Kyoto Protocol, Clean Development Mechanism (CDM)
Our lawyers have been involved in energy and finance industry briefings around Asia on the legal and regulatory basis of CDM projects in China. This has involved considering the available means of participation and investment by Kyoto Protocol parties and non-parties (essentially, Australia and the United States) in CDM projects, and the opportunities and risks posed by CDM projects.
Carbon trading and carbon finance
We are advising project developers, carbon consultants and intermediaries on carbon trading and carbon finance. This involves emerging and evolving issues of international (Kyoto Protocol) and domestic law relating to generation and trading of carbon credits. Our team are involved in the development of the first carbon credit online trading system based in Asia and a proposed carbon fund to be located in Asia.
Doing Business in China manual
We assisted the Australian Business Council of Sustainable Energy (BCSE) and the Australian Greenhouse Office in the preparation of a detailed guide to the renewable energy and carbon finance markets of China. The guide provides an up-to-date policy, legal and technical commentary to foreign businesses involved in participating in Chinese renewable energy and carbon finance.
Development of wind farms, China
We are advising international developers and financiers in the project structure, financing and construction of several renewable energy projects under way and proposed around China.
The projects being implemented and considered involve wind farms with power capacities of over 100MW for each individual wind farm. Even more significantly from a commercial and legal point of view is the intention to derive carbon credits from these renewable energy projects by registering them as CDM projects (unilateral and bilateral) in accordance with the Kyoto Protocol and Chinese law to produce Certified Emission Reductions which may be sold and traded on the international carbon markets.
We are assisting an Australian project developer with a proposed program of biomass plants in China. The matter involves advice on the implementation of the program as a CDM project.
Geothermal district heating project
Our lawyers are assisting a major European company in the structural, regulatory and compliance issues in connection with its investment in a geothermal district heating project in Northwest China. The project also involves advising on its implementation as a CDM project.
Our team advised and assisted a leading international project developer and consultant on strategy options to deal with the CER floor price in China.
Top legal adviser, Asia Pacific renewable power projects, 2005
Dealogic, Project Finance Magazine 2006