Looking Ahead to 2026

Moment Energy, one of North America’s leading EV battery repurposing companies, announced the appointment of battery scientist Dr. Kandler Smith as Technical Fellow, further strengthening the company’s battery energy storage systems (BESS) platform and expanding its core battery science capabilities.

The company also welcomes Dorian West, former Tesla engineering leader, as Strategic Advisor. Together, Smith and West bring unmatched expertise in battery modelling, system engineering, and large-scale product deployment to accelerate Moment Energy’s mission to deliver clean, affordable, and reliable energy storage solutions.

“We are excited to be working with the top minds in the world as Moment Energy pushes the boundaries of battery performance as we continue to scale Gigawatt-hours globally,” said Edward Chiang, CEO and Co-Founder of Moment Energy. “Dr. Kandler Smith’s modelling expertise and Dorian’s engineering leadership cement our position as the top EV battery repurposer. Together, they are helping us build highly scalable systems that treat rigorous safety certifications as our baseline, not a hurdle to work around.”

Smith brings 20 years of experience from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), where he led the Electrochemical Modelling & Data Science team within the Energy Storage Group. He holds nine patents in lithium-ion battery design and control, 12 software copyrights in neural networks and lithium-ion modelling, and has authored more than 90 peer-reviewed journal articles with over 10,000 citations.

As Technical Fellow, he will lead advanced battery life and performance modelling, SOC/SOH algorithm development, and second-life battery research. Drawing from his pioneering NREL work, which includes developing lifetime simulation tools to estimate end-of-life battery value and modeling the safe installation of repurposed packs. His expertise will enhance Moment Energy’s proprietary AI-driven Battery Management System (BMS). This system underpins its UL 1973, UL 9540, and UL 9540A-certified Luna BESS, delivering more than 30% cost savings compared to first-life battery systems.

“Second-life EV batteries are becoming critical to enabling affordable, reliable, and clean energy storage, and I’m excited about joining Moment Energy to help address this at such a pivotal time,” said Smith. “I am excited to join a dynamic team of engineers and scientists who are focused on the safe design of large-scale batteries with low cost and long lifetime.”

Dorian West brings strategic guidance from his 15-year tenure at Tesla (2005–2020), where he helped launch the original Roadster battery pack and later served as Director of Engineering, leading the Model 3 and Tesla Semi prototype programs. His insights will strengthen Moment Energy’s engineering and product development roadmap as the company expands into new markets and applications.

"I'm thrilled to support Moment Energy, which is pioneering the utilization of excess energy storage assets,” said Dorian West, Strategic Advisor to Moment Energy. “This is an important, yet solvable problem, and it's great to work with such a talented and enthusiastic team."

Supporting the company’s commercialization efforts, Carl Mansfield, VP of Business Development, and Sathvik Tantry, Strategic Advisor, will help scale Moment Energy’s technology and deployments globally. Mansfield brings deep experience in the commercialization of behind-the-meter energy storage and utility-scale virtual power plants, while Tantry contributes strategic expertise in growth and partnerships across clean technology sectors.

Moment Energy | https://www.momentenergy.com/ 

Renewable Properties, a developer and investor in small-scale utility, community solar, energy storage, and electric vehicle infrastructure projects, announces crossing over $280 million in closed corporate and project capital facilities with national bank Pathward, N.A. (Pathward) and BridgePeak Energy Capital (BridgePeak), a renewable energy loan originator and service provider to banks and private credit funds.

Since the beginning of the relationship, Pathward and BridgePeak have closed more than $280 million in total loan commitments supporting both project-level and corporate financings. Of that total, $187 million was deployed to support Renewable Properties’ community solar and small-scale utility projects across seven states: California, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York, North Carolina and South Carolina. The remaining in corporate capital commitments was secured to support safe-harbor equipment purchases, late-stage project development, and the acquisition of developed real estate assets subject to long-term leases. 

In 2025 alone, the corporate and project capital facilities closed between the parties totaled $98 million, of which $58 million was used to finance the construction of solar, solar + Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS), and standalone BESS projects, and $40 million provided an increase to Renewable Properties’ existing equipment procurement facility, a pre-construction revolving credit facility, a land loan facility, and numerous project-specific construction loans across Renewable Properties’ portfolio of projects. 

