A review by the SUN DAY Campaign of data newly released by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) confirms that during the first two-thirds of 2024, solar remained the nation’s fastest growing source of electricity as the mix of all renewables increased their output by nearly 9%. Moreover, for the second month in a row, solar surpassed wind to be the largest generator of electricity among renewable energy sources. Key Year-to-Date ....
A practical guide to what you should start, stop, and continue doing to protect your assets from cybersecurity threats Take the Next Steps with Your Cybersecurity Program Over the past decades, industrial control system manufacturers and suppliers have accomplished incredible technological advancements in the products and services our industries provide. Process control operations comprise critical pieces of the global economy and infrastru....
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The possibility of working remotely has opened opportunities for millions of people. As an avid outdoorsman, I have been building a retreat in western Montana. In this case, the word “remote” is an understatement; there is no electricity, cell phone service, or internet access — it’s entirely off the grid. But I need those things to live and work here, so I had to build my own. Here’s how I did it. People have historically moved ....
Alternative Energies
Keith Lambert
Energy Storage
Emerson
Wind
Jerry Burhans
Yokogawa Electric Corporation (TOKYO: 6841) announces that its subsidiary Yokogawa Italia has received an order to supply an integrated automation and energy control and monitoring system for the Baseload Power Hub, a pioneering offshore green hydrogen production and storage pilot plant within a wind farm developed by CrossWind, a joint venture between Shell (80%) and Eneco (20%). The order was received from the Italian EPCIC* contractor Rosetti Marino S.p.A., the parent company of an internationally operating group of the same name that specializes in the design, construction, and supply of offshore and onshore plants for oil & gas, renewables, and carbon neutrality.
The Baseload Power Hub will be located at the Hollandse Kust Noord offshore wind farm, which is 18.5 kilometers off the Dutch coast. Using excess energy generated by the 69 offshore wind turbines, this plant will employ a megawatt-scale electrolyzer to produce green hydrogen that can be stored and converted on-demand into electricity by fuel cells. As wind is an intermittent power source, this plant will also include batteries for short-term power storage.
From a technical perspective, the Baseload Power Hub has a complex architecture, with multiple independent systems that need to be orchestrated, coordinated, and optimized by a single high-level control and monitoring system. At the center of the technology for this project is Yokogawa’s Collaborative Information Server (CI Server), a cross-platform supervisory control and information system that integrates industrial control systems, sensors, and artificial intelligence. CI Server allows operators to centrally supervise the integrated control and safety system that is to be delivered as part of this project, and whose principal elements are Yokogawa's CENTUM VP process automation system, ProSafe-RS safety system, and Plant Resource Manager, as well as an energy and control monitoring system provided by BaxEnergy, a Yokogawa company.
Yokogawa takes a holistic view of the automation design to enable such plants to operate as cost-efficiently as possible. The Baseload Power Hub project demonstrates Yokogawa’s commitment to supporting its clients in the execution of decarbonization projects that involve the management of complex environments in which different systems must be closely integrated, based on the system of systems (SoS) concept.
* Engineering, procurement, construction, installation, and commissioning
In support of the Biden-Harris administration’s efforts to deploy 30 gigawatts (GW) of offshore wind energy capacity by 2030, the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) announced the availability of the final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the proposed SouthCoast Wind Project. If approved, this project could generate up to 2.4 GW of offshore wind energy, enough to power more than 800,000 homes.
“Tribal nations, federal and state agencies, local communities, ocean users, and key stakeholders have been instrumental in informing BOEM’s detailed environmental review of the proposed SouthCoast Wind Project,” said BOEM Director Elizabeth Klein. “Completing this environmental review represents another major milestone in the administration's commitment to achieving clean energy objectives that will benefit local communities.”
The SouthCoast Wind Energy LLC proposal includes up to 147 wind turbine generators, up to five offshore substation platforms located at a maximum of 149 positions, and up to eight offshore export cables potentially making landfall in Brayton Point or Falmouth, Massachusetts. The lease area covers approximately 127,388 acres and is about 26 nautical miles (nm) south of Martha’s Vineyard and 20 nm south of Nantucket, Massachusetts.
