Distributed Solar’s Last Mile Problem
Distributed solar and storage projects are increasingly stalling before receiving Notices to Proceed as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) and Foreign Entity of Concern (FEOC) rules tighten compliance, tax‑credit windows shrink, and interconnection queues lengthen. Capital providers are becoming more selective, directing dry‑powder financing toward developers who have demonstrable execution capabilities rather than merely strong investment theses. Late‑stage pre‑NTP assets now require an execution platform to move forward, while buyers are beginning to consider earlier‑stage projects to avoid paying premiums for fully de‑risked assets. The shift reflects a maturing market where supply‑chain compliance and construction readiness are critical differentiators.
New York State Senate Passes ASAP Act to Deploy 20GW Distributed Solar by 2035
The New York State Senate approved the Accelerate Solar for Affordable Power (ASAP) Act, setting a goal of 20 GW of distributed solar capacity by 2035. New York already reached its 6 GW target a year early and has raised the 2030...
No Evidence of PFAS Leaching From Solar Panels, Study Finds
Researchers from Michigan State University and Oak Ridge National Laboratory examined claims that photovoltaic (PV) modules contain leachable PFAS and found no confirmed evidence of such emissions from commercially deployed panels. The analysis shows fluoropolymers—a distinct, low‑bioavailability subset of PFAS—are...
Air Permit Docs: New Gas Projects Linked to Just 11 US Data Center Campuses Could Emit 129M+ Tons of Greenhouse...
A recent Wired analysis of air‑permit filings reveals that just 11 U.S. data‑center campuses are tied to new natural‑gas projects capable of emitting more than 129 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent each year. The projects are linked to high‑profile...
OpenAI Stargate's Milam, Texas, 'Freebird' Data Center to Span 548,950 Sq Ft in First Phase
OpenAI announced the first phase of its "Freebird" Stargate data center in Milam County, Texas, a single‑story facility covering 548,950 square feet with four data halls. The project, built by SoftBank’s SB Energy, is budgeted at roughly $470 million and targets a...
Tiny Data Center Gas Projects Outpace Morocco’s Emissions
"New gas projects linked to just 11 data center campuses around the US have the potential to create more greenhouse gases than the country of Morocco emitted in 2024." -Wired There's a better way. At Firma Power we're chatting that way...
RTI Recycled More Than 390 Million Pounds of Used Cooking Oil in 2025
Restaurant Technologies, Inc. (RTI) delivered nearly 720 million lb of fresh cooking oil and set a new record by recycling over 393 million lb of used cooking oil (UCO) in 2025. Bulk delivery eliminated more than 20 million plastic jugs, saving roughly 31.5 million lb of trash...
WindEurope 2026: RWE Extends ZITON Partnership
RWE has renewed its strategic partnership with jack‑up vessel specialist ZITON for an additional three years, securing at least 240 vessel days per year starting in 2027. The framework, which builds on a 2023 agreement, covers vessels, lifting and auxiliary...
VivoPower Acquires 41.5MW Norway Data Center
VivoPower announced the acquisition of an operational 41.5 MW data center in Norway powered entirely by renewable hydroelectric energy. The facility is expected to contribute roughly $31 million in annualized revenue and $10 million in annualized EBITDA, restoring the company’s EBITDA profitability. The...
Sunkonnect Plans to Cut 15% Carbon Dioxide Emissions in Educational Institutes over 4 Years
Sunkonnect, a renewable‑energy consulting firm, announced a four‑year program to slash carbon dioxide emissions from Indian educational campuses by 15%, equating to roughly 34 million tonnes. The plan hinges on installing solar rooftops at more than 5,000 schools and conducting comprehensive...
Noveria Energy Secures Grid Deal with TenneT Germany for 250MW Battery Storage Project
Noveria Energy has signed a grid‑construction agreement with transmission system operator TenneT Germany to connect a 250 MW battery energy storage system in Niedersachsen by early 2028. The deal marks a key milestone for Noveria’s portfolio, which exceeds 3 GW of planned...
FAB Rolls Out 2026 Net‑Zero Plan, Mobilising $31 B in Sustainable Finance
First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB) announced its 2026 Net‑Zero Transition Plan, detailing a 35% cut in Scope 1‑2 emissions intensity since 2019 and the mobilisation of AED 114.4 billion ($31 billion) in sustainable and transition finance in 2025, positioning the bank as a regional...
