Energy & Renewables

In Scotland, over 70% of electricity generated, comes from renewable sources. Davidson & Robertson has extensive experience in advising land owners and occupiers, and energy project developers on a wide range of energy projects. Have you got a potential project?

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Over the years, D&R has built up an excellent reputation for its thorough market knowledge and practical advice on fossil fuel and renewable energy projects, acting for both developers, land owners and occupiers. Projects include: gas transmission pipelines, wind turbine sites (from single turbines to multi-million-pound wind farms), solar arrays, biomass installations and more recently battery storage sites.

Market knowledge and practical experience enables our team to assist clients through the complex processes of energy projects, from site tendering to the option and lease negotiations and construction phase.

We have also been involved in negotiating third party access rights on behalf of those neighbouring these projects for grid connection or access agreements.

On-shore wind farm developments make up almost half the pre-operational renewable energy projects currently in planning and developers are looking for more sites.

Landowners can benefit from this opportunity and so can occupiers (ie secure agricultural tenants) Developers are interested in potential wind turbine sites that:

• have strong wind speeds
• are not dotted with residential properties
• lie outside high value environmental designations (National Parks, Ramsar sites, etc)
• are 400+ acres
• are close to grid capacity
• have good road access

D&R has significant experience and knowledge of this market, collaborating with other professional advisers to achieve the best outcome for clients. Negotiating commercial terms and keeping clients advised through the development process will ensure successful outcomes, both financially and on the ground during the construction phase.

Neighbours and nearby properties can benefit financially by enabling the grid connection (accepting the power line across their land) or agreeing to sell or rent land to widen the road that enables a turbine to get around a corner, or for a bridge to be strengthened, or a new one to be constructed.

Storing energy – land for battery storage  

Battery Storage sites are springing up in rural areas with close proximity to 11Kv or 33Kv powerlines or substations. They act as a “sponge”, soaking up excess capacity and releasing it at times of peak demand.

The sites are very unobtrusive and generally consist of custom-built shipping containers densely packed with lithium ion battery systems, effectively “plug and play”. So long as they are located adjacent to or near powerlines or substations with sufficient excess transmission capacity then the site can be located in the corner of a field or area of unused ground.  We are supporting clients who have land with potential. Read more: Energy storage article