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Qcells, a global leader in complete clean energy solutions, announced that it has begun manufacturing solar cells at its Cartersville, Georgia factory, marking a major milestone toward completing the country’s only vertically integrated solar manufacturing plant, where major components from ingot to finished module is made under one roof. The company expects to be at full production by Q3 2026 making this the largest operating solar cell factory in U.S. history. In addition to starting its cell production, Cartersville module assembly is now at full capacity, building 16,700 panels a day.

“Producing the first solar cells at Cartersville is a milestone for Qcells and for American manufacturing,” said Andy Park, Global CEO of Qcells. “As our ingot, wafer, and cell lines reach full capacity, we’ll be making the major components of a solar panel right here in Georgia. A dependable domestic supply chain doesn’t just create thousands of good-paying jobs, it gives our customers greater certainty on price, supply, and tariffs, and a product they can trust from start to finish.”

With cells in production, the factory will scale fast: by Q3 2026, Cartersville will make 3.3 GW each of ingots, wafers, cells, and 3.5 GW of modules a year. Together with the expanded Dalton factory, which tripled module capacity to 5.1 GW in late 2023, Qcells’ total module capacity in Georgia will reach 8.6 GW a year, or 47,000 panels a day, approximately the energy needed to power roughly 1.3 million U.S. homes for a year.

The Cartersville investment is also bringing thousands of skilled manufacturing jobs to Northwest Georgia. Together with the expanded Dalton campus, Qcells’ Georgia operations are expected to employ nearly 4,000 people — an estimated 3,800 direct jobs across Bartow and Whitfield Counties.

The modules produced in Cartersville will also help project developers and asset owners qualify for the 10% Domestic Content Bonus under the Investment Tax Credit. Because the major components of each module are made domestically, customers can pursue qualifying projects with greater confidence on pricing, supply and sourcing. With demand for fully domestic solar equipment growing, Qcells expects strong interest in Cartersville-produced modules.

Qcells’ fully integrated U.S. manufacturing platform also helps shield customers from supply chain disruptions and trade uncertainty. By producing major solar components domestically, the company gives customers greater visibility into sourcing, pricing and delivery timelines, reducing exposure to international supply constraints and tariff volatility. For developers and energy buyers focused on reliable, long-term project execution, that domestic supply chain is an increasingly decisive advantage.

That same domestic manufacturing footprint also positions Qcells to capture the full value of the Section 45X Advanced Manufacturing Production Tax Credit across the solar value chain. By producing ingots, wafers, cells and modules domestically, the company can claim credits at each stage of production — something no other U.S. solar manufacturer can currently do. That competitive advantage supports continued investment in American manufacturing, workforce development and long-term domestic supply chain growth.

The Cartersville factory is the first such operation built in the United States in more than a decade and will be home to the largest ingot and wafer plant ever constructed in the country. The launch of this facility is a testament to the company’s enduring commitment to a fully American supply chain that can power American homes, businesses, utilities and communities. The result of this investment means Qcells customers will benefit from both an easier path to qualifying for the domestic content tax credit and greater supply certainty for their projects.

Qcells | https://qcells.com/us

Apex Clean Energy announced the sale of a 28 MWdc portfolio of Illinois community solar projects to SolAmerica Energy, a leader in distributed generation focused on solar and battery storage. The portfolio—comprising four 7 MW projects spanning Ameren and ComEd territories—will deliver bill savings to residents and businesses through the state’s community solar program. The transaction marks Apex’s first with SolAmerica and its second distributed energy portfolio commercialization in six months, reflecting strong demand for ready-to-build projects that ease strain on the grid and deliver savings to American households.

“This portfolio reflects the depth and repeatability of Apex’s distributed energy platform, and we’re pleased to see these projects move into the hands of an experienced company like SolAmerica,” said Charlie Johnson, Apex head of distributed energy resources. “Bringing this volume of community solar to commercialization in today’s market is a credit to the team and to the partners who helped us get these projects across the finish line.”

“We are thrilled to finalize this acquisition with the Apex team, who were terrific partners throughout the entire process,” said John Buffington, vice president of business development for SolAmerica Energy. “This portfolio is a perfect fit for our long-term strategy. We are excited to increase our posture as an acquirer in the market and look forward to further additions to our portfolio as we continue to scale.”

The four projects are expected to begin commercial operations in 2027. Apex’s distributed energy resources team now manages a pipeline of approximately 950 MWdc spanning 12 states.

Apex Clean Energy | https://www.apexcleanenergy.com/

SolAmerica Energy | https://solamericaenergy.com/

TWAICE, a leading provider of independent battery energy storage systems (BESS) analytics, has announced that it is providing its platform to the renewable energy company BayWa r.e., the third-party operations and maintenance (O&M) provider for the 137.5 MW / 282 MWh Alfeld project in Lower Saxony, Germany. Owned by Danish investment fund Scale Fund, the project represents a significant addition to Germany’s rapidly expanding battery storage market.

