• July 03, 2025

The Oregon State Legislature has overwhelmingly passed a strategy to establish a national first regulatory framework for microgrid construction, making the state a leader in energy resilience. Microgrid is a localized, self-sufficient energy system designed to operate independently of large power grids (known as the "islanding effect") or in coordination with them. This allows the system to continue supplying power even during power outages. Microgrids can also fill capacity shortages during peak demand periods by supplying power to the grid, benefiting not only local communities but also the entire region. There are currently no community owned or operated microgrids in Oregon, and this legislation (HB 2065 and HB 2066) will enable communities to plan, build, own, and evaluate local microgrids and connect them to the main grid. Microgrids can use multiple power sources, but typically rely on local clean energy sources such as solar energy, energy storage, micro hydro power, biomass energy, or wind energy. This is unique in the United States, as most microgrids are currently owned by utility companies, governments, or private enterprises. When we explore how to improve the resilience of the power grid - in response to natural and other disasters - microgrids will play a critical role. If we really want to establish community owned resilience at the community level, we must address this issue, and [HB 2066] will require the Oregon State Public Utilities Commission to do so, "said Congressman Mark Owens of the 60th district. The functions of HB 2065 and HB 2066: ● Request the Oregon State Public Utilities Commission to develop a roadmap and regulatory framework for the construction, ownership, and evaluation of microgrids in Oregon ● Allowing communities to hire third-party experts for grid interconnection research will reduce delays in building microgrids and small-scale renewable energy ● Improve clean energy deployment, power system reliability, and grid modernization ● Improve rural energy independence, power services, economic development, and the ability to cope with power outages ● Reduce rural energy costs during the period of soaring electricity prices ● Reduce the pressure of building expensive transmission infrastructure

• July 02, 2025

Deal Orchards is located in the foothills of the Brushy Mountains in North Carolina, and is a family run orchard that has been passed down for three generations, recognizing the value of creating a more sustainable future. As a result, the company included some of its stone fruit and apple planting areas in the EcoCertified program in 2024. This project is a rigorous, science based commercial fruit tree planting method aimed at protecting pollinating insects, beneficial insects, and environmental resources. Deal Orchards is the first orchard in the southeast to receive ecological certification. Now, the company can include using on-site solar energy to meet 75% of its energy needs in its list of environmental sustainability practices. Pisgah Energy collaborates closely with Deal Orchards to design, develop, and install rooftop solar projects in their roadside markets and packaging plants. The total power of the system is 77 kilowatts, using Qcells and SolarEdge products, and will be used for on-site power generation, generating over 95000 kilowatt hours of clean renewable energy annually. Alan Deal, President of Deal Orchards, said: "We have decided to install solar energy for two very practical reasons - to reduce our carbon footprint and energy costs. Heritage is important to us, and we are able to do the right thing for the future of our community and environment while also saving costs, which is fantastic. We are very grateful for everything Pisgah Energy has done to achieve our vision. ” We are delighted to collaborate with the employees of Deere Orchard, "said Evan Becca, President of Pisga Energy. It's really encouraging to see them expand their management philosophy and incorporate the production of renewable energy. They have set an example for other orchards in the region

• July 01, 2025

The Ohio Power Site Selection Committee approved the 120 MW Fraser Solar Project located in Knox County, Ohio on Thursday. The approval of the Fraser solar project today is a turning point for the clean energy future of Knox County and even Ohio. The decision of the Ohio Power Site Selection Committee comes at a time when the demand for the power grid continues to grow and Ohio leaders are concerned about insufficient energy supply in the state, "said Karin Nordstrom, a clean energy lawyer at the Ohio Environment Commission. Frasier's developer, EPC, and operator, Open Road Renewables, submitted a project proposal to the Ohio Public Utilities Commission in October 2023. According to the project brief, Open Road will construct the array on approximately 840 acres of land in Clinton and Miller towns. The array will adopt a single axis solar tracker project and require additional construction of public facilities such as transmission lines and channels. This project will integrate agricultural photovoltaic practices, including grazing sheep and planting local plants on site. Through Fraser's construction and operation, the local community is expected to receive investments in schools and public services. Nordstrom said, "Through projects such as Fraser Solar, Ohio is taking a bold step towards reducing air pollution and addressing climate change, ensuring a healthier and more sustainable future for future generations

