Andrew C. Hanson
Andrew helps clients develop innovative projects in the energy sector.
Andrew Hanson assists with negotiating real estate transactions and purchase and supply contracts; forming project entities and partnerships, including joint ventures; and counseling clients regarding potential tax credit opportunities, including under the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. He helps clients navigate regulatory approvals for hundreds of millions of dollars of investments in renewable energy projects, energy efficiency and demand response programs, electric vehicle infrastructure, advanced metering infrastructure, grid modernization, and other emerging technologies.
Prior to joining Perkins Coie, Andrew served as a senior attorney with Alliant Energy, where he negotiated contracts for the acquisition of several hundred megawatts (MW) wind and solar projects and secured regulatory approval for 1,000 MW of new wind generation. He held several positions in public service, including as a trial attorney with the Environment and Natural Resources Division of the U.S. Department of Justice, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Office of Civil Enforcement, and EPA's Office of Groundwater and Drinking Water.
Andrew has been published in law journals, presented at the Wisconsin Public Utility Institute, and designed and instructed courses on environmental litigation and renewable energy project finance for Vermont Law School and the University of Puerto Rico Law School.
Selected Publications
Andrew's most recent publications include:
Keeping Pace: Aligning California's Phase-Out of Gas Cars With the Charging Infrastructure Required
Santa Clara Business Law Chronicle
When you put it that way, California's new plan to phase out gas-powered cars by 2035 hits differently—the transition is real and will accelerate soon.
IRS Issues Fact Sheet for New Federal Clean Vehicle Tax Credits
Updates
The Internal Revenue Service published a fact sheet clarifying changes in federal clean vehicle tax credits enacted through the Inflation Reduction Act in August 2022.
California Approves Ambitious Plan to Phase Out Sale of New Gas-Powered Cars by 2035
Updates
The California Air Resources Board, on August 25, 2022, voted to adopt the lengthy and complex second iteration of the state's ambitious zero-emission vehicle regulation now set to fully phase out the sale of conventional gas-powered vehicles by 2035.
The Inflation Reduction Act and the Rise of Clean Hydrogen
Updates
President Biden signed into law the Inflation Reduction Act on August 16, 2022, which, among other things, uses the tax code to slow the effects of climate change by significantly investing in clean energy and reducing of greenhouse gas emissions by 40% by 2030.
The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act Creates a Network of Electric Vehicle Charging Stations, but Issues Remain
Updates
The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, signed into law by President Biden on November 15, 2021, has the potential to transform the surface transportation sector in the United States.
Education & Credentials
Education
- Lewis & Clark Law School, J.D., 2001
- University of Michigan, B.S., Environmental Policy and Behavior, 1997
Bar and Court Admissions
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Wisconsin
Related Employment
- Alliant Energy Corporate Services, Madison, WI, Senior Attorney, 2016-2018
- United States Department of Justice, Washington, D.C., Environment and Natural Resources Division, Trial Attorney, 2008-2015
- Vermont Law School, South Royalton, VT, Environmental Law Program, Adjunct Summer Faculty, 2014, 2015
- United States Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C., Office of Civil Enforcement, Air Enforcement Division, Attorney-Advisor, 2006-2008
- Midwest Environmental Advocates, Madison, WI, Staff Attorney, 2001-2006
- United States Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C., Environmental Protection Specialist, 1997-1998
Impact
Professional Leadership
- Vermont Law School, South Royalton, VT, Environmental Law Program, Adjunct Summer Professor of Law, 2014-2015 and 2019-2023
- University of Puerto Rico Law School, Visiting Professor, 2023
- Clean Lakes Alliance, Economic Impact and Policy Committee Member
Community Involvement
- REAP Food Group, Director/Board of Directors
Insights
News
Professional Experience
Energy Project Mergers and Acquisitions
- Represent leading publicly traded energy infrastructure investor in related transactions in which it acquired equity interests in more than one gigawatt of solar, wind, and energy storage projects throughout the continental United States and Hawaii.
- Negotiated asset purchase agreements for electric utility’s acquisition of a portfolio of wind projects in Iowa (200 megawatts, 250 megawatts, 150 megawatts, 210 megawatts).
- Conducted diligence and negotiated asset purchase agreements for an independent power producer’s acquisition of 200 megawatts of utility scale solar projects in Pennsylvania.
- Negotiated membership interest purchase agreement for independent power producer’s acquisition of a 200-megawatt utility solar project in Texas.
- Negotiated membership interest purchase agreement for electric utility’s acquisition of 100-megawatt and 50-megawatt solar projects in Iowa.
- Negotiated build transfer agreement for electric utility’s acquisition of a 150-megawatt solar and 75-megawatt co-located battery energy storage system in Iowa.
- Negotiated asset purchase agreement for independent power producer acquisition of 100-megawatt early-stage utility solar project in Louisiana, an early-stage utility-scale solar project in Colorado, and an early-stage utility-scale solar project in Montana.
- Prepared form build transfer agreements for turnkey utility-scale solar, wind, and battery energy storage systems for electric utility competitive bidding and resource selection process.
- Negotiated all transaction documents for two separate joint ventures between an electric utility and independent power producer for the development, construction, and offtake from 70-megawatt and 80-megawatt wind projects.
- Negotiated all transaction documents for a joint venture between an electric utility and independent power producer for the development, construction, and offtake from a 20-megawatt solar project in Wisconsin.
