Sustainability
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Shipping Offshore, Ocean Industries, Environmental law, Sustainability
2021
Decarbonisation in shipping – the EU proposals
On 14 July 2021 the European Commission published its “Fit for 55” package setting out various legislative proposals to enable the EU to reach its objective to reduce emissions by at least 55% by 2030 (as compared to 1990 levels).
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Shipping Offshore, Ocean Industries, Sustainability, Environmental law
2021
The EU ETS expands to shipping
One of the most talked about and controversial aspects of the EU’s proposed “Fit for 55” package is the European Commission’s proposal for a revised Emissions Trading System (EU ETS). This article examines the proposal and details its potential impact on the shipping industry.
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Shipping Offshore, Ocean Industries, Sustainability, Environmental law
2021
Key aspects of FuelEU Maritime proposal
On 14 June 2021, the European Commission presented a package of proposals aimed at ensuring that the European Union achieves its goal of cutting greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030. The proposals include, amongst other things, the new FuelEU Maritime initiative, specifically aimed at the shipping industry.
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Renewable energy and infrastructure, Shipping Offshore, Ocean Industries, Sustainability
2021
From East Anglia to East Asia: A commercial perspective on the development of offshore wind in Taiwan and further afield
Alex Hookway, a Senior Lawyer in Wikborg Rein's Renewables Team, sat down with Sam Stout, Managing Director of Colebrook Offshore1 in London. They discussed the current status of offshore wind in the Asia-Pacific, the (sometimes painful) lessons learned from the early wind farms in Taiwan and further afield, and what's next for wind energy in the region.
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Renewable energy and infrastructure, Shipping Offshore, Ocean Industries, Sustainability
2021
Coming of age, what to do with mature wind farms? extend, repower or decommission?
At a time when many nations are expecting an explosion of new leasing rounds to meet the gap left by the phasing out of fossil fuels (and in some jurisdictions, nuclear power), it might seem odd to consider the ‘end of life’ options for wind farms – whether lifetime extension, repowering or decommissioning. However, wind turbines have an operational lifetime of 20-25 years. For the original offshore developments in the North Sea, this may be shorter as technology, fabrication and construction knowledge has developed rapidly over the past 20 years.
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Renewable energy and infrastructure, Shipping Offshore, Ocean Industries, Sustainability
2021
Post-Trump: The Winds of Change Opportunities for offshore wind farm installation vessels in the US
Despite the USA having what has been described as a “globally significant wind resource”, the development of the offshore wind industry in the United States has had something of a slow start, with only 5 electricity generating turbines currently in operation in US offshore waters with generating capacity of only around 30 MW.
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Renewable energy and infrastructure, Shipping Offshore, China, Ocean Industries, Sustainability
2021
Offshore wind projects in China: Key legal issues
For those who are interested in the Chinese offshore wind market, it is crucial to understand that the Chinese regulatory framework for this sector is complicated and comprehensive, covering the whole value chain.
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Renewable energy and infrastructure, Shipping Offshore, Ocean Industries, Sustainability
2021
Charterparties for wind turbine installation vessels
An important part of every offshore wind project is the installation of wind turbines. Installation of modern bottom-fixed offshore wind parks require specialised turbine installation vessels (WTIVs) to perform impressive lifts in challenging conditions. Currently, there is limited number of vessels available for these projects, in particular as wind parks are developed further offshore and with larger turbines. The charters for WTIVs are often fixed a couple of years prior to the project execution and accordingly, negotiation of the charterparties for these vessels is critical for a project’s success.
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Renewable energy and infrastructure, Shipping Offshore, Ocean Industries, Sustainability
2021
BIMCO ASVTIME
Earlier this year BIMCO expanded their suite of offshore contracts by launching the new standard time charter for accommodation support vessels. Wikborg Rein participated in BIMCO’s drafting committee for the form, and set out an overview of its key features below.
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Renewable energy and infrastructure, Shipping Offshore, Sustainability, Ocean Industries
2021
Floating offshore wind: How to structure technology development
Technology development within offshore wind, particularly floating offshore wind, is expected to continue at a significant pace in the coming years. How could such technology development be structured, and what should the involved parties be aware of and take into consideration?
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Renewable energy and infrastructure, State aid and EU/EEA law, Shipping Offshore, Sustainability, Ocean Industries
2021
State Aid for Offshore Wind
There is no doubt that offshore wind needs considerable public support in order to be financially viable. However, such support must first pass the threshold of EEA state aid law. How can state aid for offshore wind be granted legally, and what sources of state aid are available in Norway and the EU?