“These new corporate facilities mark a milestone of effective collaboration with Pathward and BridgePeak supporting Renewable Properties’ sustained growth, allowing us to continue providing value to our investors,” said Aaron Halimi, Founder and CEO of Renewable Properties. “Over the years, they’ve provided development capital, equipment capital, construction loans converting into permanent loans, and loans on the land that we own underneath projects we’ve developed. We’re grateful to our long-term partners for helping us bring solar access to more Americans as we lead a transformative shift toward healthier communities, powered by accessible, clean energy.” 

Previous loans through the relationship, which have included funds for development, equipment, and construction financing, have facilitated 86 MWdc across 18 projects now in operation and four projects under construction. 

“Pathward is pleased to expand our ongoing relationship with Renewable Properties to support the deployment of alternative energy across the U.S.,” said Christopher Soupal, Chief Growth Officer at Pathward. “Relationships like ours help position the solar, storage, and electric vehicle infrastructure markets for success.”

“At this milestone, we are proud to build on our support for Renewable Properties’ work to bring inexpensive and sustainable domestic energy to more Americans,” said Shawn Andrews, CEO of BridgePeak. “Strategic capital investments like these will be critical to helping meet our country’s growing energy needs.”

The relationship with Pathward and BridgePeak has built a strong financial foundation that will enable Renewable Properties to continue expanding their solar project portfolio.

Renewable Properties | www.renewprop.com

Pathward | https://www.pathward.com/

BridgePeak Energy Capital | https://www.bridgepeak.com

Ascent Solar Technologies (“Ascent” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: ASTI), the leading U.S. innovator in the design and manufacturing of featherweight, flexible thin-film photovoltaic (PV) solutions, announced that its previously delivered solar blankets have been successfully integrated into NOVI’s Pathfinder spacecraft, scheduled to fly on a SpaceX Falcon 9 Transporter launch no earlier than March 29th.

NOVI's spring mission will demonstrate GENIE (Geospatial Ecosystem for Near Real-Time Information at the Edge), the company's flagship open-access, multi-sensor, edge-compute platform designed to provide low-cost, low-latency Earth observation data and real-time geospatial intelligence.

Integration of Ascent’s flexible CIGS array allows for a tightly rolled configuration that minimizes the stowed volume. Pathfinder, the toaster-sized hyperspectral imaging spacecraft (pictured below) will generate 150W, an amount of power typically seen on larger spacecraft at higher costs. NOVI is poised to recognize compounded savings across its planned constellation by partnership with Ascent.

“Our partnership with NOVI has evolved quickly over the last year. In large part due to our rapid manufacturing capabilities in a domestic facility, enabling Ascent to quickly supply product to customers looking for immediate solutions,” said Paul Warley, CEO of Ascent Solar Technologies. “Through this partnership with NOVI, we’re achieving lower costs on faster timelines, driving major reductions in mass and volume compared to traditional silicon solar arrays. Our solutions are also more durable and sustainable, which reduces space debris risks while improving efficiency for spacecraft operators.”

Ascent Solar Technologies | https://www.ascentsolar.com

Fonroche Lighting announced that they are the first company in the world to earn a Guinness World Record for solar street lighting installation. Last October, Fonroche Lighting America installed 70 solar streetlights across 3.1 miles in Rowlett, Texas, in just 10 hours and 35 minutes, earning an official Guinness World Records title for the most solar streetlights installed in 12 hours. This record is more than a headline—it’s proof of a global breakthrough, transforming lighting for cities, communities, and businesses everywhere.

Fonroche Lighting declares freedom, bringing light where the grid can’t and redefining what’s possible, anywhere and in any climate. Their off-grid solar streetlights deploy in hours—not weeks— being time-efficient, cutting costs and increasing safety. And they’re not just innovators—they’re record-breakers.

In Rowlett, Texas, Fonroche provided a solar-powered alternative which illuminated three major corridors—State Highway 66, Rowlett Road, and Dalrock Road, over 3.1 miles. This was done at half the cost of a traditional $2.8 million utility proposal. “Lighting three roads for the price of one speaks to every official and taxpayer,” said David Hall, City Manager. “Rowlett’s choice proves solar should lead the future of roadway infrastructure.”.

Fonroche Lighting is also present in 50+ countries, delivering reliable solar lighting in some of the world’s most challenging environments. Every system is engineered for 365 nights of lighting per year, backed by advanced battery technology and continuous innovation.

Headquartered in Texas, serving all of America.

