• August 08, 2025

The Eland solar+energy storage project developed by Arevon Energy is now fully operational. The project is divided into two phases and is located near the Mojave Desert in Kern County. It is one of the largest solar+energy storage facilities in the United States, with a total investment of over $2 billion. The Eland project consists of 758 MW DC solar power generation facilities and 300 MW/1200 MWh energy storage systems. The Eland Phase I project will be put into commercial operation by the end of 2024, while the Eland Phase II project has recently been fully operational - consisting of 1.36 million solar panels and 172 lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said, "We are building a greener Los Angeles. Arevon's Eland solar+energy storage project alone can provide enough electricity to over 266000 households in Los Angeles and increase the city's clean energy share to over 60%. This is an important milestone in Los Angeles' transition to 100% clean energy by 2035. ”This is the future of clean energy in Los Angeles - I want to thank the Los Angeles Water and Electricity Authority, Arevon, and all the partners who made this moment possible. ” The energy produced and stored by Arevon's Eland has signed a long-term agreement with the Southern California Public Power Authority (SCPPA) to deliver it to its members, the Los Angeles Water and Electricity Authority (LADWP) and the Glendale Water and Electricity Authority (GWP). Arevon CEO Kevin Smith said, "The launch of the Eland solar+energy storage project is a milestone achievement for Arevon. Eland is not only the largest project in our investment portfolio, but also provides reliable and affordable energy on a large scale, demonstrating our team's leadership in driving the future development of renewable energy in California. ”The close cooperation between project landowners and community members, as well as our power purchase and financing partners, is crucial to our achievement. We are pleased to provide stable and safe local electricity to Los Angeles residents and contribute to the state's renewable energy goals - while supporting local communities and investing in long-term sustainable development Tesla batteries are locally produced in Las Rop, California, and can efficiently and quickly release electricity during peak usage periods, enhancing California's energy security, especially in extreme heat, power restrictions, and power outages. The construction of Eland 1&2 nuclear power plants has created approximately 1000 job opportunities, and it is expected that the project will pay over $36 million to the local government throughout its entire lifecycle to support school, public service, and necessary infrastructure upgrades.

• August 07, 2025

D3Energy has officially launched a plan to build a 6-megawatt floating solar system for Monroeville Village, which will become Ohio's largest floating solar installation and one of the largest floating solar installations in the United States. The system, led by the village of Monroeville and developed in collaboration with D3Energy, will be connected to the local distribution network in Monroeville, providing clean and renewable energy for households and businesses throughout the community. According to a long-term power purchase agreement, Monroeville Village will purchase electricity from the project owner Gardner Capital. Stetson Tchividjian, Managing Director of D3Energy, said, "We are honored to have collaborated with Monroeville in the early stages of this project. Their foresight and perseverance have been key to our current achievements. Monroeville has long been a leader in the energy sector, and through this project, they will utilize more green energy than many larger counties and cities across the country. They have set a bold example and demonstrated how rural communities can play an important role in promoting clean energy development The project utilizes the existing reservoir in the village, saving over 30 acres of land that was originally needed for traditional ground installation systems. In addition to saving land, floating solar energy also has environmental benefits such as reducing evaporation and improving water quality. D3Energy has formed the same team as the successful delivery of the Del Co Water floating solar project in 2023, and has once again partnered with Gardner Capital and local contractor ARP Solar to provide support for the installation in Monroeville. They have extensive experience in floating solar energy development and extensive field experience in Ohio. At present, the project is under construction and is expected to be put into use in early 2026.

• August 06, 2025

If approved by local and state government officials, the new stadium of Virginia minor league baseball teams will soon be equipped with a 1 megawatt solar system The Richmond Flying Squirrels are a Class 2A affiliate team of the San Francisco Giants and will play the 2026 season at the newly constructed CarMax Park stadium. This new stadium will become a landmark building in Richmond's newly named Diamond District, which is currently undergoing reconstruction. After the end of the 2026 season, Dominion Energy Virginia plans to install over 1700 solar panels on the double layered roof of the CarMax Park stadium and build five solar covered carports in adjacent parking lots. We are pleased that this iconic building in Richmond can provide our customers with reliable, affordable, and increasingly clean electricity, "said Ed Baine, Executive Vice President of Utility Operations and President of Dominion Energy Virginia If approved by regulatory agencies, the project will further strengthen Dominion Energy's growing solar power facilities in Virginia. The sports stadium project will also assist the company in utilizing previously developed land to construct some power generation projects. This solar project embodies a comprehensive collaborative approach that is crucial for achieving Richmond's clean energy goals. It is a great example of how public, private, and community partners can work together to create a more resilient and sustainable future, "said Laura Thomas, Director of the Richmond City Office of Sustainable Development

