• August 28, 2026

The California legislature passed a bill allowing residents to install balcony solar systems. The bill is now awaiting the governor's signature. Senate Bill No. 868, also known as the "Plug-and-Play Solar Act," will eliminate bureaucratic hurdles that have long prevented the installation of small-scale systems in apartments, condominiums, and single-family homes. This legislation will also ensure that these systems meet stringent safety standards. The bill was introduced by Senator Scott Wiener (Democrat, San Francisco) and was initiated by the Environmental Working Group (EWG) and the Abundant Network. After passing the Senate, SB 868 will be submitted to Governor Gavin Newsom for signing. "This is currently the most exciting clean energy solution," said Bernadette Del Chiaro, Senior Vice President of the EWG in California. "With this bill, California is poised to open the door for average consumers, offering a truly practical and affordable solution." SB 868 will allow homeowners and tenants to purchase portable solar panels from retailers and plug them in for use without first obtaining a grid connection agreement from the utility company. The time and cost required to secure such agreements have long been a barrier to the large-scale deployment of these systems. The parliament amended the bill by adding a provision that would revoke internet immunity on January 1, 2030—as requested by utility companies—but Senate Bill 868 grants the market four years to prepare and allows the legislature to revisit the repeal in the future. SB 868 will also ensure these plug-and-play systems comply with stringent safety standards. All systems must be certified by UL or equivalent national testing laboratories. To protect utility workers and prevent electrical hazards, the systems must automatically shut down within seconds in the event of a grid failure. With a maximum capacity of 1,200 watts, the systems can power everyday appliances such as refrigerators, lighting fixtures, Wi-Fi routers, and air conditioners. California is not the first state to eliminate balcony solar restrictions. Utah became the first in 2025, and eight other states have passed similar laws since then. California, along with New York, is another state where a balcony solar bill awaits the governor's signature on his desk. Governor Newsom has 30 days to take action on Senate Bill 868. "California may not be the first to act, but we are the biggest prize," said Del Chiara. "If Governor Newsom signs this bill into law, the scale of our market will undergo a fundamental transformation, accelerating the adoption of this brilliant new approach to addressing climate change and making energy affordable."

• August 27, 2026

ForeFront Power is completing a solar and energy storage project in Ventura County, California. At the county government center, a 5.8-megawatt solar canopy will be paired with a 1.9-megawatt battery. The megawatt-hour capacity of the battery was not specified in detail. Although Ventura County has ensured renewable power through community-selected energy procurement, this project offers a more cost-effective pathway to achieving its sustainability goals by locally producing and storing clean energy, thereby reducing costs, improving budget predictability, and enhancing energy resilience. "Every dollar we save in operational costs allows us to better utilize taxpayer funds," said Thomas Hunter, Director of General Services for Ventura County. "This project serves as a prime example—a wise long-term investment that reduces our energy costs, provides more predictable expenditures, and delivers lasting value to our residents." The project was developed with zero upfront costs to the county government through a power purchase agreement (PPA) signed with ForeFront Power, which will be responsible for designing, owning, and maintaining the solar and battery energy storage systems for the county. It is projected that the project will save the county over $21 million in energy costs over the next 20 years. "Public institutions should not feel helpless when paying energy premiums, as they can save costs and enhance resilience through on-site generation and energy storage," said Ruben R. Fontes, CEO of ForeFront Power. "We handle the complexity of the development process so that Ventura County can accelerate its transition to renewable energy without upfront costs or increased administrative burdens. The county will obtain economical energy at low and predictable prices for 20 years, while we bear the risks of building and maintaining it."

• August 26, 2026

Burns & McDonnell and Grit have established a strategic partnership focused on evaluating and deploying AI-powered robotics for utility-scale solar projects. This technology will enhance safety, improve project predictability, and support construction teams in addressing the growing demand for new energy infrastructure. Gritt combines artificial intelligence and robotics to automate labor-intensive tasks on construction sites. The company has developed intelligent systems that can be installed on standard construction equipment, enabling autonomous completion of tasks such as installing and assembling solar panels, pouring concrete, and laying rebar. This collaboration combines Burns & McDonnell's integrated EPC capabilities with Gret's AI-driven software and robotic platform to create new opportunities, address labor challenges, and enhance the efficiency and innovation levels of solar construction. Over the past year, Burns & McDonnell collaborated with Greentech to evaluate robotic solar installation technology in real-world construction settings. Both companies tested Greentech's technology at multiple utility-scale solar power plants. "Solar installation is highly repetitive work, involving the daily handling of 80-pound components," said Adam Bernardi, Director of the Renewable Energy Business Unit at Burns & McDonnell. "As the scale of solar installations continues to expand, we have the opportunity to leverage technology to help our teams work more safely, efficiently, and intelligently. By assisting workers with some of the most repetitive and physically demanding tasks, Gritt provides a solution that enhances safety while enabling us to deliver projects more predictably.". ” Unlike robotic solutions designed specifically for controlled factory environments, Gritt's technology is tailored for outdoor construction sites where terrain, weather, and on-site conditions can vary significantly. The company's AI-powered system is designed to assist workers with repetitive installation tasks while continuously learning from field operations. "The future of the construction industry will not be humans or robots alone, but a collaboration between the two," said Puneet Puri, CEO and co-founder of Gritt. "Our mission is to help civilization build infrastructure faster. Partnering with leading EPC companies like Burns & McDonnell allows us to deploy our technology in real-world projects, learn from seasoned builders, and continuously refine the intelligence behind our systems. Together, we are developing tools to help the industry meet growing infrastructure demands while supporting the workforce that makes it all possible.". ” Automation and robotics are becoming increasingly prevalent in the solar industry, with companies developing construction-assist equipment and component installation systems. Recent advancements include Xpanner's skid steer loader devices, Maximo's solar module installation project, as well as AES and Terab...