Since entering the U.S. market in 2019, Fonroche Lighting America has delivered installations across 1,000+ municipalities in 43 states.

Its U.S. headquarters is in Fort Worth, Texas supporting coast to coast delivery. The company operates 5 regional service hubs in Boise (ID), San Antonio (TX), Los Angeles (CA), Orlando (FL), and Marietta (GA) to accelerate onsite installs and aftermarket service.

Major U.S. and remarkable world-wide projects. 

• Los Angeles (CA)
When devastating wildfires struck California in January 2025, Fonroche responded with hundreds of solar streetlights installed in just 24 hours, restoring safety to neighborhoods without relying on damaged grid infrastructure. This rapid intervention showcased the unmatched speed and resilience of off-grid solar lighting—qualities that U.S. cities increasingly demand. Later that year, the city accelerated solar streetlight installations to combat copper wire theft and keep neighborhoods lit during potential future outages—announcing hundreds of new solar lights.

• Chile – Atacama Desert
Fonroche deployed solar lighting in one of the driest regions on Earth—the Atacama Desert—where extreme heat can reach up to 104°F and nights can approach freezing, making traditional grid lighting nearly impossible to install and function. This solution ensures reliable illumination in harsh conditions, enhancing safety and delivering cost efficiency for Chile’s infrastructure.

• Colombia – Viaducto de la Paz
Fonroche illuminated one of South America’s largest viaducts, spanning 3.1 miles. This project demonstrates how solar lighting can overcome the challenges of high-altitude weather and complex engineering, improving safety for thousands of drivers while reducing infrastructure costs for the country.

• Switzerland – The Evolène Ski Resort
Despite the low level of sunlight, the slopes are illuminated 365 nights a year.

• San Antonio, TX
In Texas’s second biggest city, San Antonio, there have been ongoing municipal rollouts across multiple corridors and facilities, with 1,200+ lights installed citywide.

• Las Vegas, NV
With a total of 500 lights, Las Vegas is scaling solar streetlighting. The move eliminates trenching, break-ins, damage and copper wiring, a frequent target for theft, while guaranteeing operation during outages. The result: safer streets and a smarter, more resilient city.

• Maui Airport, HI
At Hawaii’s second-busiest airport, solar-powered perimeter parking lights were installed – a critical solution for a region prone to tropical storms and power outages, ensuring uninterrupted lighting when reliability matters most.

• Other memorable projects include: Tesla Facilities, Domino’s Pizza, Virgin Galactic Spaceport and the NASA Glenn Center.

Fonroche Lighting  | https://www.fonrochesolarlighting.com/

In preparation for its commercial Phase 2, Nouveau Monde Graphite Inc. (“NMG” or the “Company”) (NYSE: NMG, TSX: NOU) has acquired the brownfield site and industrial facilities adjacent to its greenfield site in Bécancour, Québec. The purchase enables the Company to deploy the first stage of its refining operations to fulfill Panasonic Energy’s 13,000-tpa active anode material offtake and reinforces NMG’s presence in Bécancour, at the heart of the Canadian battery hub and two hours from the Matawinie Mine.

Eric Desaulniers, Founder, President, and CEO of NMG, stated: “For NMG, delivering an optimized and competitive solution to our partner Panasonic Energy with the utmost efficiency is a strategic priority. By accelerating our development pathway and maintaining the highest standards of performance, cost discipline, and ESG excellence, we are helping anchor a resilient and sustainable integrated battery value chain in North America. This collaboration reinforces our shared ambition to build a local, carbon-neutral, and future‑proof supply chain that will strengthen industrial sovereignty, support the energy transition, and ensure long‑term value for our partners, our communities, and the North American market.”

The 143,000-m2 brownfield site includes a 22,000-m2 facility, large storing and logistics area, and connections to key industrial infrastructure. It is contiguous to NMG’s 200,000-m2 greenfield site, providing an ideal setting for a two-stage development plan for the Company’s Phase-2 Bécancour Battery Material Plants. Bécancour offers direct access to highways, railway and port for easy logistics, robust industrial infrastructure, nearby labour pool, along with potential synergies within the industrial park with battery material and chemical producers.

NMG will leverage this brownfield facility to build a first production capacity of active anode material dedicated to Panasonic Energy. Offering a full integration from ore to battery materials, graphite concentrate from the Company’s Phase-2 Matawinie Mine will be refined at this Bécancour Battery Material Plant into 13,000 tonnes per annum (“tpa”) of active anode material as per Panasonic Energy’s technical and quality specifications. The production will support battery manufacturing at Panasonic Energy’s Nevada and Kansas facilities in line with Panasonic Energy’s global capacity expansion.