As large-scale BESS fleets continue to grow; operational efficiency becomes critical for long-term success. For that, independent analytics are playing a vital role in day-to-day operations. TWAICE provides a normalized, vendor-agnostic view of BESS performance, helping teams identify underperformance earlier, prioritize the right actions, and bring transparency into daily operations. For BayWa r.e., this supports a more proactive operating model, reducing manual troubleshooting and protecting performance and revenue. The platform provides BESS-native predictive analytics, including insights into imbalances, recoverable energy, and temperature trends. By translating asset data into recommendations, operations teams move beyond status monitoring and make faster, more confident decisions.

“Managing a growing storage fleet with large BESS like Alfeld means dealing with more assets, more alarms, and more data sources than ever before. The real challenge is knowing which signals actually matter before they turn into service tickets. TWAICE gives our engineers the head start they need to move from reactive to proactive operations, which ultimately drives better long-term asset performance and revenue,” said Simon Slapka, Managing Director of BayWa r.e. Data Services GmbH.

“As gigawatt-hours of new storage come online in Germany each year, the gap between how batteries are monitored and how they should be managed is widening. Independent analytics closes that gap,” said Stephan Rohr, CEO at TWAICE. “Alfeld is exactly the kind of project where getting operations right from day one determines long-term value.”

TWAICE | https://www.twaice.com/

BayWa r.e. | https://www.baywa-re.com/en
 

MN8 Energy LLC (MN8), a leading independent power producer in the United States, announced the commercial operation of two utility-scale solar projects totaling 260 megawatts (MWac) of capacity under long-term power purchase agreements with Microsoft. Long Point Solar, a 120 MW project in Brazoria County, Texas, and American Beech, a 140 MW project in Halifax County, North Carolina, are both fully online.

Long Point delivers new solar generation into the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) Houston load zone, one of the fastest-growing regions on the Texas grid. American Beech provides solar power to PJM Interconnection (PJM), supporting a market experiencing rapid infrastructure growth.

“As digital infrastructure scales across the U.S., energy solutions must scale with it,” said Moe Hanifi, Senior Vice President and Head of Revenue and Commodities at MN8 Energy. “These projects deliver new solar capacity into two critical power markets and highlight MN8’s role as a partner to Microsoft in meeting their sustainability goals.”

Completion of both projects underscores MN8’s track record of delivering contracted solar solutions for Microsoft and demonstrates the Company’s ability to originate, build, and operate at the speed and scale required by hyperscale energy customers.

Long Point and American Beech will bring millions of dollars to local governments through tax payments, ensuring schools, road maintenance and other critical local services are well-funded. The two projects each created more than 300 construction jobs and nearly a dozen permanent positions. MN8 has also contracted a locally based provider for long-term maintenance and vegetation management at Long Point.

MN8 Energy | https://mn8.com/

TOYO Co., Ltd. (Nasdaq: TOYO) (OTC: TOYWF), ("TOYO" or the "Company"), a solar manufacturing company, announced that it has officially executed two master supply agreements with two major U.S. solar energy developers, for cumulative purchase orders of approximately $185.6 million.

Under the terms of the separate agreements, TOYO will supply its high-efficiency solar modules to back a portfolio of commercial and utility-scale projects across the United States.

The multi-million-dollar commitments highlight growing commercial demand for TOYO's solar modules, which are engineered to offer superior power output, low degradation rates, and optimized levelized cost of energy for large-scale assets.

"Securing $185.6 million in cumulative new orders from two major U.S. renewable energy players is a validation of our operational credibility and commercial strategy," said Takahiko Onozuka, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of TOYO. "Utility-scale buyers are increasingly prioritizing transparency, execution track record, and strict regulatory compliance. As a manufacturer structured from inception to meet rigorous U.S. standards, TOYO is well-positioned to serve as a long-term, assured partner to the domestic solar sector."

Delivery and Compliance Overview

• Project Deployment: The solar modules supplied under the two agreements will be deployed across multiple project sites located in Texas, New York and Maine, supporting the expansion and regional diversification of utility-scale clean solar energy generation.
• Assured Supply Chain Integrity: All modules delivered under these contracts will utilize TOYO's established non-Chinese wafer sourcing channels. This strategy significantly mitigates supply chain risk by reducing exposure to geopolitical volatility and evolving tariff frameworks.
• FEOC-Compliant Manufacturing: Production will be executed across TOYO's designated manufacturing footprint, supporting customer compliance requirements and positioning the final products to align with evolving domestic content and FEOC (Foreign Entity of Concern)-compliance guidelines favored by U.S. project financing sources.

