybrid projects
IV. Strategies for negotiation
The panel will review these and other key issues:
- What are the critical provisions of PPAs for buyers and sellers?
- What are the features of different types of renewable energy and hybrid configurations that must be considered when negotiating the PPA?
- How do "corporate" PPAs (including contracts for differences) differ from traditional PPAs?
- What approaches can parties and counsel use to allocate risks and benefits in the long-term contract?
Related Courses
Renewable Energy Projects: Negotiating Power Purchase Agreements
Thursday, March 19, 2026
1:00 p.m. ET./10:00 a.m. PT