• June 30, 2025

The US solar market has experienced significant growth. According to the Solar Energy Industry Association of America (SEIA) and Wood MacKenzie, solar energy will account for 66% of new grid capacity in 2024 alone. The soaring demand for electricity from data centers, generative artificial intelligence, and national residential and industrial electrification has driven this growth. However, the industry challenges faced by solar project developers, EPC (Power Procurement Companies), and IPP (Independent Power Plants) are not only due to the rapid transformation of the industry. These challenges are reshaping the way developers think about system design, procurement, and risk management, prompting the industry to prioritize domestic procurement, supply chain resilience, and supplier collaboration. The return of solar manufacturing industry is not just a response to tariffs or short-term policy changes, but a long-term strategy to reduce the risks of solar projects. Shoals Technologies Group is at the forefront of this transformation. The company is developing a strong autonomous supply chain for its Electric Balance System (EBOS) solution, which manages the critical infrastructure for power flow from solar panels to the grid. The EBOS components include wiring systems, circuit breakers, combiner boxes, and other electrical protection devices, serving as the connection points for each project. They play a crucial role in ensuring system reliability and performance. Shoals has invested heavily in building a 640000 square foot factory in Tennessee to meet the growing domestic demand, which will increase production capacity by over 50%. Shoals' internal production allows us to implement advanced design and engineering while maintaining high quality standards, "said Kevin Boyce, Director of Solar Product Line Management at Shoals, at the recent" Solar World "webinars. In addition to expanding production capacity, Shoals is also establishing strong domestic partnerships. The company has continued its 20-year partnership with First Solar by providing customized junction boxes and wiring harnesses. Shoals' OEM account manager Kyle Garvin said, "We will work together to lead the return of the US solar supply chain and invest in a stronger, more resilient, and American made energy future." This collaboration expands First Solar's influence in the industry and enhances its contribution to job creation and the US economy.

• June 27, 2025

Namaste Solar has completed a 333.54 kW rooftop project for the modular residential factory Boulder Mod in Boulder, Colorado. The factory was built in collaboration with the City of Boulder, Boulder Valley School District, and Flatirons Habitat for Humanity, dedicated to producing energy-efficient, fully electric modular homes that provide permanent affordable housing for low - and middle-income families. This project directly supports the city's comprehensive climate action plan and reduces the operating costs of the all electric Boulder Mod factory by providing solar power. Boulder is committed to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 70% by 2030 and becoming a net zero emission city by 2035. The system aims to offset the expected total electricity consumption of the factory, ensuring that every saved energy cost is reinvested in Boulder's mission to expand affordable housing. This project embodies the strong collaboration between renewable energy and community development, "said Jay Sugnet, Senior Planner and Project Manager of the Modular Housing Factory in Boulder City. By integrating solar energy into the Boulder modular project, we not only reduce our carbon footprint, but also support the production of affordable and energy-efficient housing that our community urgently needs Boulder City has a long-term partnership with Namaste Solar in renewable energy projects. In 2020, Namaste Solar installed 13 systems in its facilities in Boulder, including parking lots and water resource facilities. The smooth implementation of the Boulder Mod solar project is partly due to the incentive measures in the Inflation Reduction Act. Introducing a selective compensation (also known as direct compensation) system, allowing local governments to receive tax exemptions for clean energy projects even as non taxable entities. Through selective compensation and additional subsidies from Xcel Energy's "Solar * Rewards" program for eligible and disproportionately affected communities, Boulder is able to maximize the economic benefits of installing solar projects at this critical facility. The project has received a grant of $333540.00 from the Energy Impact Offset Fund, a regulation that requires cannabis growers to offset 100% of their energy use. Municipal authorities now have more options than ever before to utilize solar energy to reduce costs and cope with rising energy costs, "said Rachel Mountain, co owner and commercial sales director of Namaste Solar. This project is an outstanding example of how renewable energy can empower cities to achieve climate goals while supporting innovative projects like the Boulder Mod. This is a win-win situation for both the community and the environment. ”