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Renewable energy and infrastructure, Shipping Offshore, Sustainability, Ocean Industries, Financing
2021
Debt Capital Financing of offshore wind projects
Offshore wind projects will play an important role in meeting the world’s need and demand for sustainable energy going forward. Offshore wind projects make an attractive investment, due to, among other factors, their stable and heavily regulated nature, as well as their green profile and the possibility of long term cash flows.
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Renewable energy and infrastructure, Shipping Offshore, Ocean Industries, Sustainability
2021
Offshore wind power purchase agreements
Power purchase agreements (PPAs) often play a crucial role in project financing of renewable energy projects, including offshore wind. Having a PPA in place to secure the revenue stream for a renewable energy project is often a necessity to attract banks and other project financiers. While a PPA may make an offshore wind project bankable, there are several considerations to be made in the drafting of a PPA. In this article we take a closer look at some important questions surrounding those considerations.
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Renewable energy and infrastructure, Ocean Industries, Sustainability, Shipping Offshore
2021
Marine spatial conflicts: Offshore wind – Increased pressure on Norway’s marine areas
Norway’s large sea areas remain one of the country’s most important advantages in the global transition to a greener and more sustainable society. Solving the global climate challenges includes investments in measures such as ocean-based transport, restoration of marine ecosystems, seafood, storage of carbon in the ocean floor and ocean-based renewable energy. While these activities can help reduce the carbon footprint, they may also lead to increased activity in the sea areas already used for other types of (traditional) marine activities.
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Renewable energy and infrastructure, State aid and EU/EEA law, Shipping Offshore, Ocean Industries, Sustainability
2021
Distribution of congestion revenue from interconnectors
Offshore renewable energy plays a key role in achieving the EU’s climate and energy goals set out in the European Green Deal. The EU aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 55% by 2030, and to become the first carbon-neutral continent by 2050.
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Renewable energy and infrastructure, Shipping Offshore, Sustainability, Ocean Industries
2021
Auctions as an allocation tool – how auctions can be tailored to reduce uncertainty
Norway is in the process of opening up for establishment of offshore wind production. One option is the use of auctions to allocate exclusive rights for this purpose. Industry players have raised concerns in particular due to uncertain prerequisites for these auctions. In this article, we point out that uncertainty might be mitigated by tailoring the auctions, and we give examples on how uncertainty can be reduced.
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Renewable energy and infrastructure, Shipping Offshore, Sustainability, Ocean Industries
2021
How to manage regulatory risks in your joint venture agreement
Several large companies have recently teamed up in consortiums, announcing their interest in the development of Norway’s first large scale offshore wind farms in the Utsira Nord and Sørlige Nordsjø II areas in the North Sea. At the same time, the Norwegian energy authorities are carrying out a revision of the Offshore Energy Act, the Offshore Energy Act Regulations, and the guidelines for the offshore wind concession process, leaving many unanswered questions in the regulatory landscape.
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2021
Our first Communication on Progress
In November this year, Wikborg Rein has delivered the company’s first Communication on Progress as a UN Global Compact signatory. Read more about how we integrate the 10 principles of the UNGC into our operations.
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Renewable energy and infrastructure, Sustainability
2021
Hydrogen essential to a clean energy future: Rising to the challenge
The energy industry is rising to the challenge of a hydrogen economy. For many, it is essential for a clean energy future. Some three quarters (73%) of senior energy professionals say Paris Agreement targets will not be possible without a large-scale hydrogen economy and a similar share (74%), say there is no way to achieve a zero-carbon economy by 2050 without hydrogen.
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Renewable energy and infrastructure, Gas Dispute, Sustainability
2021
The hydrogen puzzle – EU regulatory initiatives in the pipeline
Following the adoption of the EU Hydrogen Strategy and the EU Energy System Integration Strategy in July 2020, the European Commission has worked on various regulatory initiatives, as announced in the respective strategies, to facilitate the development of a well-functioning hydrogen market.
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Renewable energy and infrastructure, Sustainability
2021
How does the EU Taxonomy regulate hydrogen?
In order to meet the EU’s climate and energy targets for 2030, and reach the objectives of the European Green Deal, the EU deemed it vital to direct investments toward sustainable projects and activities. To achieve this, the Commission needed a common language and clear definition of “sustainable” – they in turn created a common classification system for sustainable economic activities, or an “EU Taxonomy”.