• August 25, 2026

SWIF Rack, a solar installation technology manufacturer, is partnering with National Roofing Partners (NRP) to support the deployment of solar projects on commercial rooftops. NRP roof professionals can collaborate with SWIF Rack customers to inspect the construction status of solar projects and ensure maintenance of roof warranties throughout the entire process. This service will be provided for solar projects using SWIF Rack products nationwide. The solar energy strategy is becoming an increasingly important driving force in modern commercial facility management, but the reliability of solar arrays depends only on the roof below them. By partnering with SWIF Rack, we combine high-performance solar bracket technology with our nationwide network of top commercial roof professionals. We work together to provide homeowners with complete peace of mind - delivering flawless installations while ensuring the safety of their rooftop systems. ”Austin Fenema, Vice President of Revenue at National Roofing Partners. SWIF brackets are suitable for installation and support systems on single-layer, metal, and modified asphalt commercial roofs. SWIF brackets are also suitable for Duro Last, a custom single-layer roof system manufacturer. The primary task of SWIF Rack has always been to provide an engineered shelving system that combines strategic installation with uncompromising structural integrity. Collaborating with National Roofing Partners enables us to provide customers with a seamless one-stop service experience across the country. April Chen, CEO and founder of SWIF Rack, said, "NRP's deep expertise in commercial roofing ensures that every deployment of SWIF Rack protects underlying building assets while maximizing the performance of clean energy.

• August 24, 2026

Nextpower has secured a patent for its NX PowerMerge, a trunked bus that integrates multiple field connections in ground-mounted solar projects into a single device. In utility-scale solar power plants, the DC combiner system connects power from multiple solar arrays at thousands of locations to larger main bus conductors. The Nextpower Electrical Balance System (eBOS) product portfolio includes DC combiner methods for main busbars and combiner boxes . "[Customer] pointed out that the product features a single main cable connection point and comes with installation tools that can verify pressure each time, eliminating the need for on-site guessing. The connector body is compatible with all main cable sizes, providing flexibility for the EPC team to adapt to design changes as the project progresses," said Ryan Schofield, Vice President of Nextpower Electrical and eBOS. BUILD Renewables has ordered NX PowerMerge for a series of photovoltaic projects, increasing Nextpower's backlog of this product to over 2 gigawatts. "BUILD Renewables is delighted to collaborate with Nextpower to launch its NX PowerMerge eBOS product, which offers exceptional safety, installation speed, and performance features. We also highly appreciate its integrated design with trackers and other solar power plant components," said Craig Sanding, President and CEO of BUILD Renewables.

• August 21, 2026

SunShare and the local community solar company CSolPower have completed two community solar gardens in Nevada. The 6-MW Juniper Sol Community Solar Garden, located on a 31-acre site in Santa Fe, will employ agrivoltaic practices, including local pollinator-friendly habitats beneath and around solar panels. Half of the solar garden subscribers are income-qualified, with some residing in SunShare's affordable housing partnerships with Yes! Housing and Catholic Charities. The second array is the 4.5-MW Rockhound Sol Community Solar Garden, situated in Deming, New Mexico. "Our country's electricity demand is growing rapidly, and the Juniper Solar project demonstrates how community solar can meet this demand in an economically efficient and rapid manner. At the same time, such projects bring widespread benefits—for instance, these 2,000 households will save on electricity bills over the next 25 years by subscribing to this garden," said David Amster-Olszewski, CEO and founder of SunShare. "As we celebrate SunShare's 15th anniversary by dedicating the first community solar garden in Santa Fe County, SunShare remains committed to advancing a clean and decentralized renewable energy future.". ” As part of its commitment to improving the lives of the communities it serves, SunShare also announced a pledge to donate over $7 million to Navajo Technical University, the Stop Violence Against Indigenous Women Coalition, and the Housing and Construction Foundation.

