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Herbert Smith Freehills (HSF) has become one of the first law firms in Australia to sign a virtual Power Purchase Agreement, which will see its Sydney office powered entirely by wind and solar energy.
The agreement, with wholesale electricity retailer Flow Power, came into effect on 1 July 2022.
HSF’s Executive Partner, Australia and Asia, Andrew Pike said the move reflects the firm’s ambitious clean energy targets, and its place as Australia’s leading law firm for energy transition work.
“In 2020 we were one of the first law firms to set a target to reduce our global carbon emissions to net zero by 2030,” Mr Pike said.
“We have been wasting no time pursuing this target with Sydney joining other offices in our global network using 100% renewable energy, including our London, Belfast, Brussels, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt and Madrid offices. This list will only grow as other offices, in Australia and abroad, pursue renewable energy opportunities.
“In addition to powering our Sydney office entirely with clean energy, this Power Purchase Agreement is also supporting local renewables projects and helping transition the state’s electricity grid to renewable power,” Mr Pike said.
Mr Pike said HSF was proud to have advised on some of Australia’s largest and most ambitious clean energy projects.
“Named as Australia’s leading legal adviser on renewables by deal value, our firm has supported over half of all renewable projects and transactions in the country,” Mr Pike said.
“This includes advising Edify Energy on the largest utility scale grid-forming battery in the National Electricity Market, and advising BP on its investment in the proposed Asian Renewable Energy Hub – slated to be one of the largest green hydrogen production facilities in the world.”
Herbert Smith Freehills’ 2030 net zero goal is backed by science-based targets to limit warming to 1.5°. The firm’s efforts are verified by the Science Based Targets Initiative (SBTi), an organisation formed by the United Nations, World Wide Fund for Nature, CDP and others to encourage and measure corporate climate action.