Accelleron’s New ACCX300-L Low Speed Turbocharger Now Market-Ready
Accelleron has launched the ACCX300-L, a next‑generation low‑speed turbocharger for two‑stroke marine engines. The design introduces a service‑friendly cartridge that lets operators swap the rotating assembly during a port stay, decoupling maintenance from dry‑dock cycles. Over a typical 25‑year vessel...
Andhra Pradesh to Host ₹5,400 Crore Solar Manufacturing Project Groundbreaking
Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu will inaugurate the foundation stone for ReNew Energy Global plc's new solar manufacturing complex in Anakapalli district on April 23. The plant, a 6 GW solar ingot and wafer unit, represents a ₹5,400 crore ($650 million)...
Rivan Secures $32 Million to Accelerate European Synthetic Fuel Production
Rivan announced a £25 million ($32 million) funding round led by IQ Capital with backing from Plural, to expand its synthetic fuel manufacturing in Europe. The capital will fund a new plant, R&D, and a hiring push, underscoring the surge in climate‑tech...
5-MW Solar Project Largely Financed by Microsoft Suppliers Seeking Renewable Energy Certificates
Ever.green completed the 5‑MW Baron solar project in Anson County, North Carolina, owned by Headwater Energy. A coalition of Microsoft suppliers bought high‑impact renewable energy certificates, providing the revenue certainty needed for financing. The REC purchases align with Microsoft’s Supplier...
Exergy3 Secures $13.5 Million Seed Round to Convert Surplus Renewable Power Into Industrial Heat
Exergy3, a University of Edinburgh spin‑out, raised $13.5 million in a seed round led by Axeleo Capital to scale its modular ultra‑high‑temperature storage that converts curtailed renewable electricity into industrial process heat. The funding will fund manufacturing expansion, a new Munich...
Exclusive: Octopus Energy Launches Battery-Powered Electricity Plan With Lunar
Octopus Energy has teamed with Lunar Energy to launch a bundled home‑battery offering in Texas. The package pairs a three‑year fixed electricity rate with a 30 kWh battery leased for $45 a month and automatic enrollment in a statewide virtual power...
DTEK Will Build $1.4-Billion, 650-MW Wind Farm in Ukraine
Ukrainian energy giant DTEK announced a €1.2 billion ($1.4 billion) investment to build the 650‑MW Poltavska on‑shore wind farm, slated to host up to 100 turbines in central Ukraine. The project, one of Europe’s largest private wind installations, follows DTEK’s wartime spending...
Aiko Steps up ABC Transition with 11GW Capacity Upgrade and Equipment Investment
Chinese PV maker Aiko announced a RMB 1.665 billion ($243 million) investment to convert existing PERC and TOPCon lines into 11 GW of high‑efficiency all‑back‑contact (ABC) cell capacity across its Yiwu and Chuzhou plants. The Yiwu base will add a 5 GW ABC line starting...
The Blueprint for Meeting the Power Needs of AI
AI‑driven data centers are poised to consume power at scales far beyond traditional workloads, exposing the aging U.S. grid that was largely built between the 1950s and 1970s. Industry leaders argue that the solution lies in a three‑point blueprint—building, investing,...
Kevin Bambrough Is 'All In' On Hydrograph Clean Energy
Kevin Bambrough, the former Sprott asset‑manager who oversaw roughly $10 billion, sat down for a marathon interview to discuss Hydrograph Clean Energy (CSE:HG). He argues the company’s yet‑to‑be‑commercialized graphene technology could generate "billions and billions" of revenue. The hour‑long video has...
Grid Operators Move to Tackle Europe's Offshore Wind Cable Challenge
Five leading European transmission system operators have signed a memorandum to deepen cooperation on offshore wind cable infrastructure. The alliance aims to harmonize design standards, pool procurement and share best‑practice data to curb the soaring €1‑2 billion (≈$1.1‑$2.2 billion) annual cost of...
Keyton Launches Australia’s First Passive House Retirement Home
"One of the country’s largest retirement living developers, Keyton, has unveiled what it says is Australia’s first Passive House built within a retirement village, drawing industry attention after previewing the concept last year" #passivhaus #passivehouse https://t.co/MxFWA82cXY https://t.co/5AOoVlyEiM
Turning Vibrations Into Value - a New Catalyst Converts CO2 Into Useful CO
Researchers at the University of Osaka have created a piezocatalyst that merges single‑atom nickel sites with nitrogen‑doped carbon on a BaTiO₃ piezoelectric scaffold. Under ultrasonic vibration at room temperature and ambient pressure, the material converts CO₂ to CO at a...
