Advises on energy and infrastructure project finance transactions.
Focuses on renewable energy projects and other investments supporting the energy transition.
Co-head of the firm’s projects & energy transition practice.

Ikenna “Ike” Emehelu focuses his practice on energy and infrastructure project finance transactions.

He represents lenders, developers, private equity and infrastructure funds, credit and sovereign investors and other capital providers in the development, financing, acquisition and disposition of renewable energy projects—including wind, solar, battery storage, carbon capture and biomass—as well as traditional power generation, gas and non-generation infrastructure projects. He has structured transactions throughout the United States, Africa and Latin America.

Representative Work

Solar

Represented lenders in the acquisition financing of a portfolio of solar projects owned by Alchemy Renewables.*
Represented lenders in establishing letters of credit term facilities for SB Energy’s five milestone projects that provide over 1GWp in Texas from Juno, Titan and Aragorn, with an additional 650 MWp in California from Athos I and Athos II.*
Represent Savion in borrowing base development facility for its portfolio of solar projects.*
Represented investors in the private placement financing of Duke Energy’s “High Noon” portfolio of solar projects.*
Represented lenders in the construction and term financing of the 182 MWac Midway Solar project developed by 174 Power Global.*

Represented lenders in establishing revolving borrowing-base construction facilities for portfolio of solar projects being developed by DSD.*
Represented the lender in the portfolio financing of solar projects owned by GCL Solar Energy.*
Represented North American Development Bank as senior lender to a 20-MWAC/25-MWDC solar facility in Arizona, developed by SunEdison Inc.*
Representing a private equity fund in connection with the development and financing of a portfolio of solar-diesel hybrid projects in Africa.*

Wind

Represented Tenaska in the development and financing of the 250 MW Nobles 2 Wind power project in Minnesota.*
Represented senior and back-leverage lenders in connection with the financing of the 230-MW Mariah North Wind power project, serving the high-demand Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) market in Parmer County, Texas, with a 13-year, fixed-price hedge for its power production.*
Represented investors in the private placement financing of John Hancock’s 49 percent equity stake in ExGen Renewables Partners, an owner and operator of nearly 1,300 MW of operating wind assets.*
Represented the senior lenders to the Los Vientos IA and IB wind farms, developed by affiliates of Duke Energy, with an aggregate capacity of 402 MW.*
Represented Caithness Energy and GE Energy Finance, as sponsors, in the development and financing of an 850-MW wind project in Oregon.*
Represented Tenaska in the development and financing of the 242 MW Clear Creek wind power project in Missouri.*

Carbon Capture

Represented Tiger Infrastructure Partners in its equity investment in Summit Carbon Solutions, which is developing the world’s largest carbon capture and storage project to capture emissions from biorefineries and other industrial emitters of carbon dioxide in the Midwest.*
Represented Crestmark Equipment Finance, a division of MetaBank, on the sale-leaseback financing of the Tulare BioMAT fuel cell project in Tulare, California, being developed by Fuel Cell Energy Inc.*
Represented Fifth Third Bank on multiple construction financings for fuel cell projects being developed by Fuel Cell Energy Inc.*

Biomass

Represented the Carlyle Group, as senior lender to the Plainfield Renewable Energy project, a 37.5-MW biomass facility in Connecticut.*
Represented an investor in feed supply arrangements with farms with the Mid-Atlantic region.*
Represented EKF as lender in the financing of an anerobic digester plant in New York.*

Power

Represented MUFG Union Bank N.A. in connection with the construction and term financing of the 336-MW gas-fired topaz generating station in Galveston, Texas.*
Represented Tenaska Power Funding in the $455 million term loan B refinancing of three gas-fired power plants.*
Represented the senior lenders, led by Union Bank of California and Santander, on the financing of the 484-MW gas-fired Walnut Creek power project in California, sponsored by Edison Mission Energy.*
Represented Siemens Financial Services Inc. in connection with a “holdco” financing for a 604-MW natural gas combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT) power plant.*
Represented Jamaica Energy Partners in connection with its $57 million private placement of debt secured by two power plants in Jamaica.*
Represented a U.S. investor in connection with its investment in a 450-MW gas-fired power project in Nigeria.*
Representing a developer in connection with the development of a gas-fired power project in Ghana.*
Represented a lender in the equipment financing of heat recovery system generators for a portfolio of power plants.*
Represented Conduit Capital Partners in connection with the development and project financing of a 66-MW heavy fuel oil (HFO)-fired power project in West Kingston, Jamaica.*

