Lothar Van Driessche
Managing Associate, Brussels
“I advise clients on the full spectrum of project finance transactions, covering both public and private infrastructure, in particular in the energy sector. As a regulatory specialist, I offer tailored advice on a range of topics related to energy regulation in the power and gas markets across the value chain.”
Overview
Professional experience
Education and qualifications
Published works
Overview
Lothar is involved in transactional work, with a focus on public and private infrastructure projects (PPP/PFI) and specialising in Belgian and European energy regulation.
He combines sound expertise in energy, construction and public law, risk analysis, project and infrastructure finance (PPP/PFI) in general, with detailed knowledge about the functioning of energy markets and network infrastructure (power & gas), including interconnectors, network tariffs and capacity remuneration mechanisms.
He has specific experience in risk analysis, negotiating and drafting contracts for PPPs/PFIs based on several types of contractual structure (DBM, DBFM, DBFMO, EPC, D&B, MTC, O&M).
Law and practice areas: EU and Belgian energy law and regulation, construction law, project finance/public and private infrastructure projects (PPP/PFI, renewable power production and network infrastructure), public procurement and government contracting, real estate finance and financial leasing, securities, commercial and international trade law (including incoterms).
Sector areas: energy & utilities, public infrastructure & transport, banks and investment funds.
Work highlights
Lothar has advised on a wide range of project finance and energy matters. His recent transactions include advising:
- Elia group on its strategic reorganisation aimed at ring-fencing its Belgian regulated activities
- INEOS on the Belgian aspects of its project for the development and operation of an ethane cracker and PDH installation in the Port of Antwerp
- Snowy Hydro Limited on the 2,000 MW capacity upgrade of its pumped hydro storage facility in the Snowy Mountains, New South Wales, Australia
- Sakhalin Energy Investment Company on the expansion of its LNG production and transport facilities on Sakhalin Island, Russia
- Belgian Eco Energy on its development of several biomass and combined heat & power plants in Belgium
Professional experience
Lothar has been a Managing Associate in Linklaters’ Energy & Infrastructure practice since 2019.
From October 2017 until March 2019, he was seconded to the Projects, Real Estate and Development (PRD) team within the Sydney office of Allens, Australia.
He joined Linklaters as an associate in 2012. Before that, he did a traineeship at DG Energy of the European Commission.
Education and qualifications
Lothar holds a Master of Laws from Ghent University and an LL.M. in Business, Competition and Regulatory Law from the Free University of Berlin.
He is fluent in Dutch, English, French and German.
Lothar published and co-edited various publications on topics of European and Belgian energy regulation and project finance. He regularly delivers seminars and contributes to recurring publications including the Journal on the Law of Network Industries and the Energy Yearbook published annually by the Flemish Association for Energy Law in cooperation with the Institute for Environmental and Energy Law of the K.U. Leuven and Intersentia.
He is an accredited national expert at Lexology Getting The Deal Through (Belgium chapters – Energy Disputes 2017, Electricity Regulation 2018, 2019 and 2020).
Published works
A selection of his publications includes:
- October 2019 – “Electricity Regulation 2020 – Belgium” in John Dewar (ed.), GTDT Lexology
- March 2017 – "Energy Disputes 2017 – Belgium" in William D. Wood, Neil Q. Miller, Lauren H. Brogdon and Holly Stebbing (eds.), GTDT Lexology
- April 2016 – "Unbundling en de gemeentelijke participaties in de energiemarkt" in K. Deketelaere en B. Delvaux, Jaarboek Energierecht 2015, Intersentia
- April 2015 – "Tussen droom en daad. Het Europese kader voor capaciteitsmechanismen" in K. Deketelaere en B. Delvaux, Jaarboek Energierecht 2014, Intersentia
- April 2014 – “Belgische kader van toepassing op de elektriciteits- en gasmarkt – EU’s mini me?” in K. Wauters, B. Delvaux & B. Vanheusden (eds.), Invloed van het EU-recht op het Belgische bestuursrecht, Die Keure
- April 2014 – “Setting Europe's Energy Stage For The Rest Of The Decade”, Law 360, LexisNexis
- February 2014 – “Case Note: Federal Implementation of the EU Third Energy Package Survives Constitutional Test”, European Energy and Environmental Law Review, volume 23-1, Wolters Kluwer
- June 2013 – “A New Legal Framework for EU Energy Infrastructure Development and Finance”, Renewable Energy Law and Policy Review, volume 4, 2013-1, Lexxion