CCTS to Keep Near-Term Costs Manageable but Raise Long-Term Pressure on Cement, Aluminium Firms: ICRA ESG
India’s newly launched Carbon Credit Trading Scheme (CCTS) will keep short‑term compliance costs manageable for cement and aluminium producers, but it will tighten emission targets, creating larger credit deficits over the next two years. Under higher‑growth scenarios, cement firms could...
Solar Leads Ireland’s Home Energy Upgrade Grant Scheme in 2026
Ireland’s home‑energy‑upgrade grant scheme is seeing a surge in demand, with applications up 96% in the first quarter of 2026. The Sustainable Energy Authority of Ireland processed over 29,000 applications, of which more than 10,000 were for residential solar PV,...
Bound4blue Installs Wind Propulsion System on KCC’s Vessel Newbuild
Wind propulsion specialist bound4blue has finished fitting two 24‑metre eSAIL suction sails on the newbuild MV Baltazar for Klaveness Combination Carriers. The installation, carried out at New Yangzi Shipbuilding in China, is the first time the company’s locally manufactured suction sails...
Scatec Shares up 21 Percent Since the Turn of the Year: Scatec Commissions 60 MW Tozeur Solar Plant in Tunisia
Scatec ASA and Aeolus SAS commissioned the 60 MW Tozeur solar plant in Tunisia, retroactively effective 4 March 2026, joining the 60 MW Sidi Bouzid plant that began operating on 1 January 2026. Both projects are covered by 30‑year power purchase agreements with state utility STEG and...
'This Must Be a Wake-Up Call': Brussels Pushes for Faster Clean Power Drive
The European Commission unveiled an emergency policy package aimed at slashing Europe’s reliance on imported fossil fuels. The plan accelerates electrification and renewable‑energy deployment, backed by a €50 billion (≈$54 billion) fund and stricter emissions rules. Member states must revise their energy...
Commission Outlines AccelerateEU Energy Package
The European Commission unveiled the AccelerateEU package to curb soaring energy costs and reduce fossil‑fuel dependence after an extra €24 billion (≈$26 billion) was spent on imports in just 50 days. The plan mixes immediate household and industry relief with a long‑term...
German Utility Deploying 30 MW Heat Pump for District Heating
German utility Enercity AG has started constructing a 30 MW wastewater‑based heat pump at Hanover’s central treatment plant, targeting district heating for about 13,000 households. The system will generate roughly 130 GWh of heat per year, covering 7‑8% of the city’s demand...
How Dual-Use Solar Gets Built: A Field Guide to Partnerships that Work
Dual‑use solar—integrating grazing, beekeeping, pollinator habitats, or shade‑grown crops—has moved from niche experiments to a mainstream practice for developers seeking land‑friendly projects. Early site assessments that match climate, vegetation and community priorities enable partnerships with service providers or mission‑driven nonprofits,...
EnBW and Noveria Advance Construction on 1- and 4-Hour BESS Projects in Germany
EnBW announced that its portfolio of battery energy storage systems (BESS) in Germany will total 1.8 GWh, highlighted by a 400 MW/800 MWh lithium‑ion project at Philippsburg Energy Park slated for 2027 commissioning. The company also envisions pairing short‑term battery storage with hydrogen‑capable...
CIP’s €5 Trillion Roadmap: Why Auction Risk and Grid Bottlenecks Risk Are Wind’s Next Strategic Battlegrounds
Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP) unveiled a €5 trillion (~$5.4 trillion) roadmap to scale European wind power through 2035. The plan highlights auction risk and grid‑bottleneck risk as the next strategic battlegrounds for developers. CIP warns that inconsistent auction rules and constrained transmission...
What Does Trump’s Wartime Powers Flex Mean for Transformers and Other Grid Equipment Shortages?
President Donald Trump issued five Defense Production Act (DPA) determinations aimed at expanding domestic production of power‑grid equipment and fossil‑fuel infrastructure. The memo highlights severe shortages of transformers, high‑voltage components and other critical hardware, with backlogs now exceeding a year....
How BESS Operations Are Revolutionizing Urban Centers
Vertical battery energy storage systems (BESS) are moving from sprawling horizontal fields to multi‑story racks built near urban substations. Cities like Boston and New York are piloting these installations to shave peak‑load spikes, improve grid stability, and support renewable integration. The...
Botswana Breaks Ground on 500 MW Solar-Plus-Storage Project
Okavango Solar, wholly owned by Oman’s NAQAA Sustainable Energy, broke ground on the Maun solar‑plus‑storage project in northwestern Botswana. The 500 MW solar farm will be coupled with 500 MWh of battery storage and sold under a 30‑year power purchase agreement to...
