Franziska Rothe

Expertise

Franziska Rothe is an energy and regulatory lawyer based in Addleshaw Goddard’s Hamburg office.

She advises energy utilities, grid operators, national and international project developers, operators and investors on the development, acquisition, financing and operation of renewable energy projects. Her practice focuses on battery storage in its various forms – stand-alone and co-located systems as well as industrial storage solutions. She supports projects at every stage of development, from greenfield to ready-to-build, covering the full range of key project steps – from early conceptual and site-related questions and the energy regulatory framework through to operating and commercialisation models and the contractual structuring of project and supply arrangements. She knows the procedures and requirements of transmission and distribution system operators, the evidence needed to demonstrate project maturity and the interplay between upstream and downstream networks, and helps clients put grid connection, grid access and connection costs on a sound footing from the outset.

Franziska also has extensive experience in the regulatory assessment and structuring of energy projects and portfolios, including regulatory analysis in the context of transactions, financings and energy due diligence. She represents clients in proceedings before the German Federal Network Agency (Bundesnetzagentur), including special abuse proceedings under section 31 of the German Energy Industry Act (EnWG), and advises on competition law matters in the energy sector, notably national and cross-border merger control proceedings under the German Act against Restraints of Competition (GWB) and the EU Merger Regulation. She also advises district heating suppliers on pricing under the German Heat Supply Ordinance (AVBFernwärmeV) and on the design of their supply terms.

Experience

Advised an international project developer on the development of a portfolio of stand-alone battery storage projects in Germany – from site-related questions through grid connection procedures, grid connection agreements and construction cost contributions to the structuring of operation and commercialisation.
Advised a European battery storage operator with assets in Germany, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom on more than ten battery storage projects in Germany – grid connection procedures, grid connection agreements and regulatory matters, as well as a bankability review of the German portfolio in the context of a cross-border portfolio financing, including a review of the project agreements (EPC, LTSA, O&M).
Advised an industrial company on the construction of an industrial battery storage system, including grid connection and the energy regulatory framework.
Advised a European industrial, energy and metals group on the acquisition of several ready-to-build battery storage projects in Germany – buy-side due diligence, regulatory requirements for grid fee exemption, and the drafting and negotiation of project development, construction, operation and commercialisation agreements.
Represented a major energy utility in special abuse proceedings under section 31 of the German Energy Industry Act (EnWG) concerning the grid connection of battery storage systems, in particular the applicability of the German Power Plant Grid Connection Ordinance (KraftNAV) and the right to grid connection.
Ongoing support of energy utilities, grid operators and project developers in determination proceedings before the German Federal Network Agency (Bundesnetzagentur).
Merger control advice to energy utilities in national and cross-border merger proceedings, including notifications to the German Federal Cartel Office (Bundeskartellamt) and proceedings under the EU Merger Regulation.
Advised a municipal district heating supplier on pricing under the German Heat Supply Ordinance (AVBFernwärmeV), in particular price adjustment clauses, and on the design of its supply terms.

Education

Franziska Rothe studied law at the Ruhr University of Bochum and the Eötvös Loránd University of Budapest and completed her first state examination in 2018. From 2018 to 2020 she was a legal trainee in the district of the Higher Regional Court of Hamm, including stations at a state-owned company of the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Industry, Climate Protection and Energy of the State of North Rhine-Westphalia. She completed her second state examination and was admitted to the bar in 2020.

Prior to joining Addleshaw Goddard in January 2024, she worked for three years as a lawyer in the legal consulting department of a Big Four law firm in the areas of energy law and corporate law.

