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Sarah M. Keane
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Sarah M. Keane

Partner

  • Energy Transition and Climate Change|
  • Renewable Energy & Storage Project Transactions|
  • Climate Policy & Litigation|
Denver
303.825.7028
San Francisco
415.907.8704
skeane@kaplankirsch.com
  • Overview
  • Representative Experience
  • Resources and News
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Our energy and climate change practice is guided by personal passion to see rapid, thoughtful, and equitable change in the way our country generates and uses energy. When I take on a new matter, I dive in 100%, bringing political savvy, attention to detail, and responsiveness to each client team that I join. With a broad range of experience in power and climate, I am equally at home advocating before state regulators, working with public agencies to secure project approvals, or sitting at the negotiations table.

Sarah Keane dedicates her practice to the clean energy transition and climate change, in transactional, regulatory and litigation contexts.

Sarah advises a wide range of project developers, investors, and sponsors regarding all aspects of project development, as well as energy-specific M&A, with a particular focus on renewable energy, electric transmission, energy storage, hydrogen, carbon sequestration, electric vehicles and clean mobility, microgrids, and campus energy systems. She drafts and negotiates purchase and sale agreements, power purchase agreements, interconnection agreements, and a variety of other project-related contracts. Collaborating closely with other members of the Firm, Sarah also assists energy and infrastructure project proponents in navigating the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and state counterparts, and in securing approvals under the full suite of local, state, and federal land use and environmental laws.

A leading advocate before state public utilities commissions (PUCs), air regulators, and other agencies, Sarah also represents energy project owners, environmental organizations, local government interests, and other parties in a variety of energy regulatory and climate change policy proceedings.

Sarah currently serves as Chair of the Board of Directors for GRID Alternatives Colorado, a unique and remarkable non-profit organization that brings clean energy and mobility solutions to low-income households and disadvantaged communities. She was previously an attorney at two large international law firms.

Representative Experience

Renewable Energy Project Development. Assisting multiple solar, storage, and wind project developers in California, Colorado, and throughout the West in securing project approvals and interconnection, negotiating with utility offtakers or purchasers, and complying with regulatory requirements.

Colorado Municipality. Representing the municipality in connection with power supply agreements for data centers.

Los Angeles Department of Water and Power. Representing LADWP in multiple procurements and contract negotiations for new solar and energy storage facilities.

Independent Transmission Developer. Securing approvals and contracts for a proposed interstate transmission line.

Rural Cooperative Utility. Assisting with power purchase agreement negotiations for generation and energy storage products.

Colorado Data Center Development. Representing developers in utility negotiations and powered land sales for data center projects.

Municipal Energy Efficiency Agreements. Advising an infrastructure platform regarding energy efficiency agreements with municipalities.

Project Portfolio Due Diligence. Coordinating complex environmental, permitting, and interconnection due diligence for investments in project portfolios involving solar, hydropower, wind, geothermal, and natural gas facilities.

Tribal Solar Project Development. Negotiating a design-build agreement for multiphase solar projects on Tribal property on behalf of the project developer.

Public Entity Solar Energy Transaction. Securing a three-party solar energy transaction on behalf of a coalition of public entities.

Natural Gas Peaker Plant Sale. Negotiating the sale of a natural gas peaker plant to a utility purchaser and securing state regulatory approval.

Solar Project Portfolio Sale. Representing a solar project developer in the sale of membership interests in a portfolio of solar and solar-plus-storage projects.

California Nonprofit Organization. Representing the organization in a California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) proceeding concerning sufficient funding for electric distribution infrastructure buildout.

Advanced Energy United. Representing the organization in various Colorado PUC proceedings involving electric markets, virtual power plants, resource interconnection, and large-load tariffs.

Independent Power Producer. Advocating in state PUC proceedings involving utility electric resource plans.

Coalition of Local Governments. Appearing in multiple air quality and state PUC proceedings involving implementation of state climate laws and electric and gas system planning.

Ford Motor Company. Representing Ford in a Colorado PUC proceeding and negotiating a settlement to reduce utility barriers to using electric vehicles as home backup power sources.

Colorado Mountain Communities. Representing several communities in a PUC proceeding involving gas infrastructure planning.

Transmission Developer. Representing the developer in a California PUC proceeding involving proposed transmission projects.

California Energy and Water Asset Owner. Representing the owner in administrative litigation under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) and the Endangered Species Act.

Solar Project Permit Challenge. Successfully defending challenges to federal permit approval for a solar project.

Coalition of Environmental Groups. Representing the coalition in state air quality rulemakings involving adoption of clean vehicle standards and related litigation.

