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David McGowan

Partner

CMS Cameron McKenna Nabarro Olswang LLP
1 West Regent Street
Glasgow
G2 1AP
United Kingdom
Languages English

David McGowan is a partner specialising in corporate and commercial law. He has a wide experience of power projects and oil and gas projects.

David has advised utilities, independent developers, lenders and contractors for over 15 years on conventional and renewable energy projects and oil and gas contracts. David advises on corporate acquisitions and disposals of energy projects as well as the drafting and negotiation of the key project contracts.

With more than 450 energy and climate change lawyers, including over 100 partners, the CMS Energy and Climate Change practice is one of the largest of its kind in the world. Led from its centres of excellence such as London and Aberdeen, the practice works across 75 offices globally. Building on 40 years of experience advising on power, oil & gas and renewables through to energy disputes, emerging areas and Energy Transition, CMS is uniquely placed to ensure clients receive advice best suited to their commercial needs and to our collective future.

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“the ability to focus on the bits that matter”.

UK Legal 500, Energy

Relevant experience

  • The power purchaser on the PPA for the output from Millennium and Kilbraur Wind Farms.
  • The power purchasers on new PPAs from Barking Power (1000MW CCGT).
  • EDF Energy Renewables on the acquisition of several renewable energy projects including the Fallago Rig and Barmoor wind farm projects.
  • EDF Energy in relation to gas storage projects.
  • Developers of offshore wind projects including Beatrice Offshore Wind Limited and Inch Cape Offshore Wind Limited.
  • Eirgrid in relation to the UK regulatory aspects of the East West electricity interconnector.
  • SSE in relation to the disposal of a package of operational onshore wind farms to Infinis (GBP 173m).
  • Bank of Tokyo Mitsubishi on the monetisation of npower's wind farm portfolio (Scottish wind farms). 
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Publications

  • David is listed in Legal Business' publication "Legal Experts" for Energy and Natural Resources.
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Lectures list

  • Speaker, Scottish Arbitration Centre, Energy Arbitration Conference, 2015
  • Speaker, ecoConnect Forum  "Funding the pathways to 2030: Turning Low Carbon Targets into Economic Realities", 2014
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Education

  • 1987 - Dip LP, University of Glasgow, Glasgow
  • 1986 - LLB (Hons) European Law, University of Glasgow, Glasgow
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Feed

19/08/2022
Turning the thermostat: UK moves to regulate heat 
The Energy Bill (the “Bill”), which was introduced to Parliament on 6 July 2022 takes aim at providing a regulatory framework to support the Government’s commitment to fully decarbonise heating...
14/10/2021
Reimagining our Energy – Renewable Heat
Did you know that heating of building accounts for over a third of the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions? That might come as a surprise to you, or maybe not, given that it is a bit chilly here. Heating...
04/03/2021
Scottish Parliament passes Heat Networks (Scotland) Bill
On 23 February 2021, the Scottish Parliament unanimously agreed to pass the Heat Networks (Scotland) Bill (the “Bill”). The Bill sets out a long-awaited regulatory framework for the growing number...
19/09/2018
Heat networks market study – next steps 
The heat network sector is at early stage in its development; today, heat networks provide around 2% of UK buildings’ heat demand. However, around 18% of UK heat will need to come from heat networks...
29/01/2018
Transport Infrastructure and Local Authorities
The potential role of local authorities in the area of intelligent travel has been in the news again over the last week, following the Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV) publication of updated guidance...
23/12/2016
Contracts for Difference Round 2: what next for island wind in Scotland?
In November 2016, the UK Government released details of the second Contracts for Difference (“CfD”) auction. £290m of gov­ern­ment-backed contracts will be up for grabs by developers of renewable energy...
10/05/2016
Energy Storage: Opportunities and Challenges (Edinburgh)
The CMS Energy team in Edinburgh is hosting an evening seminar on “Energy Storage: Opportunities and Challenges” on Tuesday 10 May at our Saltire Court offices. Energy storage is a “hot topic”...
17/12/2015
The Carbon Energy Fund Scotland - A Northern Light?
As debate over our National Health Service continues to be the subject of numerous debates across the country, a beacon of hope for may be found in the Carbon Energy Fund (CEF) and the Carbon Energy Fund...