• August 05, 2025

Wood Mackenzie has released a new report exploring the impact of the Package of Beautiful Acts (HR1) on the US residential solar market. The analysis team found that canceling the Investment Tax Credit (ITC) under Article 25D would hinder short-term growth, but the long-term potential remains strong. It is expected that growth will resume after 2028. The latest insight report by Wood Mackenzie, "Short term Challenges and Long term Potential: Evaluating the Potential Market for Household Solar Energy in the United States," points out that compared to the "business as usual" baseline scenario in the second quarter, HR1 predicts that household solar installed capacity may decrease by up to 46% by 2030. Cancelling the Household Investment Tax Credit (ITC) will make it more difficult for homeowners to afford solar energy, causing significant disruption to the market in the short term. Many companies will no longer be able to continue operating, "said Zoe Gaston, the head of Wood Mackenzie. However, the market will eventually adapt, and the remaining participants will diversify and find ways to cut costs. In addition, the rise in retail prices will continue to make the value proposition of household solar energy more attractive Despite these short-term challenges, the report reveals enormous long-term opportunities. It is expected that by 2050, the total addressable market (TAM) for residential solar energy will reach nearly 1500 gigawatts. This analysis uses the data of the U.S. Census Bureau and Wood Mackenzie to estimate that by 2050, there will be about 92 million self occupied single family homes in the United States. After excluding inappropriate properties and properties with existing solar installations, there will be more than 70 million new residential solar energy in the next 25 years. Even in Wood Mackenzie's conservative 25 year low value scenario (assuming TAM penetration rate is only 12%), the market will still increase residential solar capacity by 150 gigawatts by 2050. However, in 25 years, many things could change, including advances in technology and products, evolution of business models, and cost reductions, all of which could accelerate the growth of household solar energy, "Gaston added. We expect the final outcome to be more positive than the low value scenario we predicted

• August 04, 2025

California apartment owners and managers who provide housing for low-income residents can now save significant energy storage system costs through the state's Multi Family Affordable Housing Solar (SOMAH) program. The new incentive measures enable eligible properties to pair energy storage systems with solar systems at lower prices, thereby increasing residents' energy resilience and reducing long-term electricity costs. The energy storage system must be paired with the new SOMAH solar device. Based on the system size and tenant benefits, incentive measures can cover up to 100% of the cost of eligible energy storage projects. As long as the energy storage system primarily serves tenant units, public areas, or both, it can receive funding. By capturing excess solar energy, energy storage systems can reduce utility bills, provide backup power during power outages, and support California's transition to clean and resilient energy. Anna Taleysnik Mehta, Senior Project Manager of SOMAH at the Sustainable Energy Center, said, "In the event of a planned power outage or emergency, the energy storage system can ensure that the lights are on, the refrigerator is cooling, and the phone is charging. Using stored solar energy during the peak electricity price period is also a wise move to manage the energy costs of real estate Over the next seven years, the state has allocated nearly $184 million to incentivize energy storage projects. To qualify, energy storage projects must meet existing SOMAH eligibility requirements, including serving low-income households subject to contract restrictions, and be located within the utility service areas of Pacific Gas and Electric Company, Southern California Edison Company, San Diego Gas and Electric Company, Liberty Utilities, or PacifiCorp. Other recent changes to the SOMAH program include expanding the funding for roof maintenance required for installing solar energy and simplifying the approval and payment processes in areas with lower participation in the program. SOMAH is a program of the California Public Utilities Commission that provides clean solar energy and monthly water and electricity credits to hundreds of thousands of low-income residents who would otherwise be unable to use renewable energy at home. Since its launch in 2019, SOMAH has allocated and reserved over $240 million in incentives to support more than 100 megawatts of solar power capacity, serving over 59000 tenants across the state. This is the largest low-income solar project in the United States. SOMAH's unique community-based approach ensures long-term economic benefits for low-income families and homeowners, helps accelerate the development of the multi family residential solar market, and creates employment opportunities for disadvantaged and low-income communities.