During a 60-day public comment period from February to April 2023, BOEM held three virtual public meetings to receive input on the draft EIS from Tribal Nations, local community members, government partners, commercial fishing interests, and other ocean users. BOEM received 182 comments, which helped inform the final EIS.
Under the Biden-Harris administration, the Department of the Interior has approved more than 15 GW of clean energy from ten offshore wind projects, enough to power nearly 5.25 million homes. It has also held six offshore wind lease auctions, including a record-breaking sale offshore New York and New Jersey and the first-ever sales offshore the Pacific and Gulf of Mexico coasts. Earlier this year, Secretary Haaland announced a schedule of potential additional lease sales through 2028.
The “Notice of Availability of a Final Environmental Impact Statement for SouthCoast Wind Energy LLC’s Proposed SouthCoast Wind Energy Project Offshore Massachusetts and Rhode Island” will publish in the Federal Register on November 15, 2024.
BOEM | https://www.boem.gov/
Energy Vault Holdings Inc. (NYSE: NRGV) ("Energy Vault" or the “Company”), a leader in sustainable, grid-scale energy storage solutions, announced plans for the deployment of a 57 MW/114 MWh Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) in Scurry County, Texas, as well as the signing of a 10-year offtake agreement with Gridmatic, a leading AI-enabled power marketer. Construction of the Cross Trails BESS is expected to begin in Q1 2025, with commercial operation expected by summer 2025.
The Cross Trails BESS, which will be built, owned and operated by Energy Vault, will provide energy and ancillary services to support renewable energy production and improve grid resiliency in the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) region. In conjunction with the BESS deployment, Energy Vault’s 10-year offtake agreement with Gridmatic is expected to commence in Q2 2025.
This project marks another milestone in Energy Vault’s global buildout of energy storage infrastructure that follows recently announced projects in the U.S., Europe and Australia where the Company will build, own and operate energy storage systems and microgrids under long term power purchase and tolling agreements. This U.S. project in the ERCOT market reflects the Company’s strategy announced earlier this year to invest in financially attractive and long-term energy storage infrastructure projects where Energy Vault can leverage its expertise in designing, building and operating energy storage assets under the most efficient capital and operating expense profiles, supported by its project financing engagement recently announced with Jefferies. This strategy is being executed to maximize the impact of Energy Vault’s unique technology-agnostic approach to energy storage solution development, all enabled by its innovative Energy Management System (EMS) which is quickly becoming a leading asset management platform of choice in the industry. The in-depth analytics of Energy Vault’s EMS platform across all operating, safety, maintenance and dispatching functions maximizes asset availability, thereby enhancing the Company's ability to capitalize organically and inorganically on emerging opportunities in the rapidly evolving energy storage market while delivering more predictable and more profitable recurring revenues for the systems that it operates.
The offtake agreement is the first physically settled revenue floor contract to be signed for a BESS in ERCOT. The agreement is backed by Gridmatic’s previously announced Energy Storage Fund, and will provide both Energy Vault and Gridmatic with the benefit of Gridmatic’s AI-based forecasts, which have delivered the top Day Ahead energy trading results in the ERCOT market. As part of the agreement, Gridmatic will also provide QSE services.
“We continue to execute rapidly and advance our strategy announced earlier this year in May to leverage our deep battery system and software expertise to efficiently build, own and operate energy storage assets,” said Robert Piconi, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Energy Vault. “Owning energy storage infrastructure plays a critical role in our commitment to deliver long-term, sustainable shareholder value while allowing the company to more profitably and efficiently capitalize on the growing global demand for energy storage solutions. We are excited to partner with Gridmatic as a leading power marketer with proven storage offtake and optimization performance to hedge project cash flows and deliver reliable, safe and sustainable energy solutions that will benefit the ERCOT market.”
“Energy Vault’s proven expertise and ability to develop and deploy world-class, reliable, and cost-effective energy storage solutions make them a perfect partner for Gridmatic,” said Matt Wytock, Chief Executive Officer of Gridmatic. “This BESS will deliver increased grid reliability and affordability for Texas residents as load growth continues to accelerate. We look forward to a strong partnership with Energy Vault for years to come.”