• June 26, 2025

As part of its "Solar Employment Path" program, Trina Solar donated 300 solar panels to YouthBuild Global. These n-type TOPCon components will be used in solar installation training laboratories across the United States to provide photovoltaic bracket system installation training for YouthBuild students and provide practical experience that is crucial for the solar installation profession. Some modules will be installed on affordable housing units built by YouthBuild students in YouthBuild Lake County, North Chicago, Illinois, to help low-income families offset their utility bills. The remaining modules will be installed on the roof of CLC, Inc. YouthBuild building located in Fort Worth, Texas, to help offset most, if not all, of the facility's utility bills, thereby allocating more resources to student support and project expansion. Cao Jianjun, Vice President of North American Photovoltaic Business at Trina Solar, said, "This donation is not just about solar panels, but also about creating opportunities for our future leaders. It is crucial to help future generations acquire real skills that will power their careers and community development in the coming years. Trina Solar is honored to collaborate with YouthBuild Global to support this initiative. ” As the headquarters of the youth construction movement, YouthBuild Global has joined forces and collaborated with a vast network of youth construction projects worldwide, supporting young people to achieve their aspirations and fully unleash their potential. In youth development projects, young people who have dropped out of school or become unemployed can regain their education, acquire vocational skills and qualifications, and become community leaders. YouthBuild Global's "Solar Energy Employment Path" program is dedicated to training young people in solar installation skills and providing them with relevant qualifications to help them achieve meaningful career development in the thriving renewable energy sector. By providing students with experience in installing a universal system, the YouthBuild project ensures that participants can proficiently use various solar energy technologies upon entering the workplace. We are very grateful for Trina's generous donation. This is of great significance for our project and the young people we serve, "said John Valverde, President and CEO of YouthBuild Global. This means more practical training, more practical experience, and more opportunities to create the future and community for our next generation The solar employment pathway program is rapidly expanding, with plans to install solar panels in more project locations to reduce operating costs and provide affordable solar solutions for new homeowners.

• June 25, 2025

Greenskies Clean Focus is a national provider of renewable energy solutions, having completed a 1.62 MW solar project portfolio for Hackensack Public Schools (HPS) in New Jersey. This combination consists of eight solar energy systems installed in seven locations, including all four primary schools, one junior high school, one high school, and the Education Commission administrative building. Although most systems are installed on the roof, the roof and carport solar panels of Hakensak High School are combined together. These systems consist of over 3600 solar panels in total. This project demonstrates how the school district can utilize solar energy to achieve financial and environmental goals, "said Bryant Bernhardt, Senior Vice President of Business Development at Greenskies. We are honored to support Hakensak Public School in creating a more sustainable future for its students, faculty, and community The installed solar cell arrays and their respective positions are as follows: Hakensak High School - Total 1 MW Hakensak High School -303 kW Nelly K. Park Elementary School -113 kW Jackson Avenue School (Elementary) -70 kW Fanny Mayer Hilles School (Primary) -41 kW Fairmont School (Elementary) -24 kW Padawano Center (BOE Administrative Building) -65 kW Greenskies is the solar developer for these projects EPC、 The financing party and owner will be responsible for the long-term operation and maintenance of the project. The funding for these facilities comes from a 15 year solar power purchase agreement, which allows HPS to enjoy the benefits of clean energy without upfront investment. By transitioning to renewable energy, we are reducing our impact on the environment and achieving long-term cost savings that can be directly applied to our classroom teaching, "said Assistant Director Andrea Parchment. We also provide students with practical cases of innovation and sustainable development. Every day when they walk into the school, they can witness firsthand how wise energy choices can help education and fulfill environmental responsibilities

