Project Development

Balcony solar power plant. Mini PV plants generate your own electricity plug play

Plug-in solar systems (also known as balcony solar or apartment solar) have been legalized by seven states this year. This opens up new markets to the sellers of small solar panels, microinverters, and their related equipment. Companies that look to take advantage of this opportunity should be mindful up front of the tax obligations that come with expansion into new states. This is an area where a little up-front work can reduce risk on the back end. But even where mistakes have been made, quick attention to them can reduce liability.

Bio gas plant in a field

Overview of Feedstock Supply Agreements

Digesters, which convert organic feedstock into raw biogas for upgrading into renewable natural gas (RNG), depend on the quality and quantity of available feedstock for successful operation. A reliable and financeable feedstock supply agreement is therefore essential to the success of any digester-based RNG project. These contracts govern the relationship between the suppliers of feedstock and project owners and operators, making them essential to the success of any RNG project and a primary diligence item in any digester financing or investment transaction.

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission headquarters building exterior in Washington, DC

At the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s (“FERC” or the “Commission”) monthly open meeting on February 19, 2026, the Commission reaffirmed that it will not reinstate its ban on gas pipeline work during appeals.

Farmland enhanced with agrivoltaics, where solar panels are intelligently integrated to provide both renewable energy generation and shade for crops.

Solar developers contend with a wide array of challenges, from competing for viable project sites to combatting disinformation surrounding the expansion of clean energy development. With demand for energy rapidly growing across the nation, considering a full suite of project designs allows developers to put their best foot forward when collaborating with local stakeholders.

Although the use of a shared facilities agreement (SFA) for co-located energy projects is not a new concept, their use has increased significantly in recent years due to the rise in co-located generation, storage, and load infrastructure, particularly in the case of data centers. In general, an SFA grants each party a co-tenancy ownership interest in certain shared facilities, subject to detailed management, operations, and cost-sharing provisions, among other considerations.

Given the increasing frequency of their use, owners, operators, financing parties, and developers should understand when, why, and how SFAs can (or should) be used to avoid potential regulatory, operational, or cost-allocation issues with co-located projects.

Two Businesspeople Working On Contract Paper

Biogas and renewable natural gas (RNG) projects are unique in energy infrastructure. They blend complex mechanical systems with biological processes that are sensitive to variables like feedstock composition and availability, process temperature, equipment performance and reliability, and operator skill. Given the importance of gas output to a project’s economics, fluctuations in these variables can quickly erode a project’s financial viability.

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission headquarters building exterior in Washington, DC

Building natural gas infrastructure should get easier in the future by way of a recent ruling by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC or the Commission). On October 7, 2025, FERC issued a Final Rule, entitled “Removal of Regulations Limiting Authorizations to Proceed with Construction Activities Pending Rehearing” (Docket No. RM25-9-000, 193 FERC ¶61,014 (2025)). The new rule rescinds FERC’s prior rule that barred construction on gas infrastructure during project appeals. In doing so, FERC plans to accelerate energy projects to meet the growing demand for energy, due in part to the rapid build-out of data centers.

As renewable energy development sweeps across rural and agricultural landscapes, developers are encountering a growing legal and logistical challenge: severed estates. These occur when surface rights and mineral rights are owned by different parties—a common situation in many energy-rich regions.

While renewable energy projects are designed to provide clean power and long-term value, severed estates can introduce uncertainty and risk. This article provides a structured approach to understanding and managing severed estates, so your projects stay on track and in legal compliance.

Wind turbine of wind power generation

Domestic energy production was a subject of much attention in the recently passed federal legislation. That legislation eliminated significant future tax incentives for new construction of large-scale wind and solar projects. Other energy generation sources are expected to be used more intensively and for a longer period of time than previously assumed in order to meet significant anticipated growth in domestic energy demand.

Employee of a solar panel installation company on the roof

As we have discussed in recent articles and as has been well publicized, two recent actions out of Washington are significantly impacting the renewable energy industry. The recently enacted One, Big, Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) imposes new deadlines on renewable energy facilities to begin construction and/or be placed into service in order to qualify for tax credits. This is discussed in detail in our recent articles here.

In addition to the OBBBA, on July 7, 2025, President Trump issued an Executive Order (EO), directing the Secretary of Treasury to—within 45 days following enactment of the OBBBA (which is August 18, 2025)—strictly enforce the termination of renewable energy tax credits. This includes issuing new guidance “to ensure that policies concerning the ‘beginning of construction’ are not circumvented, including by preventing the artificial acceleration or manipulation of eligibility and by restricting the use of broad safe harbors unless a substantial portion of a subject facility has been built.”