Minako Wakabayashi
Partner
Токио
Minako plays a vital role in the rise of Japan’s renewable energy market.
Minako has significant experience advising international and domestic sponsors and developers on complex and innovative projects. She was called upon by the Japanese government in structuring the renewable Feed-in-Tariff scheme in Japan and prepared the government’s model contracts for specific contracts (power purchase contract/interconnection contract), which are a key component of the Feed-in-Tariff scheme in Japan.
Backed by her experience in her prior career as a public prosecutor in Japan, she also serves as a member of the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Supervising Committee for Public Bidding (Tokyo-to Nyusatsu Kanshi Iinkai) which advocates public rights to the fairness and adequacy of the public bidding procedures of the government. Minako practiced at Orrick's New York office in 2004-2005.-
- Setouchi Future Creations LLC, a special purpose company consisting of GE Energy Financial Services, Toyo Engineering and Kuni Umi Asset Management, in securing $1.1 billion debt and equity financing for Japan's largest solar facility (235MW).
- Green Power Investment Corp. (GPI) in its development of 121.6 MW wind energy project in Japan. The project located in Tsugaru City, Aomori Prefecture in the northern part of Japan. This will be the largest wind energy project in Japan. Commercial operation started in April 2020.
- Pattern Energy Group LP (Pattern Development) and Green Power Investments (GPI) in connection with the approximately $325.5 million sale of 206 megawatts of owned capacity in Japanese wind and solar projects to Pattern Energy Group Inc.
- GE Financial Services, Pattern Energy Group and Green Power Investment Corporation in their development of, and the over JPY 10 billion syndicated project financing for, one of the largest mega solar projects in the Kanto area surrounding Tokyo.
- A Japanese company investing in the first utility-scale solar PV project finance in the United States which was awarded “Renewables Deal of the Year 2010” by Project Finance International.
- A Japanese company in the formation and structuring of a $200 million wind power investment fund which has been the world's largest of its kind.