• June 24, 2025

According to the latest monthly analysis of clean energy projects tracked by E2 and the Clean Economy Tracker, as the US Senate prepares to vote on a bill to increase taxes on the clean energy industry, some clean energy companies cancelled $1.4 billion worth of new factories and clean energy projects in May. The latest cancelled projects include manufacturing plant projects in West Virginia, New York, Alabama, Arizona, and Washington, which means $15.5 billion worth of new plants and power projects have been cancelled since January 1st. These cancelled projects were originally expected to create nearly 12000 new job opportunities. According to E2's analysis, the Republican congressional district suffered the most severe losses. As of now, over $9 billion in investments in Republican districts have been cancelled, postponed, or closed in 2025, resulting in nearly 10000 job cuts. The $1.4 billion project cancelled in May is expected to create at least 1000 new job opportunities. The five closed projects announced last month resulted in the layoff of 600 workers. The projects cancelled in May also included General Motors' decision to convert an electric car factory located in Tonawanda, New York to produce eight cylinder gasoline cars. The ongoing policy uncertainty and the consequences of expected tax increases for clean energy companies are becoming increasingly clear, "said Michael Timberlake, communications director at E2. Enterprises are responding to the Senate proposal - just like the House proposal - which will significantly reduce tax credits that drive the prosperity of the US energy and manufacturing industries Along with numerous project cancellations, the company announced in May an investment of nearly $450 million to build new solar, electric vehicle, grid, and transmission equipment factories in five states, including $120 million from electric vehicle manufacturer Rivian to build a 1.2 million square foot supplier park in Illinois, expected to create 100 new jobs. In addition, Prolec GE Waukesh announced plans to invest $140 million to build a power transformer manufacturing plant in North Carolina, which is expected to create 330 new jobs. As of May, 62% of all announced clean energy projects, 71% of all jobs, and 82% of all investments are located in Republican congressional districts. The cancellation of these projects is just adding insult to injury, "Timberlake said. Last year, renewable energy accounted for over 90% of the new electricity supply in the United States. Cancelling these projects could mean a reduction in available energy, and both consumers and businesses would face higher electricity prices Since the federal Clean Energy Tax Credit Act was passed by Congress in August 2022, a total of 53 announced projects have been cancelled, closed, or scaled back. These abandoned projects involve over 21000 job opportunities and $18.2 billion in investments.

• June 23, 2025

With the maturity of the solar energy industry, more and more regulations and supply chain bottlenecks have become a part of daily business. In order to maintain competitiveness and profitability, wholesale buyers must diversify their business models. One method is to implement a secondary market strategy, including collaborating with solar equipment brokers to expand the accessibility of photovoltaic hardware pricing and supply. Wide coverage is necessary to achieve stability in fluctuations. What is hindering the company from exploring and implementing secondary market solutions? Perhaps the main reason is a misunderstanding of what the secondary market is and what services brokers can provide. One misconception is that the secondary solar energy market does not exist. I think people in the solar industry underestimate the size of the secondary market, "said Christian Adams, CEO and founder of Alchemy Solar Distribution. And it's growing, especially since I founded the company three years ago Another misconception is that the secondary market only includes second-hand products. In fact, a large portion of the secondary market in the United States today consists of brand new products with warranty. I originally thought that by 2016, the excess supply of modules would dry up, "said Yousri Abdou, founder of Aten Solar. But that's not the case. There are always people who want to sell those unnecessary, brand new original components EnergyBin is a consortium of photovoltaic professionals dedicated to promoting the resale and recycling of solar equipment, of which Aten Solar and Alchemy Solar Distribution are members. According to the alliance, 1.7 million components have been listed for resale on its exchange since 2020. By 2024, 95% of components will be new, with over 90% achieving an efficiency of 19.0% or higher. The secondary market provides a distribution channel for components and other photovoltaic equipment that were previously sold but are now being resold due to project surplus, cancellation, or liquidation. The purpose is to re market and deploy these products to projects that currently require equipment, rather than storing them in warehouses and depreciating over time. Solar equipment brokers (also known as resellers) are committed to matching products with buyers' needs. Brokers have a vast network of relationships and are able to find products that are usually priced lower than what buyers purchase on their own. In turbulent markets, prices and supply conditions are influenced by supply chain issues, geopolitical factors (including tariffs, net measurement changes, and gradual elimination of incentives), and technological advancements. Smart wholesale buyers may benefit greatly from partnering with brokers who can expand the range of products purchased by buyers. In addition, brokers can also help negotiate purchase terms, which is very helpful for developers, EPCs, and contractors who need complex projects spanning months or years....