CMS advises Canadian Solar on partnership to co-develop 1.5GW of UK battery energy storage system projects

International law firm CMS has advised Canadian Solar Inc. (Canadian Solar) on its partnership via a Project Development Agreement with Windel Energy (Windel), a company specialising in the origination, development and asset management of renewable energy projects, to co-develop 1.5 GW of battery energy storage system (BESS) projects in the UK.

Canadian Solar is one of the world’s largest solar photovoltaic products and energy solutions providers, as well as one of the largest solar power plant developers globally. Cumulatively, Canadian Solar has delivered over 59 GW of solar modules to thousands of customers in more than 160 countries, enough to meet the green energy needs of approximately 14m households.

Under the agreement with Windel, Canadian Solar will provide funding and support to enable Windel to deliver 1.5 GW of early-stage BESS projects. The partnership will help to boost both Canadian Solar and Windel's growth in the UK and contribute towards strengthening both parties’ market positions.

Louise Dalton, CMS partner in the Energy & Climate Change team, comments: “We are delighted to have supported Canadian Solar on this strategic partnership. With the increasing intermittent, non-dispatchable capacity on the system, the deployment of energy storage projects has never been more important. Canadian Solar’s projects will play an important role in the UK’s green energy transition, and we look forward to seeing them come to life.”

The CMS team was led by Louise Dalton and included Freddie May (Energy & Climate Change), Karl Williams (Corporate), Leilah Rawle and Emma Forbes-Stocken (Energy Real Estate), Canadian Solar’s legal team was led by its Senior Director and General Counsel EMEA, Antonio Adami.