Allen & Overy LLP has advised Commerzbank Aktiengesellschaft in connection with the financing of the Haute Epine wind farm in France.  The Haute Epine wind farm consists of nine 2.0M100 Senvion turbines and has a capacity of 18 megawatt in total.  Project developer and operator of the wind farm is Volkswind GmbH.  Volkswind GmbH is a member of the Swiss AXPO Group and one of the leading project developers in Germany and abroad.

Katja Stommel, managing director of Volkswind GmbH, stated: "We are pleased that we have completed this transaction.  Even though the French government has just announced its postponement of pulling out of its nuclear power programme, the French wind power market is still our most important foreign market."

The Allen & Overy team comprised partner Peter Stenz, counsel Dr. Jens Gölz (transaction management), senior associate Kathrin Pätzold-Schwarz and associate André Melchert (all Energy, Projects and Infrastructure, Frankfurt).  The team was supported by senior associates Arthur Sauzay (Corporate) and Amine Bourabiat (Banking and Finance) from Allen & Overy's Paris office.

The structured financing was carried out by Commerzbank Aktiengesellschaft's Competence Center Energy (head office Hamburg).  With a credit volume of about EUR 4.9 billion in project financings and EUR 1.5 billion in corporate financings, it is one of the leading finance providers in the renewable energies sector.