A multi-disciplinary team from across Bristol-headquartered national law firm Burges Salmon has advised long-standing client BayWa r.e. UK, the leading global renewable energy developer, on another acquisition in Scotland.
Burges Salmon’s Bristol-based energy, power and utilities practice teamed up with colleagues from its Edinburgh office on the acquisition of Dalquhandy Wind Farm in South Lanarkshire, from Brockwell Energy. 
The scheme, pictured, was one of Brockwell’s key projects because of windy location and proximity to a grid connection point and substation.
BayWa r.e. UK, which has interests in the wind, solar and bio energy sectors across the UK and Ireland, has been advised by Burges Salmon on a number of transactions.
The Dalquhandy acquisition follows Burges Salmon’s involvement last November in BayWa r.e. UK’s long-term corporate Power Purchase Agreement with supermarket giant Tesco for a new wind farm at Inverclyde.
It was Burges Salmon’s first corporate transaction for BayWa r.e. UK since the opening of its Edinburgh office.
Burges Salmon partner Danny Lee, from the firm’s Edinburgh office, supplied corporate Finance advice and, supported by solicitor Niall Mackle, led the cross-sector team advising BayWa r.e. UK with support from the firm’s Scottish real estate and planning teams along with the Bristol-based energy, power and utilities practices
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Danny Lee, pictured, said: “It’s a pivotal time for the UK’s renewable energy sector and ambitious companies such as BayWa r.e. UK will be key to achieving carbon emission targets.”
BayWa r.e. UK legal counsel Christine McGregor added: “The Burges Salmon team led by Danny Lee and Niall Mackle was excellent and their commercial and pragmatic approach made for an overwhelmingly positive experience.
“The team at Burges Salmon was invaluable in helping us secure this great opportunity to add another project to our UK portfolio.”
Meanwhile, Burges Salmon has partnered with Scottish charity Trees for Life on a rewilding, reforestation and carbon-offsetting project focused on the Highlands.
Under the partnership, which the firm said complemented its other climate commitments, Burges Salmon will invest in a rewilding, carbon-offsetting project that will protect more than 3,000 trees at Trees for Life’s acclaimed Dundreggan estate in Glenmoriston. The project is overseen and accredited by the UK Woodland Carbon Code.
The native trees are in an area of Dundreggan known as Allt Ruadh, pictured, planted as part of the restoration of the globally important Caledonian Forest, creating habitats for rare and endangered wildlife, while breathing new life into a largely treeless landscape. The forest once covered much of Scotland but has now been reduced to a fraction of its former range.
As well as helping to rewild Dundreggan, the trees in Allt Ruadh will help to store carbon away as they grow through time. The trees will stabilise the soil and help prevent flooding further down the glens. 
Burges Salmon’s Net Zero team negotiated the contracts and is helping other companies, landowners and organisations with the establishment of tree planting, biodiversity net gain and offsetting contracts and businesses.
Burges Salmon managing partner Roger Bull said: “We are delighted that we are able to contribute to the rewilding of the Scottish Highlands and to incrementally offset the carbon footprint associated with our energy use and business travel through nature.
“This supplements our commitment and existing measures to reduce our impact on the environment and to take action on the issue of climate change.
“We are proud to be founding members of the Legal Sustainability Alliance and advocates of carbon reporting and transparency. This year we will be looking to determine Science Based Targets to help direct our carbon management even further.”
Trees for Life is dedicated to rewilding the Scottish Highlands. So far its volunteers have planted nearly 2m native trees at 44 sites across the Highlands – tackling climate change and encouraging wildlife to flourish and communities to thrive.
