Higher Power PV Modules Drive Up BOS Costs

EDF solutions électriques and Alliance de l'énergie de l'Est are proud to announce the successful financial closing for the Forêt Domaniale Wind project. The closing follows the recent issuance of the government decree authorizing the 185.6-megawatt (MW) project. The required capital for the project has been secured through lead arrangers Desjardins Group, Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, National Bank of Canada, KfW IPEX-Bank, and MUFG. Desjardins Group acted as administrative agent. The financing is structured in accordance with the Green Loan Principles, with Desjardins Group, Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, National Bank of Canada, and MUFG acting as coordinators for the application of these principles.

"Closing this financing reflects both the economic strength and strategic significance of the Forêt Domaniale Wind project in advancing Quebec's clean energy future, as well as the value of our ongoing partnership with local communities," said Amy Lloyd, CFO of EDF power solutions North America. "We are deeply thankful to our financial partners whose commitment has enabled us to move confidently into the construction phase. Beyond adding low-carbon capacity to the Hydro-Québec network, we're creating a meaningful climate victory and a long-term economic legacy for the region."

The Forêt Domaniale wind farm, located in the municipalities of Cap-Saint-Ignace, Notre-Dame-du-Rosaire and Sainte-Apolline-de-Patton within the Regional County Municipality (RCM) of Montmagny, in the Chaudière-Appalaches region, will be comprised of 30 wind turbines connected to Hydro-Quebec’s grid with the substation in the Montmagny area. The project is an equal partnership between EDF solutions électriques and Alliance de l'énergie de l'Est, each holding a 50% stake.

“I would like to emphasize our gratitude toward our financial partners, who clearly recognize the importance of a project of this kind,” commented Michel Lagacé, President of Alliance de l'énergie de l'Est. “The completion of a project like Forêt Domaniale is significant for Quebec—and particularly for Eastern Quebec— environmentally, socially, and economically.”

The project contributes directly to the decarbonization of the Quebec economy while providing significant local benefits. Over the life of the project, the 15 member communities of the Alliance de l'énergie de l'Est, the Magdalen Islands Maritime Community and the Wolastoqiyik Wahsipekuk First Nation will share approximately CAD $198 million in net distributions.

Preparatory work for construction has been underway since January 2026. With financing closed, the Forêt Domaniale Wind project can officially move into the construction phase, generating more than 250 jobs. The project partners are committed to working with local businesses and suppliers, ensuring sustainable development that benefits the community. The wind farm is scheduled to begin operations in late 2027.

Stikeman Elliott acted as legal counsel to the project for the transaction, with Blake, Cassels and Graydon LLP acting on behalf of the lenders.

Forêt Domaniale Wind Project

EDF | www.edf-re.com

Alliance de l'énergie de l'Est | https://alliance-est.ca/

The N.C. Clean Energy Technology Center (NCCETC) released its Q1 2026 edition of The 50 States of Solar. The quarterly series provides insights on state regulatory and legislative discussions and actions on distributed solar policy, with a focus on net metering, distributed solar valuation, interconnection rules, community solar, residential fixed charges, residential demand and solar charges, financial incentives, and third-party ownership.

The report finds that 44 states, plus the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, took some type of distributed solar policy action during Q1 2026 (see figure below), with the greatest number of actions continuing to address net metering policies (61), interconnection rules (51), and community solar policies (46). A total of 253 distributed solar policy actions were taken during Q1 2026, with the most actions taken in New Jersey, Virginia, New Hampshire, Maryland, Connecticut, Kentucky, Maine, and Minnesota.

Q1 2026 Policy Action on Net Metering, Rate Design, and Solar Ownership

The report identifies three trends in solar policy activity taken in Q1 2026: (1) legislators paving the way for plug-in solar, (2) states and utilities considering flexible interconnection for distributed generation, and (3) policymakers and regulators targeting residential energy affordability through solar.

“Following Germany's balcony solar boom, multiple state legislatures across the country have taken notice, introducing measures to expand access to plug-in solar systems,” observed Justin Lindemann, Project Manager at NCCETC. “These efforts aim to offer households in the U.S. – especially renters and multifamily residents – an alternative opportunity to bypass onerous interconnection requirements and offset part of their electricity consumption, as such systems have done in Europe.”

The report notes the top five distributed solar policy actions of Q1 2026:

• The Governor of Rhode Island ordering a review of the state’s net metering and solar incentive program;
• Virginia policymakers advancing distributed solar legislation;
• The First Appellate District Court of Appeals upholding Net Metering 3.0 in California;
• The Governor of New Jersey speeding up community and non-residential solar installations; and
• Connecticut regulators releasing a study on net metering and community solar successor programs.