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State aid and EU/EEA law, Renewable energy and infrastructure, Sustainability
2021
State aid for hydrogen
A revised State aid framework should help boost the demand and supply of hydrogen in Europe. The European Commission set out this promise in the EU’s hydrogen strategy for a climate-neutral Europe, adopted in July last year. Has the Commission delivered on its promises?
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Renewable energy and infrastructure, Sustainability, Shipping Offshore
2021
IPCEI Hydrogen – kick-starting Europe’s hydrogen revolution
High costs and low demand have hindered the creation of an emissions-free hydrogen market. With IPCEI Hydrogen, the EU’s new gigantic push to bring together public and private hydrogen investments, the hydrogen market may finally have its much needed kick-start.
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Renewable energy and infrastructure, Sustainability
2021
Important steps when developing hydrogen projects
Hydrogen will play a key role in decarbonising the global economy. But how do you successfully develop your business to reach your projected target?
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Renewable energy and infrastructure, Sustainability, Shipping Offshore
2021
Hydrogen as a maritime fuel and the shipping industry’s need for transition
In the coming decades, the shipping industry will have to make a transition to sustainable fuels and energy carriers. Hydrogen has been highlighted as one of the means to achieve this transition, and in Norway several interesting projects are currently ongoing.
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Renewable energy and infrastructure, Sustainability, Shipping Offshore
2021
Marine transportation solutions and applications of hydrogen – contractual considerations for hydrogen projects and the hydrogen value chain
The hydrogen industry is undergoing rapid development, in particular due to the ever-increasing focus on reducing the carbon footprint and emissions across all businesses and industries. Hydrogen has a wide range of applications, and projects of various scales are being developed to cater for the varying local- and end-users’ needs. As a result, a variety of contractual frameworks and structures will likely emerge – both on a project-by-project basis and regarding the hydrogen value chain as a whole.
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Renewable energy and infrastructure, Gas Dispute, Sustainability
2021
Greening the grey – carbon capture and storage agreements
For countries not endowed with abundant renewable energy sources, Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) may be the way (at least in the short term) to transition to a low carbon hydrogen economy. CCS projects have been referred to as “moon landings”. One may presume that, along with some of the technology, the underlying business and contracts are also something akin to rocket science. However, a closer look reveals major similarities to the gas sales business and gas sales agreements rather than something more ground breaking.
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Gas Dispute, Renewable energy and infrastructure, Sustainability
2021
Hydrogen sales and purchase contracts – high-value issues to keep in mind
With its ample hydropower, developing wind power, and gas reserves, Norway is particularly well placed to produce both green hydrogen and blue hydrogen. Although the potential is obvious and there is a clear will to develop it further, the hydrogen industry is still in early stages. At present, relatively few supply contracts have been entered into and few clear market principles have developed. As such, the hydrogen industry faces similar questions in respect of the contractual regulation as the natural gas industry faced in its early phase.
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Renewable energy and infrastructure, Sustainability
2021
The prospects in Brazil for low-carbon hydrogen
Brazil has an increased focus on low-carbon hydrogen. Brazil’s National Hydrogen Policy, adopted in July 2021, identifies the development of a low-carbon hydrogen industry as a national priority.
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Sustainability, Shipping Offshore
2021
Key aspects of FuelEU Maritime proposal
On 14 June 2021 the European Commission presented a package of proposals that are aimed at ensuring that the European Union achieves its goals of cutting greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030. The proposals include, among other things, the new FuelEU Maritime initiative and the proposed implementation of the EU Emissions Trading System (the ETS) and the EU Energy Taxation Directive (the ETD) for the shipping sector.
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Renewable energy and infrastructure, Sustainability, Environmental law, Ocean Industries
2021
Important clarifications for offshore wind in Norway
On June 8th, the Norwegian Minister for Petroleum and Energy, Tina Bru, announced that the first licenses for development of offshore wind in Norway may be granted in early 2022.
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Shipping Offshore, Ocean Industries, Sustainability
2021
Green shipping: governmental support scheme for green offshore vessels
In furtherance of its ambition to cutting CO2 emissions from the short sea shipping industry in Norway by 50 % within 2030, the Norwegian government today announced that NOK 150 million has been earmarked for 2021 to support green investments in offshore vessels.
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Sustainability, Ocean Industries, Technology and digitalisation, Renewable energy and infrastructure, Shipping Offshore
2020
Partner in the One Ocean Expedition
Wikborg Rein is proud to partner and fully support the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development in the project: The One Ocean Expedition.
