Elizabeth Crouse provides business-focused solutions for U.S. federal, state, and international tax problems in a variety of transactions and investment structures. Elizabeth works hand-in-hand with clients to create and implement practical and efficient international and domestic corporate structures, negotiate tax-focused and tax-informed provisions in a variety of contracts, and lead transactions, particularly in the renewable energy and fuels, hydrogen, carbon, and cryptocurrency industries.
In addition to supporting her clients, Elizabeth is the practice group coordinator of K&L Gates’ global Power practice, co-chair of our ESG practice, co-chair of our Sustainability Initiative, co-director of the Seattle chapter of Women of Renewable Industries and Sustainable Energy, chair of the Renewable Hydrogen Alliance’s Oregon Policy Subcommittee, and a member of the Pacific Northwest Hydrogen Association (PNWH2) Board Advisory Committee.
Elizabeth has been recognized by Best Lawyers for Energy and Tax law and Super Lawyers magazine as a “Rising Star”.
Renewable Energy and Fuels, Hydrogen, and Carbon
Elizabeth has over a decade of experience assisting U.S. domestic and multinational investors, developers, and operators in the renewable energy and fuels, hydrogen, and carbon industries, particularly in regard to U.S. federal tax matters, including the ITC, PTC, and 45Q tax credit. These transactions include tax equity investments, acquisitions of and investments in renewable energy and fuels projects by taxable and tax-exempt organizations, more than 3GW of safe harbor procurement contracts, venture investments in climate tech companies, project development, and build transfer agreements.
Cryptocurrency
Since 2017, Elizabeth has assisted a variety of cryptocurrency-focused and cryptonative businesses in regard to international and domestic structuring and the U.S. federal income tax considerations of a variety of mining, DeFi, crypto lending, crypto leasing, exchange transactions, payments, investments, and other transactions in the global crypto marketplace.
Prior to beginning her legal career, Elizabeth served in the United States Navy.
- Recognized in Best Lawyers in America for Energy Law and Tax Law, 2022
- Rising Star, Super Lawyers Magazine, 2017-2018
- Co-Chair, Seattle Chapter of WRISE (Women in Renewable Energy and Sustainable Industries), 2017 - present
- Co-Chair, Washington State Bar Association, International Tax Subcommittee, 2014 - 2018
- The Role of Green Hydrogen in Accelerating the Transition to Carbon-Free, Solar Power International, December 2021
- Update on Qualified Opportunity Zones and Tax Credits, Strafford CLE, July 2019
- Energy Storage Project Development: An Overview of Key Policy, Finance, and Development Issues with K&L Gates, June 2019
- Welcome to OZ: Leveraging the Opportunity Zones Incentive for Renewables and Storage, AWEA Windpower Conference, May 2019
- Let’s Make a Deal: Wind + Storage, AWEA Windpower Conference, May 2019
- Women in Power Seminar: Renewables 3.0, May 2019
- Energy Storage in OZ: Opportunities for Storage Developers, California Energy Storage Alliance, Annual Members Meeting, February 2019
- Qualified Opportunity Zones and Tax Credits, Strafford CLE, January 2019
- Blockchain Seattle, September 2018
- Clean Energy Solutions for All, GoGreen Seattle, April 2018
- Identifying and Innovating through Points of Resistance in Renewables, April 2018
- Post-2017 Partnership Audit Regime--Focus on Investors, The Regulatory Fundamentals Group, August 2017
- Navigating Changes in Energy Attitudes Coast to Coast, May 2017
- Inversions, Ireland, and Other International Tax Intrigue, Washington State Bar Association, December 2014
- Making Sense of the Cost Basis Reporting Rules, Seattle Tax Group, March 2011
- “A Primer On Effectively Connected Income,” Law360, 18 May 2017
- “Hitting the Sweet Spot: U.S. and Canadian Tax Treatment of Cross-Border Spinoff,” Tax Notes International, Volume 78, Number 12, 2015
- “Doing As They Say or Saying As they Do: Tax Policy and the (In)Effective and (In)Efficient Taxation of Credit Card Awards,” The Lydian Payments Journal, 2010
- “The Tax Treatment of Transferable Development Rights,” Michigan Tax Lawyer, Spring 2008
- Mentioned, "CleanCapital’s Acquisition of 37 MW Solar Project on Guam," Global Legal Chronicle, 28 July 2022