"With affordability remaining a key issue in U.S. politics, policymakers in several states sought to leverage solar programs to reduce residential energy costs," noted Caitlin Flanagan, Policy Analyst at NCCETC. "State actors proposed, revised, or approved rooftop solar incentives and community solar programs to increase access, guarantee savings, and more narrowly focus on benefitting low-income residents.”

NC Clean Energy Technology Center | http://www.nccleantech.ncsu.edu

Southwire’s Bremen Industrial Plant announced that it has been awarded LEED Silver.

LEED, Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), is the most widely used green building rating system in the world and an international symbol of excellence. Through design, construction and operations practices that improve environmental and human health, LEED-certified buildings are helping to make the world more sustainable.

“We are proud to see the Bremen Industrial Plant lead the way as Southwire’s first manufacturing facility to be awarded LEED Silver,” said Jason Nine, Director of Process Technology Optimization at Southwire. “It is important to us to support Southwire’s commitment to generational sustainability by building new sites to the highest standard of quality, excellence and environmental and human health.” 

The Bremen Industrial Plant achieved LEED certification for implementing practical and measurable strategies and solutions in areas including sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection and indoor environmental quality. 

During the building’s design and construction phase, the team worked closely with contractors to implement improvements such as individualized HVAC and lighting for offices, using light-colored roofing to reduce the urban heat island effect, capturing rainwater and reducing light pollution in the parking lots.

“LEED certification is the ultimate recognition of global green building leadership, signaling that a space has undergone rigorous third-party verification and meets the highest green building standards,” said Peter Templeton, President and CEO of the USGBC. “The success of LEED is due to the partnership and support of those committed to advancing green building and sustainability. Each new LEED certification brings us one step closer to revolutionizing the spaces where we live, learn, work and play.”

Certification is proof that buildings are going above and beyond to ensure the space is constructed and operated to the highest level of sustainability. More than 129,434 commercial and institutional projects are currently participating in LEED, comprising more than 12 billion square feet of commercial space in all 50 states and more than 186 countries and territories.

"Southwire not only ‘talks the talk’ but actually ‘walks the walk.’ This is another example of Southwire doing well by doing good," said Casey Long, Vice President of Manufacturing. "I am proud of the Bremen team and our partners for delivering a result that strengthens our sustainability goals today and in the future."

For more Southwire news, visit www.southwire.com/newsroom. 

Tigo Energy, Inc. (NASDAQ: TYGO) (“Tigo” or “Company”), a leading provider of intelligent solar and energy software solutions, announced the availability of an Inverter Power Output Control (IPOC) for the 3.8kW Tigo EI Inverter designed for smaller residential systems with utility interconnection constraints. The 3.8kW EI Inverter can be deployed on new and legacy inverter systems. The expansion of the IPOC feature to the 3.8kW inverter is a result of installer demand for smaller residential repowering offerings. It is designed to help allow installers to upgrade legacy systems while maintaining original system ratings and avoiding costly permitting or electrical upgrades. In the Midwest, where installers are increasingly servicing first-generation residential systems, these capabilities help streamline upgrades while preserving system economics for homeowners.

Roughly 400,000 U.S. residential solar systems are now more than a decade old. As many of these early systems fall within the 3–4 kW range, and research shows repowering is often driven as much by reliability issues as by economics, installers increasingly need solutions that preserve system capacity to avoid costly permitting or electrical upgrades.  Meeting these constraints requires inverter technology that can adapt to legacy system conditions without requiring a redesign of the entire installation. IPOC allows installers to adjust AC output during commissioning to align with original system specifications or utility requirements. 

“We're seeing strong demand for cost-effective repowering solutions in the Midwest, especially for smaller, early-generation systems that are starting to experience inverter failures,” said Mike Skala, vice president of operations at SunSystem Technology. “Having a right-sized option that allows us to complete upgrades without re-permitting or panel upgrades helps us deliver faster, more affordable solutions for homeowners while keeping systems productive.”

The 3.8kW inverter joins the 7.6kW and 11.4kW Tigo EI Inverters with IPOC capability for repowering applications and situations where permitting or utility requirements incentivize certain output limits. The iTigo EI Inverter offers a wide operating voltage range and a small form factor, making it an excellent fit for a wide variety of inverter repowering applications. Together, these capabilities help enable installers to extend system life while minimizing the need for additional hardware, labor, and project complexity

“Supporting installers through the transition from new installations to system upgrades requires the right tools and the right partners, and Tigo's approach to repowering focuses on real-world constraints like permitting and panel capacity,” said Matt Smucker, president at Zonna Energy. “We're pleased to showcase solutions that align with what our installer network needs to serve customers efficiently. Our conference is designed to address evolving market demands, and it’s great to work with Tigo on doing that once again.” 

