Thomas Burmeister
Biography
Overview
Thomas Burmeister is head of the German Energy & Infrastructure Team and head of the European division of our Global Power Industry Group.
His practice focuses on energy transactions and all sales and regulatory issues along the value chain, including contract law, grid regulation and renewable energy. In addition to his advisory work, Thomas Burmeister also represents his clients in numerous proceedings before authorities and courts.
Thomas has 20 years of experience in advising in the Energy & Infrastructure sector and before joining White & Case worked as a partner at another leading global law firm.
Experience
Advising Synthos, a European chemical producer and a leading global supplier of synthetic rubber, on the US$449.4 million acquisition of Trinseo's synthetic rubber business.
Advising the founders and shareholders of Next Kraftwerke – Eneco, Neuhaus Partners, High Tech Gründerfonds and Hamburg FOR Mobile – on the sale of 100% of their shares to Shell Overseas Investment B.V. Next Kraftwerke is one of the world's largest VPP operators, remotely connecting and managing over 10,000 decentralised energy units across eight countries in mainland Europe.
Advising EWE AG, one of Germany's largest municipal enterprises, on the establishment of a joint venture with the Aloys Wobben Stiftung, major shareholder of the wind turbine manufacturer ENERCON, for the operation, planning and development of wind farms. This includes the transfer of all major wind farms and pipeline projects owned by both joint venture partners to the joint venture with the goal to become one of the leading green energy providers in Germany and France with a total investment volume of EUR 4 billion by 2030.
Advising EWE AG on the sale of 26% of the shares in EWE AG to the infrastructure investor ARDIAN.
Advising the German/Swedish interconnector Baltic Cable AB on its structuring in accordance with the German and European legal framework for regulated network operators, including cross jurisdictional advice on capacity allocation methodologies.
Representation of a group of network operators in model proceedings before the Federal Court of Justice (BGH) regarding the determination of equity yield rates by the German Federal Network Agency.
Advising the underwriters, led by Berenberg and Jefferies, on the initial public offering (IPO) of Friedrich Vorwerk Group SE (Friedrich Vorwerk), a subsidiary of MBB SE. Friedrich Vorwerk will use the gross proceeds of €90 million from the newly issued shares primarily to expand its hydrogen and power business. Friedrich Vorwerk is a leading provider of energy infrastructure solutions for gas, electricity and hydrogen applications.
Advising Statkraft on the acquisition of the Breeze Three wind portfolio. The Breeze Three portfolio comprises of 38 windfarms in Germany and four wind farms in France with a total capacity of over 350 MW.
Advising Statkraft on the acquisition of E-WALD GmbH, an EV charging company, based in Bavaria, Germany, with a strong position in fast charging and electric car sharing services.
Advising Statkraft on the acquisition of a majority stake in eeMobility GmbH, a company that offers intelligent complete packages for charging electric vehicles for commercial fleets.
Advising Volkswagen AG in connection with the EU-wide rollout of charging stations as part of Volkswagen's e-mobility strategy. The advise comprised in particular the preparation of framework agreements with installers in ten European jurisdictions, the review and amendment of the relevant general terms and conditions as well as the verification of the regulatory framework for setting up and operating charging stations in the relevant jurisdictions.
Advising an international energy company in connection with the production, use and supply of green hydrogen, especially against the background of the new legal requirements of the German Renewable Energy Sources Act 2021 (EEG).
Co-author, "Further Europeanisation of the network sector by the Clean Energy Package (Zur weiteren Europäisierung der Netzwirtschaft durch das Clean Energy Package), RdE 2021, p. 179-189 (with Petra Kistner)
Co-author, "Regulation of Interconnectors – ECJ ruling of 11 March 2020 (Regulierung von Interkonnektoren – Erkenntnisse aus dem Baltic Cable-Urteil des EuGH vom 11.03.2020), ER EnergieRecht, Issue 6/2020, p. 231-237 (with Petra Kistner)
"Legal commentary on sec 75 – 88, 102 - 108 of the German Energy Industry Act (Kommentierung zu §§ 75-88, 102-108 EnWG)", Praxiskommentar EnWG. Ed. Peter Rosin et al., Loose Leaf System, Status: 2013
Co-author, "Shaping the 'Energiewende' (Die Energiewende mitgestalten)", azur100, Top-Arbeitgeber, 2012 (with Guido Hermeier)
Co-author, "German Renewable Energy Act – EEG creates incentives for offshore (EEG-Novelle schafft Anreize für Offshore)", dow jones energy weekly, Nr. 31, 2008 (with M. Elspaß)
Co-author, "Network charges between cost-orientation and incentive regulation (Netzentgelte zwischen Kostenorientierung und Anreizregulierung)", RdE, Issue 12, 2007 (with U. Büdenbender, P. Rosin and M. Elspaß)
"Grid use and balancing group system (Netznutzung und Bilanzkreissystem)", Energiehandel – Praxishandbuch. Ed. Horstmann/Cieslarczyk, 2005
Best Lawyers/Handelsblatt 2009-2023, Energy Law, Mergers and Acquisitions Law, Oil and Gas Law
Leading lawyer for Energy regulatory,
JUVE 2021/2022
Highly recommended lawyer for Energy transactions/financings,
JUVE 2021/2022
Leading Individual for Energy,
The Legal 500 Germany 2021
Leading Individual for Energy,
Chambers Europe Germany 2021