The BESS system will be built with Energy Vault’s proprietary X-Vault integration platform using Energy Vault’s proprietary UL9540 certified B-VAULT product, and VaultOS Energy Management System to control, manage and optimize the BESS operations. Energy Vault’s innovative system architecture provides customer optionality with both battery and inverter suppliers, while unique AC-coupled and DC-coupled configurations provide the drop-in flexibility needed for any project.
To date, Energy Vault’s B-VAULT portfolio consists of more than 2 GWh in total projects deployed and under construction. Gridmatic has contracted to operate over 300 MW of battery storage projects across the ERCOT and CAISO markets.
Energy Vault | www.energyvault.com
Gridmatic | https://www.gridmatic.com
Enstall is strongly committed to promoting domestic content as part of the investment strategies supported by the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). As the clean energy sector continues to grow, leveraging domestic resources is crucial for maximizing tax credits and fostering a sustainable economy.
The IRA incentivizes businesses who are financing solar projects to invest in clean energy technologies, providing significant bonus tax credits for projects that prioritize domestic manufacturing. By utilizing domestically sourced materials, some businesses can enhance their eligibility for these incentives, ultimately lowering costs and boosting local economies.
“By focusing on domestic content, we are not only meeting eligibility requirements but also supporting American jobs and investments,” said Rich Tiu, CEO of Enstall US. “We believe this approach aligns perfectly with our mission to provide the world with Solar, sooner.”
The benefits of choosing domestic content are clear. Projects that meet the domestic content requirements of the IRA can receive a bonus tax credit of 10%, providing a significant advantage for businesses looking to optimize their investment in clean energy solutions.
Enstall is committed to providing clients with the necessary resources and guidance to navigate the complexities of the IRA and domestic content requirements, so their US businesses: IronRidge, EcoFasten and PanelClaw, are carving out pathways to contribute in meaningful ways to the total content.
One caveat offered by the COO of Enstall US, Corey Geiger, is to carefully vet all claims made about this tax break. “This is an emerging and dynamic situation. To date, the federal guidance is incomplete and allows for various interpretations of what constitutes ‘Domestic Content.’ Because of this, we directly engage with our customers and their tax advisors and consultants to ensure that we fully support their documentation, traceability and other IRS requirements to monetize this important bonus credit. By doing this, we raise their confidence that their projects will earn the Domestic Content Bonus Credit while meeting the rigors of a possible IRS audit.”
Enstall | https://enstall.com/us-domestic-content/
IronRidge | https://www.ironridge.com/dc
EcoFasten | https://ecofastensolar.com/resources/domestic-content/
PanelClaw | https://www.panelclaw.com/domestic-content/
Intersolar & Energy Storage North America (IESNA), the industry’s flagship solar + storage event, announced the team and sponsor line-up for the 2025 Solar Games competition, to be held February 25-27 at the San Diego Convention Center in San Diego, CA.
The industry’s original installer competition tasks teams with building residential solar + storage systems live within the IESNA expo hall, showcasing their expertise while being judged on installation safety, quality, speed, and more. These eight teams will compete for the chance to win a grand prize of $10,000—and title of Solar Games Champion:
"We're thrilled to be back in the Solar Games and very excited to see how this competition continues to grow and attract top talent from across the industry,” said Cam Smith, Solar Division Manager, Huston Solar (a returning team). “As a union solar installer in the challenging Indiana market, we’re proud to showcase our skills and represent both our local union and Huston Electric.”
A dynamic product demonstration, the Solar Games also showcase equipment sponsors’ quality solutions. Industry-leading sponsors include:
“Being a part of the Solar Games is an honor, and we love that the products used in the games are donated to the non-profit Twende Solar afterward,” said Ann Haas, Office Manager, SolaDeck. “The ability to meet so many skilled installers in one place is phenomenal. We are looking forward to the 2025 Solar Games and the challenges they come up with for the competing teams!”
Register to Watch the Solar Games In Person
Secure your access to the competition, 550+ exhibitors, 24+ educational sessions, and much more by registering today.
Intersolar & Energy Storage North America | intersolar.us
PowerGEM, LLC, a leading provider of power grid and energy market simulation software and services, announced it has merged with Cambridge Energy Solutions (CES), a leading provider in competitive energy market modeling and pricing simulation software. This is the second M&A transaction that PowerGEM has completed in 2024 to expand its platform to support the growing demand for electricity generation and transmission across short- and long-term horizons.