IPOC settings are configured via the Tigo EI App during commissioning and logged for inspection verification, helping to streamline documentation for authorities having jurisdiction and reducing project delays. The inverter supports both standalone solar and solar-plus-storage configurations, giving homeowners the option to add battery backup during the upgrade process. 

“The expansion of our repowering capabilities reflects the growing need for solutions that work within the constraints of existing systems,” said Jing Tian, chief growth and revenue officer at Tigo Energy. “By combining flexible output control with compatibility across system configurations, we are helping installers complete upgrades more efficiently while maintaining system compliance and performance.”

Tigo will highlight its approach to residential solar repowering at the Zonna Solar Conference, taking place April 21–22, 2026, in Berlin, Ohio. Tim Grahl, senior director of sales - East at Tigo, will present practical strategies for upgrading legacy systems using the Tigo GO Optimized ESS (Energy Storage System) platform. The session will demonstrate how pairing Tigo optimizers with DC-coupled hybrid inverters and modular battery storage up to 30 kWh can create an efficient repowering pathway for aging PV systems, all managed through the Tigo Energy Intelligence platform. Tigo will also demo the GO Optimized ESS, which consists of the new GO Battery, EI Inverter, and TS4-A-O flex MLPE.

To schedule a meeting with Tigo while at the Zonna Solar Conference, please visit here. 

Tigo Energy |  www.tigoenergy.com

Ameresco, Inc., (NYSE: AMRC), a leading energy infrastructure solutions provider, celebrated the completion of a new solar photovoltaic (PV) installation at the Skokie Courthouse in Cook County, Illinois, with a ribbon‑cutting ceremony alongside Cook County leadership and project partners. The solar installation consists of two arrays, totaling 1.5 megawatts (MW), located on the courthouse rooftop and on the parking garage, designed to generate approximately 1,737 megawatt‑hours (MWh) of clean electricity annually.

The system is expected to offset over 50 percent of the facility’s annual electricity consumption, advancing Cook County’s sustainability and decarbonization goals while reducing long‑term operating costs.

“This project demonstrates Cook County’s commitment to leading by example when it comes to clean energy and responsible stewardship of public facilities,” said President Toni Preckwinkle, Cook County Board President. “By investing in on‑site renewable energy at the Skokie Courthouse, we are reducing emissions, lowering energy costs, and creating long‑term value for residents.”

The environmental benefits of the project remain significant, particularly in the context of today’s heightened focus on energy independence, cost stability, and emissions reduction. The system is projected to cut greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 722 metric tons of CO₂e annually—roughly equivalent to the carbon sequestered by more than 724 acres of forest each year. At the same time, it is expected to generate enough clean energy to match the annual electricity use of over 150 homes, helping to reduce reliance on volatile energy markets while supporting long-term sustainability and resilience goals.

“Projects like the Skokie Courthouse solar installation highlight how public sector facilities can play a meaningful role in the energy transition,” said Lou Maltezos, Co-President of Ameresco. “We’re proud to collaborate with Cook County to deliver a solution that supports resilience, sustainability, and fiscal responsibility while producing measurable environmental benefits for the community.”

The project was developed in collaboration with Cook County’s Bureau of Asset Management, with leadership and support from the County’s energy and facilities teams. By leveraging underutilized space on the courthouse roof and parking structures, the installation maximizes clean energy generation without impacting daily courthouse operations.

In addition to completing the Skokie Courthouse solar installation, Ameresco has also been awarded eight additional solar projects with Cook County, further expanding the County’s on‑site renewable energy portfolio. These projects, currently in the design phase, represent approximately 3.3 MW of new solar capacity and are expected to be completed by November 2027. Together, these systems will play a key role in supporting Cook County’s 2030 sustainability and emissions‑reduction goals.

Ameresco | https://www.ameresco.com/solution-solar-power/

A new Grove GMK6300L-1 all-terrain crane was delivered to Rókin Sp/f, one of the leading construction companies on the Faroe Islands. The handover marks a significant step for Rókin, which has traditionally relied on rented cranes for project-based work and is now strengthening its capabilities with a powerful, versatile machine of its own. The GMK6300L-1 is not only the newest addition to Rókin’s fleet – it is also the largest crane currently operating on the Faroe Islands, setting a new benchmark for lifting capability in the region.