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Shipping Offshore, Environmental law, Sustainability, Ocean Industries
2020
The High North Report – an "ocean of opportunities"?
On 27 November 2020 the Norwegian government presented a white paper on the High North with the title "People, opportunities and Norwegian interests in the Arctic" (the "High North Report"). The report is the first white paper on the Northern region in nine years, and sets out the government's policy on foreign relations, climate change and environmental concerns, community development, business, infrastructure, transport and safety.
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Shipping Offshore, Environmental law, Sustainability, Ocean Industries
2020
Beefing up emission and fuel standards in the Arctic
It has been a long time coming, and on 20 November 2020 the 75th session of the IMO Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC 75) approved a "ban" on the use and carriage of so-called heavy fuel oil ("HFO") in the Arctic. The new regulation makes amendments to the Polar Code, as implemented in MARPOL. It is expected that the proposed amendments will be formally adopted at the next MEPC session in June 2021. However, more stringent standards have already been proposed by the Norwegian government for the area surrounding Svalbard.
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Shipping Offshore, Environmental law, Sustainability, Ocean Industries
2020
Norwegian ocean management – modern or still very traditional?
With Jens Evensen in the forefront, Norway was a pioneer in the development of the law of the sea in the 70s. However, the traditional law of the sea as we know it, with its zonal and sectoral approach, is not sustainable. Through the High North Report, the Norwegian government is laying the foundations for what will be Norwegian foreign policy for the next 10 years. Is Norway once again capable of being a pioneer in the development of a modern law of the sea?
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Shipping Offshore, Technology and IT Law, Renewable energy, Sustainability
2020
Main Blue Economy Partner
Wikborg Rein has recently entered into a partnership as a Blue Economy Main Partner at Nor-Shipping together with Gard. Norwegian Energy Partners (NORWEP) and Telenor Maritime are joining as Partners. The biannual conference will take place from 1 to 4 June 2021.
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Sustainability, Financial Regulation
2020
Pursuing sustainable finance and investment (the EU Taxonomy)
The aim of the EU's sustainable finance strategy is to reorient capital flows towards sustainable investments, manage financial risk stemming from climate change and to foster transparency.
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2020
Sustainability
In recent years, the notion of sustainability, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) have received increased attention in the business communities and society as a whole.
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Business support, Innovation and digitalisation, Sustainability
2020
From the media industry to business law
For someone who loves meeting people, it has been a challenging start in Wikborg Rein for Martin Bentzen. But he plans to make up for it again soon.
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Shipping Offshore, Sustainability, Ocean Industries
2020
Green investments in ocean industries
The intersection between green investments and ocean industries continue to attract increased attention from investors, financiers and companies in search of new business opportunities.
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Mangfold, Student, Corporate Responsibility, Career, Sustainability
2020
Diversity
As one of Norway's largest and most international law firms Wikborg Rein represents many nationalities, languages and cultures. This is one of our strengths when assisting local and global clients from different countries within all areas from shipping and renewable energy to technology and digitalisation.
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2020
We are eco-lighthouse certified!
At Wikborg Rein, we have a greater focus on what we as a company can do to take care of the environment. It is therefore exciting to announce that we are now eco-lighthouse certified.
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2020
Pro bono work led to family reunion
Every year the Norwegian immigration authorities process a number of applications that result in rejection or expulsion. When all rights to appeal has been exhausted, few options remain for a party with limited financial resources to have the decision re-examined. Our pro bono work and collaboration with the Norwegian Organisation for Asylum Seekers (NOAS ), an organisation working to advance asylum seekers' rights in Norway, allows Wikborg Rein to assist in the re-examination of cases often involving court proceedings.
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2019
Responsible business
Our most important resource is the knowledge of our employees. Knowledge is power, and this power can be used to make a positive difference in business and society.
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2019
Equality and Diversity
The corporate legal industry has traditionally been conservative and not adequately able to mirror the diversity that exists in the society around us. A leading law firm such as Wikborg Rein make a difference with regards to this, and we will therefore work to drive the industry in the right direction.
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2019
Our approach to corporate responsibility
Wikborg Rein will work to ensure that our business has a positive impact on the society around us. We have programs and certifications in place in order to satisfy environmental requirements and norms so that our business places the least possible strain on the environment. But we also extended our responsibility to the relations, matters and people who may indirectly be affected by our business.