Founded in 2002, CES helps customers optimize asset operations, maximize revenue, and hedge against uncertainty through its portfolio of eight software products. Its flagship product, DAYZER (Day-Ahead Locational Market Clear Prices Analyzer), is the leading simulation software for U.S. competitive electricity markets, combining proprietary algorithms with automated, high-quality and timely data ingestion to produce accurate insights.
“CES is known for its U.S. power market expertise, the speed and accuracy with which its software produces actionable insights, and its superb customer support,” said Joe DeMatteo, CEO of PowerGEM. “As the power industry is undergoing a major transformation and will play a dominant role in business and economic expansion for years to come, PowerGEM continues to make investments that help customers meet their evolving planning and operational needs to ensure grid reliability and market efficiency. Merging with CES is key to this mission, and we’re thrilled to have our teams come together.”
The PowerGEM and CES teams will operate as a single organization, with CES’s founder, Assef Zobian, Ph.D., joining the executive team as Chief Development Officer and General Manager for CES.
“Market volatility, grid congestion, and energy transition complexity are driving the need for data to ensure effective short-term power trading and risk management in addition to understanding the impacts on long-term supply and demand on planning, financing and operating assets,” explained Zobian. “CES has always been differentiated by our accurate and fast simulations due to the quality of our models, data management processes, and customer support. Merging with PowerGEM is a unique and exciting opportunity for us because they share our dedication to providing mission-critical software that supports the entire electric power ecosystem.”
Since 2000, PowerGEM has helped operate and plan a reliable grid and optimize energy market efficiency through its TARA and PROBE software suites. With the addition of Astrapé in April, SERVM became part of the PowerGEM software and services portfolio to include power generation resource adequacy and expansion planning. The CES customer base includes financial services firms, trading organizations and other competitive energy market participants that rely on robust simulations to support energy trading.
“Since investing in PowerGEM earlier this year, it has been a privilege to support the company’s continued growth journey,” said Charles Ha, Principal at TA. “PowerGEM and CES have tremendous product synergies, and we believe their combined industry expertise and complementary technologies will result in enhanced value, positioning customers for success as the power grid becomes increasingly complex. This transaction marks an exciting milestone, and we look forward to the next chapter in partnership with Assef, Asser and the CES team.”
PowerGEM was represented by Goodwin Procter LLP as legal counsel. Cameron & Mittleman and Gunderson Dettmer served as legal advisors for CES.
The terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
PowerGEM | www.power-gem.com
Cambridge Energy Solutions | https://www.ces-us.com
Zeo Energy Corp. (Nasdaq: ZEO) ( “Zeo Energy”, or the “Company”), a leading Florida-based provider of residential solar and energy efficiency solutions, announced that it has completed the acquisition of substantially all of the assets (the “Sale Transaction”) of Lumio Holdings, Inc. (“Lumio”), another residential solar company.
On September 3, 2024, Lumio filed a voluntary petition under Chapter 11 of the United States Bankruptcy Code in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware (“the Court”). The Sale Transaction was approved by the Court on November 1, 2024.
Tim Bridgewater, CEO of Zeo Energy, said, “We believe this transaction marks a significant step forward for Zeo Energy that will enable us to expand our scale and market presence in the solar industry. While the last year has been challenging for residential solar companies, we believe that we have positioned the Company as a platform to opportunistically purchase assets which will help us grow at above-industry rates in 2025 and beyond. We look forward to completing solar installations under agreements entered into by Lumio for their customers and financing partners. We also plan to work with Lumio’s sales representatives to bring them onto our platform to accelerate Zeo’s growth.”
Additional information regarding Lumio’s Chapter 11 cases is available at https://cases.stretto.com/Lumio. Stakeholders with questions can email [email protected] or call toll-free at (855) 328-2638 or (714) 203-6409 if calling from outside the U.S.
Advisors
Ellenoff Grossman & Schole LLP served as legal advisor, and Gateway Group served as strategic communications advisor to Zeo Energy.
Zeo Energy Corp. | www.zeoenergy.com
Lumio | lumio.com
Solar Nov 15, 2023
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