Striking a deal with energy firms

Nabarro Nathanson electricity specialist Robert Tudway (pictured right) led a team of lawyers which successfully won a premium price for renewable energy from nine major electricity suppliers.

Tudway and his team had helped set up a consortium of 116 small-scale renewable energy generating companies - the Renewable Generators' Consortium (RGC).

The various companies produce energy from wind farms, hydroelectric schemes, waste and chicken litter incineration and gas emitted from landfill sites and sewage plants.

Over 120 megawatts of electricity - a big order in renewable energy terms - have been sold to electricity suppliers such as PowerGen, Yorkshire and Southern at a premium price because of the energy's "green" credentials. Clubbing together also helped the 116 generators to command a higher price.

Tudway said it was still "an open question" whether there was demand from consumers for green electricity at a premium price and, in getting the deals through, his team had to test "the resolve of major generators, regional electricity companies and others to commit themselves to the supply of green electricity". But, he added, "to have turned their back on this would have undermined their credibility".

Nabarros competition partner Robert Bell and consultant John Duckworth assisted Tudway on the deal.