Larkin Hoffman advises clients on renewable energy policy and programs, reducing liabilities from climate change regulations and ways to maximize “green” business opportunities. We provide counsel on renewable energy standards, renewable energy infrastructure development, electricity transmission, energy conservation and energy generation. The firm also provides counsel for Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) financing, a new form of public financing to provide improved energy efficiency in buildings and power generation from alternative sources.

Few areas of law have changed more rapidly or have the possibility for creating a more profound effect than climate policy and renewable energy. We have been at the forefront of the issues helping shape this new legal landscape with active involvement in key organizations such as the Environmental Initiative, the United States Green Building Council, the Environmental and Natural Resource Committee of the Minnesota Chamber of Commerce, and the Environmental Section of the American Bar Association. In 2010, the firm was called upon to draft the initial language for PACE legislation in Minnesota and we advised on one of the first major projects in the country shortly thereafter.

While the shape of future federal climate regulation is still hard to predict, it is clear that climate regulation at the federal level is on its way and already exists to varying degrees at the state and local levels. This is especially true in Minnesota, which is at the forefront of renewable energy initiatives, regulation of greenhouse gas emissions through environmental review procedures, the adoption of PACE, and the enactment of a new solar energy incentive.

We have advised clients on renewable energy sources, including ethanol, wind and solar. ‎PACE financing is an important option for organizations to consider. By taking advantage of government incentives, commercial building owners and managers can realize significant savings in retrofitting buildings for energy efficiency. Our first project, for the largest retail mall in the country, met the client’s goals of providing an energy efficient lighting system in the mall’s parking ramps with a low upfront cost and quick return on investment.

There will continue to be a great deal of change in environmental and renewable energy law and policy. We help clients find pathways to the benefits of the changes, such as PACE financing, while avoiding the minefield of regulations that can seriously impair a business.