Leveraging the technology and engineering work carried out thus far, NMG will work to retrofit its plan to the building and develop a class-3 estimate for this brownfield development in H1-2026. The industrial building and associated infrastructure should enable the Company to lower infrastructure costs, optimize CAPEX per tonne for this first stage development, and streamline permitting, engineering and construction timelines to align the commissioning period with that of the Matawinie Mine. The Company will work with its strategic shareholders and targeted financial partners toward a Bécancour final investment decision (“FID”) in H2-2026.

Nouveau Monde Graphite | www.nmg.com

Avangrid, Inc., a leading energy company and member of the Iberdrola Group, announced that it extended its offtake agreement with Xcel Energy for electricity produced at Avangrid’s MinnDakota energy project. This extension of an existing Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) between the two companies will ensure MinnDakota continues to generate reliable energy for the region and support the local economy.

“MinnDakota was a milestone project when it was built and it continues to generate safe, reliable, and affordable electricity today,” said Jose Antonio Miranda, Avangrid CEO. “Projects like MinnDakota help power thousands of homes and businesses each year, and contribute to the local community with jobs, tax revenue, and landowner lease payments. Our collaboration with Xcel Energy ensures these benefits will continue to support the local community.”

“We’re committed to powering the communities we serve with reliable energy they depend on every day. This extension allows us to continue providing renewable wind energy to our customers in the region,” said Justin Tomljanovic, senior vice president, Corporate Finance and Strategic Growth at Xcel Energy. “We value working with Avangrid and share a common goal to support the local economy and help the community thrive.”

MinnDakota is a 150 MW wind energy project located on the Minnesota-South Dakota border. Two-thirds of the project is located in Lincoln County, Minnesota, with the remainder located in Brookings County, South Dakota. It supports 9 full-time jobs in the community for operation and maintenance. Since it was built, the project has paid about $10 million in property taxes, which support a variety of public services in the area.

Xcel Energy has been the offtaker for MinnDakota since the project began its operation, and it will continue to receive energy from the project under this extension.

Avangrid has over 900 MW of power generation capacity from 10 projects in Minnesota and South Dakota, including MinnDakota. Overall, Avangrid operates over 10.5 GW of capacity from more than 80 projects across the country.

Avangrid | http://www.avangrid.com

Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E), unveiled a new web site designed to help customers make informed decisions as they explore all-electric appliances and solutions.

Developed in partnership with GridX, PG&E's Clean Energy Calculator delivers personalized cost and savings estimates that help customers understand how clean energy choices may impact their energy bills, total cost of buying, installing and operating an electric appliance or vehicle, and available rate plans and other incentives.

Accessible through customers’ PG&E online account, users can explore and compare products including electric heat pumps for water heating and home heating and cooling, induction stoves, solar, battery storage, and electric vehicles. The tool uses customers’ actual energy usage data to tailor different upgrade scenarios, compare rate plans, and provide a complete financial picture of electric and gas costs while offering real-time insights into long-term costs and savings.

"Supporting customers early in their choices is essential in our path to a lower-carbon future,” said Vincent Davis, Chief Customer Officer and Senior Vice President, Customer Experience, PG&E. “Tools like the Clean Energy Calculator give customers clarity and control as they explore new ways to cook, heat, and cool their homes, and they can find electric solutions that fit their needs and budgets.”

Electrification can reduce energy use and costs, improve comfort, and create a more sustainable environment for homes, businesses, and communities. PG&E is committed to supporting its customers in every step of the energy upgrade journey.

"PG&E is demonstrating what's possible when utilities think like tech innovators – putting customers first," said Chris Black, CEO of GridX. "The Clean Energy Calculator empowers residential consumers to see the cost implications of their decisions instantly, making clean energy choices simpler, smarter, and more engaging. The addition of gas modeling means customers can truly understand the total cost of ownership when considering electrification options like heat pumps.”

This launch aligns with PG&E’s vision to build trust, support electrification, and deliver affordable, reliable and decarbonized energy solutions to more than 16 million customers across Northern and Central California. Access the Clean Energy Calculator at pge.com/calculator.

Pacific Gas and Electric Company | www.pge.com 

GridX | www.gridx.com