• August 20, 2026

Sungrow Power is collaborating with a distributed generation management platform to reduce the grid demand of residential and commercial solar plus energy storage systems, compared to hyperscale data centers. This service, alongside Voltus (which appears similar to a virtual power plant project), will allocate "a portion" of capacity from Sunrun's installed solar and storage projects to grid operators PJM and MISO, according to a press release. Subsequently, they can utilize these distributed energy resources based on the power needs of data centers, while system owners receive compensation for their energy exports. "To meet the growing energy demand, we need to maximize the utilization of every available electron nationwide," said Mary Powell, CEO of Sungrow Power, in a press release. "We are collaborating with Voltus to provide critical capacity through home energy storage batteries funded by hyperscale cloud service providers. This is just the beginning of what distributed energy assets can achieve.". ” The energy demand on the U.S. power grid is increasing as the number of hyperscale data centers across the country continues to grow, driving up electricity costs. These data centers support generative AI technologies, such as large language models like OpenAI's ChatGPT. In 2023, grid-connected data centers accounted for less than 5% of the nation's energy consumption. However, according to a study released by the Congressional Research Service, the surge in hyperscale data centers could double or even triple this energy consumption by 2028. Last year, Voltus launched the "Built-in Capacity" initiative to address the growing energy demands of data centers. The company aims for this service to provide a rapid solution to meet the energy needs of data centers. This urgency is intensifying. In June, U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright urged grid operators to expedite the deployment of data centers, a move unanimously endorsed by FERC members. "'Self-serve capacity' aims to transform distributed resources into grid-reliant capacity while maximizing value for end users," said Dana Guernsey, CEO of Voltus, in the press release. "This collaboration combines Sunrun's residential-scale resources with Voltus' flexible market integration platform, enabling distributed capacity to support grid reliability, affordability, and growth amid increasing electricity demand."

• August 19, 2026

The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (NJBPU) voted to approve a total of 16 projects with a combined capacity of 52.06 megawatts in the first round of bidding for its "dual-purpose pilot agrivoltaic" program. "This pilot dual-purpose project will enable us to support farmers in New Jersey in enhancing the profitability of their operations while increasing grid capacity," said Ben Hertz-Shargel, Chairman of the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities. "It ensures that farmland continues to be used for active agricultural or horticultural production while enhancing the value of existing farming practices. Combined with providing new clean power supplies to the grid, this is undoubtedly a win-win for the 'Garden State.'" Agrivoltaics or dual-purpose solar involves installing photovoltaic panels over or within agricultural operations such as crops, pastures, or other farmland, rather than completely removing the land from production. These 16 pilot projects, located on farms in Atlantic, Cumberland, Gloucester, Hunterdon, Mercer, Monmouth, Salem, and Warren counties, integrate solar power generation with crops like soybeans, hay, grains, vegetables, and fruits, as well as livestock production. The project was established under the 2021 Dual-Use Solar Act and is jointly implemented by the New Jersey Department of Agriculture, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, the State Agricultural Development Committee, and the Agricultural Photovoltaic Project at Rutgers University. "When we passed the Dual-Use Solar Act, this is exactly the progress we hoped to see: farmers in New Jersey producing both food and clean energy on the same land," said Senator Bob Smith. "These 16 projects demonstrate that we don’t have to choose between keeping farmland in active production and building the power-generating capacity our state needs—we can have both. Farmers have always been stewards of the land, and now they can not only help power New Jersey’s clean energy future but also enhance their own profitability." The pilot project can support an installed capacity of up to 200 megawatts within three years, with individual projects typically capped at a maximum scale of 10 megawatts. The project must be located on unprotected farmland already in active agricultural or horticultural use, and eligible teams must include landowners, farmers, and solar operators, with farmers required to actively participate in project planning and operations. The project garnered strong early interest: the first call for proposals from NJBPU received 33 preliminary submissions, totaling approximately 140 megawatts. The lessons learned from the comprehensive pilot projects will provide guidance for establishing permanent agrivoltaic projects in New Jersey.

• August 18, 2026

Real estate investment trust STAG Industrial recently launched three new rooftop solar projects in Pennsylvania, marking another significant step forward in the company's deployment of distributed solar power. Developed by Dimension Energy and assisted by Black Bear Energy, these projects further solidify STAG's leadership in implementing on-site and distributed solar solutions within its extensive national portfolio. STAG currently operates 49.5 megawatts of on-site solar capacity across 29 properties in 10 states. These Pennsylvania projects (totaling 9 megawatts) are matched by a trio of rooftop installations, a 2.7-megawatt New Jersey community solar portfolio, and three Maryland community solar projects totaling 11.6 megawatts. The company has also deployed systems in Massachusetts and throughout the Northeast.   Brian Lamont, Senior Vice President of Development and Sustainability at STAG, stated, "STAG is committed to deploying distributed solar solutions to achieve both economic and environmental benefits." "Installing rooftop solar not only aligns with our broader sustainability strategy but also supports state and regional decarbonization goals, providing low-cost energy for local communities while advancing Pennsylvania's clean energy future."