Due Diligence and Lenders’ Advice

NIRAS provides reliable and independent expert technical, financial as well as environmental, social and governance (ESG) advisory services throughout the transaction process. We help vendors, lenders and investors to understand and manage their risks.

Independent, expert advice

Our advice draws on decades of experience in offshore wind and a deep understanding of the technical issues associated with the design, permitting, construction and efficient operation for offshore wind projects in developed and developing markets.

Examples of our relevant expertise include:

Commercial:

• Development and review of business plans
• Wind resource and yield analysis
• DEVEX/CAPEX/OPEX/ABEX modelling, optimisation and benchmarking

Environmental:

• Review of the status and validity of permits and consents
• Impact assessment (EIA/ESIA) to meet local and international standards
• Evaluation of project performance against international standards (IFC Performance Standards, Equator Principles)

Engineering:

• Technical review of designs and construction plans
• Evaluation of integrity and operational performance
• Certifications and associated documentation

ESG criteria

Those financing offshore wind farms need a clear understanding of the risks they are taking. For projects in new and emerging markets a deeper insight is required to understand how the environment and affected communities are protected and the measures that in place to ensure good governance of supply chains and working conditions.

We use our technical expertise and extensive history of working in and with developing economies to evaluate environmental performance, protection of biodiversity, social impacts, supply chain safeguards and other governance issues. We have a deep working knowledge of international investor principles and performance standards and the evaluation of projects against these.

A structured and systematic approach to due diligence

NIRAS has developed a suite of in-house tools to facilitate a structured and systematic approach to due diligence and objective, transparent appraisal of ESG and sustainability issues.

We have applied these tools to prepare projects for sale and inward investment as well as to support the due diligence undertaken by lenders and investors.