Simon Batten
Special Counsel , Brisbane
I am a specialist advisor to clients in the electricity and renewables industries. I advise on regulatory and commercial issues, including network connection agreements, offtake agreements, network services agreements, retail agreements, and regulatory compliance for generation, network and retail businesses.

Prior to joining MinterEllison I worked for over nine years in-house as a Senior Legal Counsel, and Acting General Counsel, of one of Australia's largest energy companies, Energy Queensland. This in-depth in-house experience allows me to provide well-rounded perspective and understanding of challenges and drivers of inhouse legal procurement and project delivery.

Career highlights

  • Offtake agreements: Advised major offtakers and project developers in securing offtake agreements for over 2GW of renewable energy and storage capacity.
  • BESS connection and network support agreements: Advised project developers in respect of transmission network connection and network support agreements for utility scale BESS projects.
  • Community Batteries: Advised Queensland distribution entities on community battery energy storage systems in areas of high consumer energy resources.
  • Major network projects: Advised on all aspects of major sub-transmission projects in South-East Queensland, including all land acquisition matters, regulatory compliance, community consultation, and planning and environmental approvals under State and Federal legislation.
  • Renewable energy procurement: Advised major customers and market participants on renewable energy procurement, including wholesale PPAs, retail PPAs and retail sleeved PPAs.
  • Energy retailers: Advised on retail contracts for residential, commercial and industrial electricity customers including renewable backed products.
  • Embedded networks and BtM generation and storage: Advised in regulatory reviews of registration and authorisations in relation to private electricity networks, including utility scale behind the meter projects.
  • ISDA Master Agreements: Advised major generators and retailers in respect of their derivative transactions for electricity and environmental products.
  • Regulatory Compliance Programs: Assisted major generators and retailers in step-change compliance programs to navigate the complex National rules frameworks.