Nextracker and JENNMAR Holdings subsidiary JM Steel have completed an expansion of Nextracker-dedicated manufacturing lines at JM Steel’s Leetsdale, Pa., facility, achieving 4 GW of capacity. Inaugurated and reopened in 2022, the refurbished factory produces steel components for solar energy across Pennsylvania and the mid-Atlantic. The expansion more than doubles the facility’s production capacity, says the company.  “We are thrilled to be partnered with JM Steel and celebrate the expansion of the Pittsburgh facility to serve customer demand,” says Dan Shugar, founder and CEO of Nextrack ..read more

Sunstone Credit has launched a joint program with M&T Bank that aims to give more businesses access to solar loan financing. By collaborating with M&T Bank, the company hopes to help more businesses afford solar systems.  “Through our program with M&T, we’re poised to make it easier than ever for businesses to pivot to solar energy,” says Josh Goldberg, co-founder and CEO of Sunstone Credit. “Having such a well-regarded banking partner in our corner will accelerate our growth, and the growth of the commercial solar market, in a really meaningful way.” The post M&T Bank, Su ..read more

EDP Renewables North America (EDPR NA) has completed its 74 MW Misenheimer Solar Park, located in Stanly County, N.C.  Development on the project was begun by Orion Power Generation, a joint venture between Orion Renewable Energy Group and Eolian, with EDPR NA taking on the park’s development and construction from 2020 onwards. The solar park will be operated by EDPR NA. “The fully operational Misenheimer Solar Park is a success that can be attributed to the strong partnership and collaboration between EDPR NA’s team and the communities of the village of Misenheimer and Stanly County who ..read more

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is amending its list of categories of projects which, because they typically do not have significant environmental impacts, qualify for the simplest form of environmental review under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA).  The agency is simplifying the environmental review process for energy storage systems such as battery systems, transmission line upgrades and PV systems. Under the changes, DOE says it will continue to examine each proposed project while completing its environmental review responsibilities more expediently.  Changes inclu ..read more

Agilitas Energy has closed on $100 million in debt financing to fund its expansion and build-out of solar and energy storage project construction. Nomura Securities acted as sole bookrunner and lead arranger. Nomura Corporate Funding Americas acted as administrative agent on the deal. The financing is slated to accelerate Agilitas Energy’s build-out of solar and energy storage project construction, expected to total 250 MW over the next three years. The company also hopes to use the funds for acquiring and developing solar, standalone storage and hybrid projects.  “This debt financing and ..read more

Energy Vault and NV Energy have completed the Reid Gardner BESS in Moapa, Nev., and put the project into commercial operation. Built on the site of a decommissioned coal-fired electric generating facility, the 220 MW grid-tied BESS is a two-hour energy storage system.  Operating at full capacity by NV Energy, the system utilizes Energy Vault’s integration platform and energy management system. “The completion of the Reid Gardner Battery Energy Storage System, on budget and on schedule in a compressed time schedule, stands as a testament to Energy Vault’s commitment to the efficient delive ..read more

The American Alliance for Solar Manufacturing Trade Committee, made up of domestic manufacturers Convalt Energy, First Solar, Meyer Burger, Mission Solar, Qcells, REC Silicon and Swift Solar, has filed a set of antidumping and countervailing duty petitions with the U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) and the U.S. Department of Commerce to investigate potentially illegal trade practices by Cambodia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam.  This action comes within a year of the Department of Commerce making its determination that Chinese solar manufacturers were circumventing tariffs on so ..read more

BW Solar is selling 12 upstate New York community solar projects with a combined 76.7 MW capacity to Catalyze. The transaction includes a portfolio of six pre-construction projects and another six in the early stage of development. The group of notice-to-proceed ready projects are targeted for commercial operation this year and next. “BW Solar is committed to the energy transition by originating and developing high-quality renewable energy projects, and this transaction is testament to our execution expertise,” says Tai Nguyen, CEO of BW Solar. “We were pleased to work with Catalyze in a seaml ..read more

EPC Energy has delivered an 80 MWh solar plus BESS.  The project features predictive analytics and real-time monitoring, says the company, and includes a cloud-based centralized monitoring system and granular cell-level data. The system can dispatch over 300 units with diverse power conversion system modules and battery ratios, the company added. The commissioning phase included load testing, battery cycling and grid synchronization tests to demonstrate the plant’s ability to integrate with the SCADA controller.  The post EPC Energy Delivers 80 MWh BESS appeared first on Solar Indust ..read more

GameChange Solar has been selected to supply its Genius Tracker solar trackers for four new solar projects totalling approximately 500 MW in Southern Africa.  Three of the projects are in South Africa, including a Risk Mitigation Independent Power Producer Program project in the Northern Cape and two private sector projects to supply electricity for mining operations in the Northern Cape and Limpopo regions.  The fourth project, in Zimbabwe, is Phase 1 of the 185 MW Zimplats solar plant, a private-sector project that is expected to begin producing power by the end of next month. The ..read more