• August 01, 2025

For industry insiders, reducing costs is not a new thing in order to develop solar energy in the United States. With the cancellation of the Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC), now is a good time to use existing tools to reduce costs and continue to have an impact. At the SolarAPP Foundation, we are committed to collaborating with installers and local governments to reduce licensing costs and shorten approval times, providing affordable energy for homeowners. Our software SolarAPP+has just issued over 100000 licenses - which fully demonstrates what we can achieve when all stakeholders work together to solve industry challenges. SolarAPP+is an online software platform that automates the licensing process for residential solar and energy storage systems. Contractors using SolarAPP+do not need to wait for days, weeks, or even months of manual permit review to obtain immediate approval for compliant solar and solar+energy storage systems within their participating jurisdictions on the same day. This platform ensures compliance with electrical regulations, structural integrity, and other safety standards, enabling cities and counties to significantly reduce permit backlog and free up human resources. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in the United States has collaborated with stakeholders in the solar industry, regulatory agencies, building safety communities, and local governments to develop SolarAPP+, aimed at making it easier and faster for jurisdictions to issue compliance licenses to licensed solar installers and contractors. SolarAPP+is currently managed by the non-profit organization SolarAPP Foundation, and I am honored to lead the foundation. Our goal is to reduce the cost of transitioning to clean energy. SolarAPP+has achieved particular success in standardizing highly decentralized and time-consuming licensing processes across jurisdictions, reducing soft costs, and accelerating solar deployment schedules.

• July 30, 2025

The School of Architecture at the University of Kansas has completed a student led design and construction project that combines practical architectural education with sustainability. This project marks the completion of the 18th consecutive LEED Platinum certified residential project for Studio 804 at the school, and the second project supported by S-5 product donations! Studio 804 is a unique and practical design and construction project in the Master of Architecture program at the University of Kansas. This project was founded by Dan Rockhill with the aim of providing immersive experiences for final year graduate students, challenging them to design, procure materials, and build a complete building in just nine months, laying a practical foundation for sustainable building practices. The residence at 1040 New York Street consists of a 2000 square foot (approximately 187 square meters) main residence and a 1000 square foot (approximately 97 square meters) ancillary residential unit, which includes a garage and additional living space. The exterior walls of the residential building are made of white composite metal panels, and are paired with a 22 grit matte black standing edge metal roof. The residence is located on a previously vacant fill plot in East Lawrence, a historic neighborhood adjacent to the Kansas River (KAW) and downtown Lawrence. In order to obtain LEED Platinum certification, the project adopted a solar photovoltaic system. S-5! Donated its PVKIT ®  The DirectAttach solar bracket system enables the installation of 8.8 kW solar cell arrays without penetration, using Navitas 550 W double-sided 144 piece semi cut single crystal modules. It is expected that the solar cell array will offset most (or even all) of the energy consumption of the residence. In addition, S-5! It also contributed its ColorGard snow retention system, which is designed to match the aesthetics of the roof and provide snow management during the harsh winter season, protecting the roof and occupants. S-5! CEO and founder Rob Haddock said, "We are honored to support projects like Studio 804, which integrate high-level design, practical learning, and real-world sustainability. These students are learning how to build houses more intelligently and efficiently - and this starts with high-quality materials and streamlined installation practices.

• July 29, 2025

NLYTN Energy announced the launch of a new solar specific 3D visualization service to help engineers communicate recommendations to stakeholders. From local governments to landowners, solar stakeholders are seeking higher transparency and stronger confidence, especially in rural areas. Traditional planning schemes, site maps, and technical drawings often fail to meet the requirements. Based on actual engineering and existing site conditions, 3D project visualization can provide necessary clarity to build confidence and make informed decisions at various stages of the sales and development process. NLYTN helps project teams showcase their solar installations comprehensively by creating accurate, realistic, and location accurate project images based on facts. Unlike typical visualization companies, NLYTN's renderings are created by renewable energy professionals, not just graphic designers. NLYTN's NABCEP and PEM certification teams understand utility interconnectivity, licensing restrictions, AHJ requirements, and common site challenges. The team does not need to waste time on basic coordination - they already understand system components, layout strategies, and licensing priorities, and can provide renderings that directly support project success.

• July 28, 2025

EDPR NA Distributed Generation（EDP Renewables North America  The distributed power generation business under the company has signed a 20-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with California Water Service to install 2.35-megawatt DC on-site solar cell arrays at the company's sewage treatment plant in northeast Bakersfield. This cooperation aims to reduce the long-term impact of public utility companies on the environment. Cal Water and EDPR NA DG expect the system to generate approximately 3800 megawatt hours of renewable energy annually. According to current electricity prices for customers in the Bakersfield area, one of California Water's largest service areas, it is expected that renewable energy generated by solar arrays will reduce grid energy costs by approximately $1.7 million during the agreement period. At Cal Water, we are committed to being responsible environmental managers, and our collaboration with EDPR NA DG will help us reduce traditional electricity costs, achieve scientifically sound greenhouse gas reduction targets, and enhance sustainability, "said Marty Kropelnicki, CEO and Chairman of Cal Water. We look forward to the deployment of this new on-site solar cell array, which is crucial for us to continue providing safe, reliable, and affordable water supply services to our customers for decades to come.