Chatham Partners Advises Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP) on Hydrogen Project in Sande

A team from Chatham Partners, led by Felix Fischer (Energy Law and Project Development), Malte Bever (M&A), and Jonna Kappler Fernandes (Real Estate Law), has comprehensively advised Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP) in connection with the realization of a large-scale hydrogen production facility in Sande, Lower Saxony, Germany.

As part of the engagement, Chatham Partners supported CIP on all legal aspects of the project, including the acquisition of a majority stake in the project company, legal due diligence, regulatory matters—such as grid connection to the power grid and the planned hydrogen network—and the corporate structuring of the joint venture between CIP and Friesen Elektra Green Energy AG (Friesen Elektra). The team also focused on securing the land required for the project and addressing the legal relationships with other stakeholders involved in or affected by the project development.

The "Anker" project, to be implemented by a joint venture between CIP’s Energy Transition Fund (CI ETF I) and Friesen Elektra, envisions an initial electrolysis capacity of 400 MW, with the possibility of expanding to 800 MW. Strategically located near Wilhelmshaven and in proximity to the future German hydrogen core network, the facility will produce up to 80,000 tons of green hydrogen annually. This will benefit key industries such as steel and chemicals, as well as the transportation sector, contributing significantly to decarbonization efforts. Powered by renewable energy, the plant is expected to reduce CO₂ emissions by up to 2.4 million tons annually—equivalent to the emissions of approximately 340,000 households—by replacing fossil fuels.

Chatham Partners Team for CIP:

• Felix Fischer (Energy Law), Malte Bever (M&A),  Jonna Kappler Fernandes (Real Estate Law), Dr. Christos Paraschiakos (EU and Competition Law), Dr. Michael Dettmeier (Tax, Senior Counsel), Celia Renz (Energy Law, Counsel), Sophie von Korff (Project Development, Senior Associate), Hannah Randau (Energy Law, Associate), Dr. Carina Lübberding (M&A, Associate), Jonas Versen (EU and Competition Law, Associate), Louica Unger (M&A, Transaction Lawyer)

Advisors to Friesen Elektra:

• Korel Kaplan (KPLN.LAW), Dr. Sigrid Wienhues (Graf von Westphalen)