DLA Piper advises Shell in its acquisition of solar and energy storage developer Savion

DLA Piper represented Shell New Energies US LLC, a subsidiary of Royal Dutch Shell plc (Shell), in its agreement to buy 100 percent of Savion LLC (Savion), a large utility-scale solar and energy storage developer in the United States, from Macquarie's Green Investment Group. With this acquisition, Shell expects to significantly expand its global solar portfolio.

Savion specializes in developing solar power and energy storage projects and currently has more than 18 gigawatts of solar power and battery storage under development for a variety of customers, including utilities and major commercial and industrial organizations. The Savion acquisition bolsters Shell's strategy to develop an integrated power business as it moves to become a net-zero emissions energy business by 2050.

“It was a pleasure to represent Shell in this key acquisition, which will expand our client’s existing solar and energy storage portfolio and further strengthen its status as an energy leader in the US. We combined our deep renewable energy sector experience and our strong transactional capabilities to ensure a successful result,” said Vanessa Richelle Wilson, the DLA Piper partner who led the firm’s deal team.

In addition to Wilson (Washington, DC), the DLA Piper team representing Shell included partners Robert Gruendel, Drew Young, Paolo Morante (all of New York), Rita Patel, Andrew Young (both of Washington, DC) and Ben Gipson (Los Angeles); of counsels Sameer Ghaznavi (Chicago), Nia Brown, Nicholas Klein (both of Washington, DC) and Jeffrey Kuhn (Albany); associates Junqi Zhang (Washington, DC), Stephanie Pfaff (San Diego), David Pryor (Chicago), Sara Kim (Los Angeles) and Alex Cates (Seattle); and paralegal Carol Clark (Albany).

DLA Piper's Energy sector lawyers advise sponsors, investors and other industry participants on the development, financing, purchase and sale of energy companies and energy infrastructure projects and portfolios. For decades, the firm has represented organizations operating in the sector throughout the world, with a global team serving clients in the renewable generation, energy storage, oil and gas, nuclear, energy trading, climate change and water markets. In addition to energy companies, the firm’s clients also include financial institutions, governments, utilities, regulatory bodies, and corporate and industrial buyers of renewable energy.

DLA Piper’s renewable energy team was recently named the 2021 global law firm of the year by Financing Wind and top renewable energy legal advisor for the first half of 2021 by Inspiratia, as well as #1 in North America by deal count and #2 globally by deal count in 2020.

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