Solar Attorneys

Electrification is reshaping our world. New technologies from artificial intelligence to data centers to electric vehicles to bitcoin mining, new technologies are constantly emerging that require ever growing supplies of electricity. The demand for electricity is expected to grow exponentially over the next several decades. Renewable energy sources, and particularly solar energy, will play a key role in the electrification revolution. Simultaneously, policies to slow global warming drive electric utilities and commercial customers to purchase more and more carbon-free power.

Pennsylvania, with its geographic location, abundant land, ample water resources for cooling facilities, and reliable electric grid has emerged as an epicenter for renewable energy supply. Pennsylvania’s Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards Act (AEPS) reinforces the Commonwealth’s commitment to renewable energy conditions have made implementing solar energy more practical and cost-effective than ever.

Pennsylvania also presents a unique and challenging landscape for developers. As a Commonwealth, our land use regulation is very localized. Regulations and entitlement processes vary widely from municipality to municipality. Developers need a trusted team who can help them navigate the regulatory landscape at the state, utility and local levels. MPL Law Firm’s team of renewable energy lawyers has the breadth of knowledge and depth of experience and resources to assist developers from site control through construction.

If you need a capable solar lawyer in the York, PA, area and beyond, MPL Law can assist you. Our experienced team understands the challenges your business faces, whether you are an owner/operator, contractor, developer or landowner.

Examples of our focus areas include:

Utility-scale power generation projects
Distributed Energy Resource (DER) power generation projects
Net metering power generation projects
Community power generation projects
Obtaining all land entitlements and approvals for projects
Lease and option drafting and negotiation
Due diligence including title reviews and title curatives
Solar financing and leasing projects
Tax credits and other solar incentive programs
Solar asset sale and purchase agreement negotiations
Counseling landowners during the solar transition process
Setting up Power Purchase Agreements for third-party developers

What Can MPL Law Do for Your Solar Business?

Our attorneys can assist you in a variety of ways during the production, sale, installation and maintenance of solar energy sources.

Utility-Scale Solar Projects and Solar Farms

These larger, more complex solar projects require experienced legal guidance. The MPL Law Firm team can help you navigate every process step, such as planning, local ordinance compliance, land development, entitlements and stormwater management. If you are a developer, you can benefit from our extensive experience representing clients in pursuing special exceptions, text amendments and conditional use approvals.

Our attorneys have partnered with clients on front of the meter commercial and utility-scale solar projects throughout Pennsylvania. We have advised clients with utility scale projects ranging from 20 MW to over 100 MW on leases h 100 acres up to 3,000 acres. We have assisted utility-scale developers with entire portfolios of projects spread across the state. Our experience and client-focused approach will be invaluable assets when attaining the best outcome for your unique legal situation.

Net Metering Scale Solar Projects and Solar Farms

Customer-generator net metering through distributed energy resources works in a very similar fashion to solar panels on a residential home. A developer builds a behind the meter roof or ground-mounted solar facility with nameplate capacity typically up to 3MW. The system contacts to the local electrical distribution grid usually through a three-phase interconnection with a bi-directional meter. The system may be designed to offset electric consumption on-site or through virtual net electric metering (VNEM) may offset aggregate consumption Pennsylvania’s Alternative Energy Portfolio Standards Act (AEPS) also allows net metering without any traditional consumptive meter. These projects are informally referred ot as merchant generator projects. In these projects, a stand-alone, usually ground-mounted facility pulls small or parasitic loads of electricity off the local grid to run its inverters, trackers and transformers, while the excess electricity generated is sold back to the local electric utility at a tariffed price to compare rate. The utility then sells the electricity to its local customers at the applicable tariff rate. These distributed energy resources add additional power to the grid from diverse and distributed supply resources.

Our attorneys have partnered with clients on net metering scale solar projects throughout Pennsylvania. Our experience and client-focused approach will be invaluable assets when attaining the best outcome for you.

Real Estate Issues

Various legal issues can impact the real estate aspect of solar energy transactions. Many of our MPL Law solar attorneys are also licensed title agents who can assist with and resolve all applicable real estate title matters. Our experience enables us to anticipate and address any issues before they can affect the legal process and potentially hinder a transaction.

Solar Lease Agreements

We can counsel you on entering into lease agreements with landowners and others. We can negotiate favorable terms for your company and help position you to generate revenue from the project’s start. Our thorough understanding of solar leasing and the law protects you in negotiations and keeps us focused on securing the best value from the contract.

Solar Engineering, Procuring and Construction (EPC), Manufacturing and Installation Agreements

EPC work is a critical component for many solar companies. Working with an EPC contractor ensures the project benefits from specialized expertise, timely completion and regulatory compliance. These contractors also implement the most advanced industry technologies and adhere to industry best practices.

Your MPL Law solar energy attorney can evaluate your firm’s EPC agreements to ensure they protect your interests and provide the most favorable terms. We focus on relationship management while considering legal precedents and other frameworks for comparable projects.

Why Trust Us as Your Solar Energy Attorney?

MPL Law provides legal services across Pennsylvania, the Mid-Atlantic region and beyond. We understand the impact your legal matters have beyond our work together and work to find the best long-term solution for our clients. We work as an integral part of your team to chart a path to successful projects.

Our attorneys in York, PA, rely on our in-depth knowledge of solar projects and regulations to seek innovative outcomes that can benefit your company.

Get in touch with us today, or call us at 717-845-1524 to schedule an initial consultation.