Rókin specialises in harbor construction, drilling, piling, woodworking, storage, and related infrastructure work. The company’s existing fleet includes excavators, rollers, vibrators and loading cranes – but notably no mobile crane until now. With growing project demands and an expanding construction portfolio, the GMK6300L-1 provides Rókin with the flexibility and lifting performance required for complex coastal and industrial tasks across the islands.

Immediately after arriving on the islands, the GMK6300L-1 was deployed directly to its first job in a local harbor, where it successfully supported essential lifting operations. The crane demonstrated its strength, reach and precision from day one, proving its value for coastal working conditions that require reliability, power and stability.

The GMK6300L-1 offers a 300 t maximum lifting capacity and an impressive 80 m main boom, making it ideal for challenging terrains and demanding lifting operations. Combined with Grove’s renowned reliability and robust design, the crane is exceptionally well suited for the Faroe Islands’ harsh weather conditions.

The crane was sold by UN Mobilkraner A/S, Manitowoc’s official dealer in Denmark. UN Mobilkraner A/S will also provide ongoing local support and service, ensuring Rókin receives expert assistance, maintenance, and responsive technical backing throughout the crane’s lifecycle. The company’s strong customer service approach ensures the crane is always ready for efficient operation.

Manitowoc | www.manitowoc.com

e1 Marine, a leading developer of advanced hydrogen generation technology for the maritime and port sectors, has announced a further commercial project in the marine leisure and superyacht market, supplying methanol-to-hydrogen reformer technology to support PowerCell Group’s M2Power 250 system onboard a large yacht. The installation, rated at 0.5 MW, is part of a retrofit program, with delivery planned for 2027.

The announcement forms part of PowerCell’s 43 MSEK order for the M2Power 250 methanol-to-power platform from a European shipyard. Each 250 kW module integrates e1 Marine’s M30 methanol-to-hydrogen reformer with PowerCell’s marine fuel cells to generate hydrogen on demand for clean electrical power. Designed to replace traditional marine diesel gensets, the integration eliminates the need for compressed hydrogen storage while enabling quiet, low-emission operation.

Dave Lee, Executive Director, e1 Marine, commented: “This project represents an important milestone for e1 Marine, building on our earlier collaboration with PowerCell and marking our second commercial project supporting the marine leisure and superyacht markets. Larger yacht builders are increasingly looking for practical ways to cut emissions and improve onboard environmental performance without compromising reliability, range, or sailing experience. On-demand hydrogen generation from methanol provides a compelling pathway to do just that, and we’re pleased to collaborate with PowerCell to provide the yachting sector with greater choice of high-performance, lower-emission energy options.”

The project builds on the ongoing collaboration between e1 Marine and PowerCell to deliver fully integrated reformer-fuel-cell solutions for maritime applications through the M2Power 250 system. Within this, e1 Marine’s technology generates fuel cell-grade hydrogen (≥99.97% purity, ISO 14687 compliant) onboard from a methanol-and-water feedstock blend for direct use in fuel cells, producing only water and heat as by-products, with the latter offering potential for recovery and onboard use where appropriate.

Based on third-party lifecycle assessments, e1 Marine’s methanol-to-hydrogen systems can deliver significant greenhouse-gas emission reductions compared with conventional marine diesel – from 10-27% with grey methanol to as much as 85% using green methanol – alongside reductions of more than 99% in regulated local air pollutants such as NOx, SOx, particulate matter, CO and hydrocarbons.

Richard Berkling, CEO, PowerCell Group, said: “The order confirms market interest in our methanol-to-power platform. The M2Power 250 offers shipowners a practical way to reduce emissions in existing vessels and supports the accelerating shift toward cleaner auxiliary and propulsion power.”

e1 Marine’s methanol-to-hydrogen systems are designed to generate hydrogen onboard and on demand, making them well-suited to larger yachts and leisure vessels seeking flexible, lower-emission solutions that integrate within existing fuel and storage arrangements. Because methanol is a liquid at ambient conditions and increasingly available as a marine fuel, it enables the benefits of hydrogen fuel-cell power without relying on dedicated hydrogen bunkering or high-pressure storage. The same technology can also support applications across workboats and short-sea vessels under 2,000 GT, port and terminal equipment, and as a containerized, grid-independent source of clean energy for ports and yards.

Lee added: “One of the key strengths of methanol-to-hydrogen reforming is its versatility. This project shows how the technology can meet the specific operational and experience-driven demands of larger yachts today, while also offering a scalable pathway that can support other maritime segments as decarbonization progresses.”

e1 Marine | www.e1marine.com

PowerCell Group | powercellgroup.com