Project Finance & Development/M&A

Represented private placement investors in the construction and term financing of an approximately 130 miles of 12-inch ethane and ethylene pipeline built by EPIC Y-Grade Pipeline LP and EPIC Olefins LP to support the steam cracker being built by Gulf Coast Growth Ventures in San Patricio County, Texas.*
Represented lenders in connection with the project financing of a Mexican copper mine.*
Represented lenders in connection with the project financing of a Mexican gold mine.*
Represented the lenders in connection with GenPower Holdings’ $130 million construction financing for the Dunkard Creek water treatment facility to service Longview Power LLC’s approximately 769-MW coal-fired power generation facility in Monongalia County, West Virginia.*
Represented the lenders in the financing of an upstream and midstream oil and gas project in Arkansas. *
Represented a lender in connection with the acquisition and project financing of a hazardous waste recycling facility.*
Represented a developer in multiple financings and acquisitions related to the developer’s portfolio of landfill-to-gas projects located across the United States.*
Represented a consortium that was a finalist in the bid for the concession to finance, operate, maintain and rehabilitate the PR-22 and PR-5 toll roads in Puerto Rico.*
Represented the sponsor in drafting and negotiating completion support arrangements for projects in Benin Republic.*

Battery Storage

Represented the lenders in relation to a first-of-its-kind $93.3 million non-recourse debt financing backing Key Capture Energy’s 230 megawatt (MW) portfolio of merchant battery storage projects in Texas, representing a milestone for standalone utility-scale battery storage in the United States.*
Representing lenders in relation to an approximately 155 MW stand-alone battery energy storage project in Texas.*

Other transactions

Representing CrossBoundary Energy in its inaugural fund raise for an impact investment fund to invest in distributed generation assets in Africa.*
Represented CrossBoundary Energy in structuring and developing mini-grids and captive power projects in Africa.*
Represented issuers and underwriters in common stock, debt and hybrid securities offerings, including primary and secondary offerings, sovereign offerings, private placements and Regulation S offerings.*

*Matters handled prior to joining Akin.

Represented lenders in establishing revolving borrowing-base construction facilities for portfolio of solar projects being developed by DSD.*
Represented the lender in the portfolio financing of solar projects owned by GCL Solar Energy.*
Represented North American Development Bank as senior lender to a 20-MWAC/25-MWDC solar facility in Arizona, developed by SunEdison Inc.*
Representing a private equity fund in connection with the development and financing of a portfolio of solar-diesel hybrid projects in Africa.*

Wind

Represented Tenaska in the development and financing of the 250 MW Nobles 2 Wind power project in Minnesota.*
Represented senior and back-leverage lenders in connection with the financing of the 230-MW Mariah North Wind power project, serving the high-demand Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) market in Parmer County, Texas, with a 13-year, fixed-price hedge for its power production.*
Represented investors in the private placement financing of John Hancock’s 49 percent equity stake in ExGen Renewables Partners, an owner and operator of nearly 1,300 MW of operating wind assets.*
Represented the senior lenders to the Los Vientos IA and IB wind farms, developed by affiliates of Duke Energy, with an aggregate capacity of 402 MW.*
Represented Caithness Energy and GE Energy Finance, as sponsors, in the development and financing of an 850-MW wind project in Oregon.*
Represented Tenaska in the development and financing of the 242 MW Clear Creek wind power project in Missouri.*

Carbon Capture

Represented Tiger Infrastructure Partners in its equity investment in Summit Carbon Solutions, which is developing the world’s largest carbon capture and storage project to capture emissions from biorefineries and other industrial emitters of carbon dioxide in the Midwest.*
Represented Crestmark Equipment Finance, a division of MetaBank, on the sale-leaseback financing of the Tulare BioMAT fuel cell project in Tulare, California, being developed by Fuel Cell Energy Inc.*
Represented Fifth Third Bank on multiple construction financings for fuel cell projects being developed by Fuel Cell Energy Inc.*

Biomass

Represented the Carlyle Group, as senior lender to the Plainfield Renewable Energy project, a 37.5-MW biomass facility in Connecticut.*
Represented an investor in feed supply arrangements with farms with the Mid-Atlantic region.*
Represented EKF as lender in the financing of an anerobic digester plant in New York.*

Power

Represented MUFG Union Bank N.A. in connection with the construction and term financing of the 336-MW gas-fired topaz generating station in Galveston, Texas.*
Represented Tenaska Power Funding in the $455 million term loan B refinancing of three gas-fired power plants.*
Represented the senior lenders, led by Union Bank of California and Santander, on the financing of the 484-MW gas-fired Walnut Creek power project in California, sponsored by Edison Mission Energy.*
Represented Siemens Financial Services Inc. in connection with a “holdco” financing for a 604-MW natural gas combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT) power plant.*
Represented Jamaica Energy Partners in connection with its $57 million private placement of debt secured by two power plants in Jamaica.*
Represented a U.S. investor in connection with its investment in a 450-MW gas-fired power project in Nigeria.*
Representing a developer in connection with the development of a gas-fired power project in Ghana.*
Represented a lender in the equipment financing of heat recovery system generators for a portfolio of power plants.*
Represented Conduit Capital Partners in connection with the development and project financing of a 66-MW heavy fuel oil (HFO)-fired power project in West Kingston, Jamaica.*