Languages

German
English

Publications

Boris Scholtka, Franziska Rothe (2026). “Netzpaket” – Netzanschluss in der Diskussion. EnK-Aktuell 2026, 010697.
Boris Scholtka, Franziska Rothe (2026). Netzpaket in der Verbändeanhörung: Entschärfter Redispatch-Vorbehalt bleibt der neuralgische Punkt. EnK-Aktuell 2026, 010786.
Boris Scholtka, Franziska Rothe (2026). Kraftwerksstrategie und Kapazitätsmarkt: Versorgungssicherheit mit ungelösten Schnittstellen zum KWKG. EnK-Aktuell 2026, 010755.
Boris Scholtka, Franziska Rothe (2026). Kraftwerksstrategie 2026 – von der politischen Ankündigung zur konkreten Umsetzung. EnK-Aktuell 2026, 010684.
Karl Holtkamp, Franziska Rothe (2025). Netzanschlussverfahren für Batteriespeicher: Zeit für einen verbindlichen Rechtsrahmen. Tagesspiegel Background.
Boris Scholtka, Franziska Rothe (2025). Kostenfrage geklärt – BGH bestätigt Baukostenzuschüsse für Batteriespeicher. Tagesspiegel Background.
Boris Scholtka, Franziska Rothe, Marija Krstanovic (2024). Batteriespeicher: Schlüsseltechnologie auf dem Weg zur Netzintegration? pv magazine.
Boris Scholtka, Franziska Rothe (2024). Das rechtliche Dilemma der Batteriespeicher. Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung.
Boris Scholtka, Franziska Rothe (2025). Versorgungssicherheit Strom 2025 – Zwischen Anspruch und Wirklichkeit. EnK-Aktuell 2025, 010634.
Boris Scholtka, Franziska Rothe (2025). Kraftwerksneubau in Deutschland: Aufbruch mit offenen Fragen. EnK-Aktuell 2025, 010549.
Karl Holtkamp, Franziska Rothe (2025). BGH zu Baukostenzuschüssen – Dauerbrenner weiter ungeklärt. EnK-Aktuell 2025, 010566.
Franziska Rothe (2024). Erhebung von Baukostenzuschüssen: Beschlusskammer 8 der BNetzA veröffentlicht neues Positionspapier – gesteigerte Bedeutung für Batteriespeicher. EnK-Aktuell 2024, 010466.
Boris Scholtka, Franziska Rothe (2024). Freispruch von der Klimaverantwortung? Die Entscheidung des Berufungsgerichts gegen Shell und ihre Folgen. EnK-Aktuell 2024, 010455.
Franziska Rothe (2025). Klimaschutzbericht 2025 – Befunde und Reformperspektiven. EnK-Aktuell 2025, 010608.
Franziska Rothe (2024). Klimaschutz: Zwischen gerichtlicher Kritik und Gesetzesreformen – Wie steht es um die Maßnahmen der Bundesregierung? EnK-Aktuell 2024, 010358.
Franziska Rothe (2024). Kabinett gibt grünes Licht für unterirdische CO₂-Speicherung: Durchbruch oder Risiko? EnK-Aktuell 2024, 010363.
Franziska Rothe, Paulina Werner (2023). Überzeugt ein Industriestrompreis als Entlastungsinstrument? Eine Analyse der Argumente des DIW. EnK-Aktuell 2023, 010210.
Boris Scholtka, Franziska Rothe (2025). Die EnWG-Novelle 2025 im Überblick. EnK-Aktuell 2025, 010594.
Franziska Rothe (2025). Energiepolitische Weichenstellungen im Koalitionsvertrag – Einordnung der Kraftwerkstrategie und Kraft-Wärme-Kopplung. EnK-Aktuell 2025, 010540.
Boris Scholtka, Franziska Rothe (2024). Paradigmenwechsel im Strommarkt? Ein Blick auf das Optionenpapier des BMWK. EnK-Aktuell 2024, 010397.
Franziska Rothe, Victoria Pochanke (2024). Der Net Zero Industry Act: Welche Durchschlagskraft hat er im internationalen Subventionswettlauf? EnK-Aktuell 2024, 010300.
Boris Scholtka, Franziska Rothe (2024). Energie- und Wärmewende: Vielfältige Herausforderungen und Chancen für Unternehmen. Handelsblatt.
Boris Scholtka, Franziska Rothe (2024). Aufbruch in die Wasserstoffwirtschaft: Chancen, Strategien und Alternativen für die Unternehmensführung. Euroforum E-Book GmbH.