Southern California Community Choice Aggregator. Negotiating a favorable settlement in a dispute involving a resource adequacy agreement with a project developer.

Northern California Community Choice Aggregator. Securing a favorable settlement in a power purchase agreement dispute with a wind project developer.

Solar Project Owner. Negotiating a favorable settlement in a contract dispute with a utility offtaker.

National Nonprofit Organization. Representing the organization in litigation defending Pennsylvania’s adoption of Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) regulations.

Resources and News

Awards and Recognition

Law Alerts

News

Presentations

Publications

  • The Best Lawyers in America® Announces Lawyer Rankings for 2027, Firm Attorneys Included

    Awards and Recognition | August 20, 2026
  • Kaplan Kirsch Recognized in Chambers and Partners 2026 Editions

    Awards and Recognition | June 5, 2026
  • Kaplan Kirsch Recognized in Chambers and Partners 2025 Editions

    Awards and Recognition | June 6, 2025
  • Chambers USA Ranks Kaplan Kirsch among Nation’s Top Law Firms in 2024 Guide

    Awards and Recognition | June 6, 2024
  • view all
  • Colorado Energy & Environmental Legislation – 2023 Year in Review

    Law Alerts | May 25, 2023
  • Colorado Energy & Environmental Legislation – 2026 Year in Review

    Law Alerts | June 21, 2026
  • Environmental Law Alert – Firm Represents Advocates in Rulemaking Leading to Significant Reductions in Emissions from Oil and Gas Operations in Colorado

    Law Alerts | February 24, 2026
  • Colorado Energy & Environmental Legislation – 2025 Year in Review

    Law Alerts | May 12, 2025
  • view all
  • Firm Helps Secure Favorable Result for Clients in Rulemaking to Support Colorado’s Air Quality Programs

    News | June 11, 2026
  • Colorado First in Nation to Adopt Federal Methane Controls for Existing Oil and Gas Sources

    News | February 26, 2025
  • Chambers USA Ranks Kaplan Kirsch among Nation’s Top Law Firms in 2024 Guide

    Awards and Recognition | June 6, 2024
  • Colorado’s Air Quality Control Commission Unanimously Adopts Rule Requiring Direct Measurement of Methane Emissions from Oil and Gas Operators

    News | July 21, 2023
  • view all
  • Firm Attorneys Present at ACI 2023 Legal Affairs Conference

    Presentations | May 23, 2023
  • Colorado's Climate Future

    Presentations | September 23, 2021
  • Colorado–Impacts of New Legislation and Regulation on Renewable Energy Markets

    Presentations | October 22, 2019
  • Sustainability and Renewable Energy

    Presentations | October 15, 2019
  • view all
  • Microgrids: Opportunities and Challenges for US Airports 

    Publications | October 31, 2021
  • Colorado Energy & Climate Legislation: 2021 Year in Review

    Publications | June 16, 2021
  • A Leader in Following: Colorado's Adoption of California Clean Car Standards

    Publications | June 21, 2019
  • Colorado Energy and Climate Legislation: 2019 Year in Review

    Publications | May 20, 2019
  • view all

Primary Sidebar

Practices

  • Air Quality
  • Climate Policy & Litigation
  • Environment
  • Innovative Technology & Project Delivery
  • Policy Strategies & Legislation
  • Project Development

Education

  • J.D., University of California, Berkeley, School of Law, Order of the Coif, 2010
    • Certificate in Energy and Clean Technology Law
    • Certificate in Environmental Law
  • B.S., Physics, Stanford University, 2004

Bar & Court Admissions

Bar Admissions

  • Colorado, 2017
  • California, 2010

Court Admissions

  • U.S. Court of Appeals, Tenth Circuit
  • U.S. District Court, Northern District, California, 2011
  • U.S. District Court, Central District, California, 2012
  • U.S. District Court, Eastern District, California, 2012

Organizations

  • Member, Women of Renewable Industries and Sustainable Energy (2020 – Present)
  • Board President, GRID Alternatives Colorado (2018 – Present)
  • Advisory Board Chair, Berkeley Energy & Resources Collaborative (2014 – 2018)
  • Election Protection Steering Committee Member, Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law (2012 – 2016)
  • Development Director, Energy Law Quarterly (2008 – 2009)

Honors

  • Chambers USA, Colorado, Environment – Up and Coming (2022–2023), Energy & Natural Resources - Band 2 (2024)
  • Denver Business Journal, Top Women in Energy, 2020

Sarah M. Keane's Projects

  • Colorado Clean Car Standards

    Colorado
projects that keep life moving®
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