Project Finance & Development/M&A

Represented private placement investors in the construction and term financing of an approximately 130 miles of 12-inch ethane and ethylene pipeline built by EPIC Y-Grade Pipeline LP and EPIC Olefins LP to support the steam cracker being built by Gulf Coast Growth Ventures in San Patricio County, Texas.*
Represented lenders in connection with the project financing of a Mexican copper mine.*
Represented lenders in connection with the project financing of a Mexican gold mine.*
Represented the lenders in connection with GenPower Holdings’ $130 million construction financing for the Dunkard Creek water treatment facility to service Longview Power LLC’s approximately 769-MW coal-fired power generation facility in Monongalia County, West Virginia.*
Represented the lenders in the financing of an upstream and midstream oil and gas project in Arkansas. *
Represented a lender in connection with the acquisition and project financing of a hazardous waste recycling facility.*
Represented a developer in multiple financings and acquisitions related to the developer’s portfolio of landfill-to-gas projects located across the United States.*
Represented a consortium that was a finalist in the bid for the concession to finance, operate, maintain and rehabilitate the PR-22 and PR-5 toll roads in Puerto Rico.*
Represented the sponsor in drafting and negotiating completion support arrangements for projects in Benin Republic.*

Battery Storage

Represented the lenders in relation to a first-of-its-kind $93.3 million non-recourse debt financing backing Key Capture Energy’s 230 megawatt (MW) portfolio of merchant battery storage projects in Texas, representing a milestone for standalone utility-scale battery storage in the United States.*
Representing lenders in relation to an approximately 155 MW stand-alone battery energy storage project in Texas.*

Other transactions

Representing CrossBoundary Energy in its inaugural fund raise for an impact investment fund to invest in distributed generation assets in Africa.*
Represented CrossBoundary Energy in structuring and developing mini-grids and captive power projects in Africa.*
Represented issuers and underwriters in common stock, debt and hybrid securities offerings, including primary and secondary offerings, sovereign offerings, private placements and Regulation S offerings.*

*Matters handled prior to joining Akin.

Education
J.D., Yale Law School, 2002
B.A., University of Bridgeport, summa cum laude, 1999

Bar Admissions
Connecticut
New York

Recognitions

Chambers Global, Projects: Renewables & Alternative Energy, 2024.
Diversity Journal, Black Leadership Award, 2023.
Chambers USA, Projects: Renewables & Alternative Energy, 2021-2023.
Legal 500 US, Project Finance, 2019 and 2021.
Legal 500 US, Energy: Renewable/Alternative Power, 2021 and 2023 and Energy Transactions: electric power.
Acritas, Acritas Star, 2020–2021.

Affiliations and Public Service

Member, Executive Committee of the Yale Law School Association, 2009–2011.
Yale Journal of International Law.

Speeches and Publications

Panelist, “The U.S. Clean Energy Gold Rush: Regulatory Rollouts, Emerging Trends and the Response Abroad,” ACIC Fall Annual Meeting and Education Conference, October 19, 2023.
Panelist, “Reconsidering the Cost and Benefits of Political Risk Insurance for FDI: a catalyst for energy investments,” Powering Africa Summit, March 17, 2022.
Moderator, “Today’s Power Markets and Power Prices,” Projects & Money 2022, January 26, 2022.
Moderator, “Merchant power generators make the move to renewables,” S&P Global, Financing US Power Conference, October 28, 2020.
Moderator, “Deal or No Deal - Key Trends that Will Make or Break Renewable Energy M&A,” IPFA Americas: New York: If You Build It, Will They Come? A Look at Financing Renewable M&A Transactions in the US, March 12, 2019.
Panelist, “From Zero to Sixty: What It Takes to Launch an Investment Fund,” Harvard Social Enterprise Conference, Cambridge, March 2016.
Moderator, “Structuring Hybrid Deal Financings to Attract Institutional and Long-Term Investors,” Infocast’s Energy Project Finance Tutorial, New York, December 2015.
Moderator, “Is China’s Footprint in Africa Declining? Emerging Alternative Finance Sources,” PAN Africa Network, New York, September 2015.
Moderator, “Akon Lighting Africa,” Africa 2030: Enterprise-Led Future, New York, September 2015.
Panelist, “Power Africa Opportunities,” Power Africa B2B Summit organized by the U.S. Commerce Department, April 2014.
Panelist, “The Role of the Private Sector in Filling Africa’s Infrastructure Gap,” Harvard Africa Development Conference, Cambridge, March 2014.
Moderator, “The Re-Emergence of Mezzanine Financing,” Power Generation Asset Financing Summit, New York, May 2012.
Moderator, “Market Liquidity, Credit, The Capital Markets and Deal Financing,” Power Generation Asset Financing Summit, New York, May 2012.