Solar to Overtake Coal by Early 2030s, Fact‑Check Confirms
FACTCHECK – FALSE: US energy secretary Chris Wright thinks coal will still be world's top source of electricity "when I die". But solar is set to overtake coal in the early 2030s – and wind soon after. https://t.co/ozxG21RD5A
Garden River First Nation Wins 20-Year Contract for Ontario’s Largest Solar Farm
Neoen and Garden River First Nation have secured a 20‑year contract from Ontario’s Independent Electricity System Operator to develop the province’s largest utility‑scale solar farm. The 253 MW‑peak (200 MW‑AC) facility near Sault Ste. Marie is projected to generate 38,000 MWh annually and will be...
Ethiopia's Finance Minister Discusses Mini‑Grid and Clean‑Energy Partnerships
It was a pleasure meeting with @Ahmed_shide1, Ethiopia's Minister of Finance @MoF_Ethiopia. We discussed @SEforALLorg's support to #Ethiopia's #COP32 Presidency as well as partnerships to accelerate mini grids development and regional trade of #cleanenergy technologies. https://t.co/6YB9CtPHkV
Costain Uses Robots to Print 90 Concrete Bases for Teesside Captured CO2 Pipeline
Costain, A E Yates and Hyperion Robotics are 3‑D printing 90 high‑strength concrete bases for a 1.3 km carbon‑capture pipeline across Teesside. The robotic process eliminates formwork, reduces concrete and steel use by 40% and cuts emissions up to 50%, while delivering bases...
POSCO Holdings Shares Jump 8.2% After Low‑Carbon Iron Ore Project Wins WA Approval
POSCO Holdings' shares climbed more than 8% on the Korea Exchange after the company secured regulatory approval for a low‑carbon iron plant in Western Australia. The project, which will use hydrogen‑based reduction, is a cornerstone of POSCO's strategy to decarbonise...
Solx and Caelux Seal $3 GW Perovskite Solar Deal, Making Puerto Rico a New Manufacturing Hub
Solar startup Solx and California glass specialist Caelux have signed a five‑year, 3‑gigawatt strategic partnership to produce tandem perovskite‑silicon Aurora™ modules in Puerto Rico. The venture aims for 28% conversion efficiency and plans to scale to high‑volume roll‑to‑roll production by...
Redwood Materials Lays Off 10% of Staff to Speed Energy‑Storage Development
Redwood Materials announced it is cutting roughly 135 employees – about 10% of its workforce – as part of a restructuring aimed at accelerating its energy‑storage product line. The move follows a $425 million financing round that lifted the company’s valuation...
PureDC Unveils Europe’s First Microgrid-Powered Data Center in Dublin
PureDC has commissioned a 54 MW microgrid‑powered data center on Dublin’s Orion Business Park, delivering five‑nine reliability without a traditional utility connection. The facility blends dual‑fuel Wärtsilä engines, battery storage and renewable gas to meet AI‑driven compute demand while meeting 100%...
Nearly 11,000 Consumers Get 'Zero' Electricity Bills After Rooftop Solar System Adoption in Western Odisha
In March 2026, nearly 11,000 households in western Odisha reported zero electricity bills after installing rooftop solar under the PM Surya Ghar Muft Bijli Yojana and TP Western Odisha Distribution Ltd’s 1‑kW Utility‑Led Aggregation model. The region now has 10,885 solar installations, with about 60% of those homes...
PV Curtailment Exceeds 3.8% in Spain over Past Nine Months
Spain's photovoltaic (PV) curtailment averaged 3.83% over the past nine months, with stark regional disparities. In Badajoz province curtailment exceeded 37%, while Extremadura and Castilla‑La Mancha also show high rates, contrasting with Andalusia's lower levels despite large installed capacity. Circe,...
HVO Fuel Tested as a Direct Replacement for Diesel on Cork Commuter Trains
Iarnród Éireann is conducting a pilot that replaces diesel with hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) on two‑car Class 2600 commuter trains in Cork. The trial will use 100,000 L of HVO supplied by Corrib Oil over a 12‑ to 16‑week period, matching the fleet’s...
EMCOR Posts Record $4.5 B Q4 Revenue, Fuels Growth in Data‑center and Solar Construction
EMCOR Group posted a record $4.5 billion quarterly revenue, up 19.7% year‑over‑year, and announced over $1 billion in acquisitions, including Miller Electric. The results underscore accelerating demand for data‑center, solar and fire‑life safety projects across the United States.