Overview
Joel A. Hugenberger advises clients on project finance, project development and tax equity transactions in the energy and infrastructure sectors with a particular emphasis on transactions relating to renewable energy.
Joel represents tax equity investors, sponsors, developers, borrowers, lenders and arrangers in the financing of complex energy and infrastructure projects, domestically and internationally, and in the structuring and negotiation of various secured and unsecured loan facilities, joint ventures and tax equity investment structures.
While in law school, Joel was managing editor of the Boston College Law Review.
Results
Tax Equity Financing
- Represented a multinational renewable energy developer in the closing of tax equity commitments and construction loan financing relating to a 400 MW solar project in Indiana, the first of three phases of what will become one of the largest integrated photovoltaic solar electricity generating facilities in the United States
- Represented a multinational energy conglomerate in the closing of a $71 million tax equity financing from a major financial institution to fund a portfolio of fuel cell projects
- Represented Distributed Solar Development, LLC in the closing of multiple tax equity financings of portfolios of distributed generation projects throughout the United States
- Represented the sponsor in the closing of tax equity commitments relating to a 300 MW wind farm in Indiana
- Represented the sponsor in the closing of tax equity commitments relating to a 102 MW wind farm in Indiana
- Represented the sponsor in the closing of construction financing and tax equity commitments relating to a 52 MW wind farm in California
- Represented the tax equity investor in three securitizations of residential solar assets
Debt Financing
- Represented a multinational energy conglomerate in the back-leverage financing of a portfolio of fuel cell projects
- Represented the direct lender in a senior secured development loan provided to a battery storage and solar developer to construct a 10MW/40MWh battery energy storage system in California and other battery and solar projects
- Represented the private equity sponsor in the closing of construction financing and tax equity commitments relating to a 130 MW wind farm in Indiana
- Represented Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners and its portfolio company, Scout Clean Energy LLC, in the closing of construction financing and tax equity commitments relating to the 180 MW Heart of Texas Wind Farm in McCulloch County, Texas
- Represented a global financial institution in connection with three acquisition financing loans relating to the purchase of utility-scale solar projects in Canada
- Represented a leading energy investment firm in the acquisition and project financing of a 625 MW combined-cycle power plant in the Southwestern United States
- Represented a leading energy investment firm as main equity sponsor in the project financing of a 725 MW gas-fueled combined-cycle power facility located in New Jersey
- Represented a leading energy investment firm with respect to a $430 million senior secured term loan B dividend recapitalization facility relating to its ownership interest in a major midstream gas services company in the south-central United States
- Represented an upstream oil and gas project company with respect to a reserve-based lending facility with a major international bank and its private equity fund owner in the negotiation of a capital call lending facility for an equity partner
- Represented a Fortune 100 energy company and a major infrastructure investor in connection with a tax equity investment and project financing by a bi-national development bank of two solar power generating facilities in the Southwestern United States
- Represented the lead arranger and administrative agent in the $375 million refinancing and the initial $175 million financing of an expansion of a crude oil pipeline and storage project in Panama (named Latin American Refinancing Deal of the Year by Project Finance magazine)
Acquisitions and Joint Ventures
- Represented BQ Energy Development, LLC, a distributed generation landfill and brownfield renewable energy developer, in the sale of its ownership interests to CleanCapital
- Represented the buyer in the acquisition of tax equity interests and simultaneous mezzanine financing relating to a portfolio of wind farms in Texas
- Representing a leading US utility in the acquisition of numerous wind, solar and battery storage projects on a build-own-transfer basis and in the negotiation of multiple power purchase agreements relating to such projects
- Represented a major developer of residential solar projects in connection with up to $500 million in joint venture financings provided by a consortium of private equity and investment management funds
- Representing a global financial institution in connection with more than $1 billion in investments in residential and commercial scale solar installations and debt facilities relating thereto
Recognitions
- Legal 500 US, Recommended, Energy: Renewable/Alternative Power and Energy Transactions: Electric Power, 2015-2017, 2019-2022 and 2024
Community
- American Bar Association, Project Finance and Development Committee
- The Open String, Inc., a nonprofit organization that provides string instruments to schools and music programs, advisor
Credentials
Education
Boston College Law School, JD, 2007
Middlebury College, BA, 2001
Admissions
New York
Languages
Chinese (Mandarin)
English