Engineering, Procurement, and Construction Agreements
- Representing e-mobility service provider regarding negotiation of contracts for development and construction of EV charging sites throughout the United States.
- Negotiated engineering procurement and construction agreements for the construction of a 200-megawatt solar project in Texas.
- Negotiated nine engineering procurement and construction agreements for the construction of a 200-megawatt portfolio of utility scale solar projects in Pennsylvania.
- Negotiated engineering procurement and construction agreements for the construction of 50-megawatt and 150-megawatt solar projects and 75-megawatt co-located battery energy storage projects in Iowa.
Equipment Supply Agreements
- Representing e-mobility service provider regarding negotiation of contracts for procurement of electrical vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure equipment to support a national network of EV charging sites.
- Negotiated equipment supply agreement and professional services for portfolio of lithium-ion utility-scale battery energy storage systems.
- Negotiated equipment supply agreement for electric utility’s solar development portfolio sufficient to meet safe harbor requirements.
- Prepared form equipment supply agreement for acquisition of battery energy storage equipment for electric utility’s competitive bidding and resource selection process.
- Negotiated equipment supply agreement for independent power producer’s acquisition of transformers sufficient to demonstrate “beginning of construction” under Internal Revenue Service (IRS) guidance.
- Negotiated equipment supply and professional services agreements for the deployment of advanced metering infrastructure in Iowa and Wisconsin.
Operation and Maintenance Agreements
- Representing e-mobility service provider with respect to development and negotiation of operation and maintenance agreements for a national network of EV charging sites.
- Negotiated operation and maintenance agreement for 275-megawatt portfolio of utility-scale solar projects and battery energy storage system.
- Negotiated long-term service agreement for portfolio of battery energy storage systems.
- Negotiated operation and maintenance agreement for 200-megawatt utility scale solar project.
Power Purchase Agreements
- Negotiated power purchase agreements for electric utility offtake from 70-megawatt and 80-megawatt wind projects.
- Negotiated power purchase agreement for electric utility offtake from 20-megawatt solar project.
- Negotiated power purchase agreements for electric utility offtake from 1-megawatt community solar project and 5-megawatt solar project.
- Negotiated power purchase agreement for nonprofit entity’s offtake from a rooftop solar project in Illinois.
Electric Vehicle Infrastructure
- Negotiated site development, equipment supply, and long-term service agreement for deployment of electric vehicle charging stations in Florida.
- Negotiated site development, equipment supply, and long-term service agreement for deployment of electric vehicle charging stations in California.
- Represented electric vehicle infrastructure firm in regulatory proceedings before the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC).
- Represented electric vehicle infrastructure firm in regulatory proceedings before the Illinois Commerce Commission (ICC).
- Negotiated site lease agreement on behalf of electric vehicle infrastructure provider with ride sharing company for the development and use of electric vehicle charging sites.
Regulatory Proceedings
- Represented electric utility in Iowa in seeking regulatory approvals for over 1,000 megawatts of wind generation facilities.
- Represented electric utility in rate case proceeding in Iowa for recovery of costs in connection with advance metering infrastructure and other electric utility investments in Iowa.
- Deposed agency and intervenor witnesses in certificate of public convenience and necessity (CPCN) proceeding for a transmission line between Iowa and Wisconsin.
- Drafted subscription forms for community solar projects in Puerto Rico.
- Litigated and resolved landowner complaints before the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission regarding 200-megawatt wind project.
Early-Stage Renewable Project Development
- Representing solar, wind, and e-mobility developer to prepare option and lease forms for new wind, solar, and energy projects in the United States to ensure smooth site acquisition and development process.
- Represented renewable energy and e-mobility services provider with respect to negotiation of development services agreement for the acquisition of solar, wind, and energy storage development assets in the United States.
- Representing distributed energy financing company with respect to negotiation of development services agreement for deployment of rooftop solar and other distributed energy assets throughout the United States.
- Represented independent power producer in the negotiation of multiple generator tie-line easements and lease options for 100-megawatt solar project in Alabama.
- Represented independent power producer in the negotiation of operation and lease agreements for a portfolio of solar projects in Louisiana.
- Represented independent power producer in the negotiation of option and lease agreements for portfolio of solar projects in Colorado.
- Represented independent power producer in the negotiation of option and lease agreements for portfolio of solar projects in Indiana and Ohio.
- Negotiated lease agreement for utility-scale solar project constructed on brownfield site in Iowa.
- Represented nonprofit entity in the negotiation of solar lease agreement for rooftop solar project in Illinois.
- Represent airline manufacturer in the negotiation of an operating lease for rooftop solar project in California.
Environmental and Social Governance
- Represent global technology company with respect to multiple agreements for the acquisition of sustainable aviation fuel for delivery to aviation fuel networks, including the acquisition of “book and claim” environmental attributes in connection with sustainable aviation fuel.
- Represent leading aerospace company with respect to creating innovative structures for the development of sustainable aviation fuel production capacity and acquisition of sustainable aviation fuel to advance the company’s sustainability goals.
- Represent institutional buyer with respect to development of water sustainability projects globally to enable reduced water consumption and improved water quality, providing a source of claimable water benefits to support the buyer’s sustainability goals.
- Represent large technology company with respect to negotiation of agreements for the acquisition of “green building materials” and associated environmental attributes, helping to spur this nascent market.