Renewable Fuels

Akin is a global elite firm serving the international energy market. We represent clients in some of the world’s largest renewable fuel projects, investments and transactions. Garnering the highest industry honors, our team is consistently recognized by The Legal 500 for top-tier work in the “Renewable/Alternative Power” category.

Amidst the flood of renewable energy projects for electricity generation, heat and transportation fuel, Akin has built a substantial practice representing renewable fuel clients in a broad array of financings, transactions and regulatory matters. Our clients include developers, sponsors, private equity companies and financial institutions, manufacturers, production facilities, plant owners and technology companies.

We offer full support to clients exploring bioenergy opportunities, including those involving renewable natural gas (RNG), renewable diesel (RD) and biomethane. Our team has extensive experience advising on the transportation, purchase and sale and accreditation of RNG, including monetizing its environmental attributes.

Our capabilities with sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) projects extend beyond biofuels, encompassing the entire value chain, from early-stage technology development to commercial-scale production and distribution. We also handle other hydrogen and derivative fuel production projects, including those involving green ammonia and e-methanol.

We advise on bioenergy initiatives worldwide, involving both biological and synthetic feedstocks. These include:

• Waste-derived feedstocks: Landfill gas, livestock waste, waste and residue lipids (HEFA), municipal solid waste, and agricultural residues.
• Traditional and advanced biomass: Seed hulls, corn, wood (including wood pellets), hay, and other lignocellulosic materials.
• Innovative technologies: Synthetic gas (syngas) and Power-to-Liquids (PTL) processes that utilize renewable electricity and captured CO₂ to create SAF.
• Non-traditional sources: Waste coal and other unconventional carbon sources integrated into SAF production pathways.

Areas of Focus

We are best known for our capabilities in the following core areas across the renewables sector:

• Project finance, development, construction, permitting, operations and maintenance
• Mergers & acquisitions (M&A), joint ventures and securities & corporate governance 
• Liability management, financial restructuring, distressed and special situations
• International trade, lobbying & public policy and export controls & economic sanctions
• Energy regulatory
• Tax structuring & equity financing
• Sustainability.

We have significant experience across the full life cycle of renewables projects:

• Development, construction, operation and maintenance
• Financing and refinancings, whether using bank debt, institutional capital or private credit
• Acquisition and disposals and joint ventures
• Financial restructurings and special situations
• Government support and incentives, including federal tax credits and grants
• Energy regulatory advice
• Feedstock and offtake arrangements
• Green corporate and virtual power purchase agreements
• Electricity, emissions and renewable certificates of origin trading
• Battery, energy storage, flexibility and route-to-market services
• Land and permitting issues
• Grid network and transmission infrastructure and assets.

Cross-Practice Team

Our renewable fuel lawyers leverage the resources of a full-service, global firm with coverage and extensive experience in the United States, United Kingdom and Europe, Latin America, Asia, Canada, Africa and the Middle East.

Energy Regulatory

Our energy regulatory lawyers advise on key regulatory frameworks essential to SAF and other renewable fuels. We regularly provide extensive analysis and stakeholder mapping on voluntary carbon markets, the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), the European Union Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) and other compliance markets.

Tax Credit & Incentives

Our tax team helps clients navigate the complex tax credits and new investment opportunities related to the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), including Section 45Q tax credits, Low Carbon Fuel Standards (LCFS) and Renewable Identification Numbers (RINs). We also guide clients through the Renewable Fuel Standard (RFS) program, including registration processes for advanced and cellulosic pathways for generating RINs and eRINs.

Public Policy

Our lobbying & public policy group is comprised of numerous former members of Congress and regulators. We help clients address regulatory and policy issues facing renewable fuel projects in markets around the world.

Sustainability

In addition, we assist clients addressing sustainability issues. We advise on voluntary carbon offset strategies, carbon “neutral transactions,” and climate-related claims, including Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Green Guides compliance, carbon pricing strategies, and participation in initiatives such as the Carbon Pricing Leadership Coalition.