Regarding financial impact, the Company notes that the revenue associated with the purchase orders will be recognized as physical product deliveries are completed, in accordance with GAAP revenue recognition standards.

TOYO | https://www.toyo-solar.com/

Nexamp, the nation’s largest fully integrated distributed generation and community solar provider, announced the closing of a $300 million aggregation securitization facility with Crédit Agricole CIB that will enable the rapid deployment of distributed solar and energy storage projects in its construction pipeline. The construction-to-term facility offers Nexamp a scalable source of flexible project-level funding fit for the volume and pace of its DG deployment pipeline.  

“This facility underscores the strength of Nexamp’s long-standing business model and the growing recognition of distributed solar and storage as a mature attractive asset class,” noted Zaid Ashai, CEO of Nexamp. “By pairing competitive construction financing with flexible takeout options, we can move faster to deliver the power that communities and businesses need—while opening the door for a wider range of institutional investors to support the energy transition.”

With the completion of this transaction, Nexamp is continuing its strategy of building scalable, capital-efficient pathways to enhance energy access. By tapping into the structured finance and securitization markets, Nexamp is expanding the range of investors that can participate in distributed clean energy while reducing the overall cost of capital for its projects.

“We are very pleased to partner with Nexamp on a facility designed to aggregate a diversified portfolio of high-quality clean energy assets and broaden the pool of investors who can participate in distributed generation. Bringing the depth of the structured finance and securitization markets to this sector is central to lowering the cost of capital for the energy transition,” said Natacha Gallou, Senior Regional Officer for the Americas at Crédit Agricole CIB.

The aggregation securitization facility will be used to finance a diversified portfolio of community solar, commercial and industrial, and other distributed generation and storage assets across multiple regions. These projects will provide locally sited, flexible capacity that supports grid reliability, helps mitigate congestion, and expands access to energy savings for households, businesses, and public sector customers.

Nexamp | www.nexamp.com

Meta and Zelestra, a global, multi-technology, customer-focused renewable energy company, announced an expansion of their energy collaboration with a new power purchase agreement (PPA) for the 180 MWdc (140 MWac) Palmera solar plant in Freestone County, Texas. The announcement builds on major construction and operational milestones across the partnership portfolio. Zelestra recently began construction on the 176 MWdc Skull Creek Solar Plant in Anderson County, Texas, and the 200 MWdc Reclamation Solar Project in Gibson County, Indiana, both backed by Meta PPAs.

Together, the projects are expected to support 400 jobs at peak construction and will join the 81 MWdc Jasper County Solar Project in Indiana, which recently reached full commercial operation as the first project delivered under the collaboration.

Palmera will help support Meta’s goal of adding new renewable generation to the grid while matching its operations with 100% clean energy. Zelestra and Meta now have PPAs covering approximately 1.4 GWdc of solar capacity across eight US projects, all expected to be operational by 2028.

“Meta is committed to bringing new renewable energy to the grid, and our expanding relationship with Zelestra is helping make that possible at scale. These projects aren't just advancing our energy goals — they're creating jobs and delivering long-term value in the communities where they operate and it shows what strong partnerships can achieve,” said Amanda Yang, Meta’s Head of Clean and Renewable Energy.

Phil North, Zelestra’s US CEO, said: “Our partnership with Meta continues to translate ambition into delivery. In just a few months, we have brought Jasper County online, started construction on Skull Creek and Reclamation, and now added Palmera to the portfolio. Together, we are accelerating the delivery of new energy infrastructure that supports Meta’s decarbonization goals while delivering long-term economic value in local communities.”

The projects in construction will deliver tangible economic and environmental benefits in their local communities. At peak construction, the Skull Creek solar plant is expected to support approximately 200 jobs and generate an estimated $8.2 million in local economic impact in Anderson County, Texas. The project will include approximately 400,000 bifacial solar modules. McCarthy Building Companies (McCarthy) has been appointed as lead EPC contractor for Skull Creek.

Dhruv Patel, President of McCarthy’s Renewable Energy group said: “Launching the Skull Creek solar project in Anderson County, Texas is a meaningful next step in our work with Zelestra to expand clean energy across the state. McCarthy is dedicated to creating long-term, well-paying construction careers, supporting the local community, and opening doors for area subcontractors and suppliers, all while delivering a safe, reliable project for the community.”

In Gibson County, Indiana, the Reclamation solar project is expected to support approximately 200 jobs at peak construction on land reclaimed from former coal mining operations. The project will install approximately 325,000 US-made bifacial modules while supporting soil restoration, native vegetation growth and regional biodiversity enhancement. Qcells USA Corp. (Qcells) has been appointed as the solar module and EPC provider.

CEO of Qcells EPC, Chris Hodrick, commented “Reclamation represents the kind of forward-thinking project that defines the future of utility-scale solar, transforming previously used land into a long-term source of reliable, domestic clean energy. We’re proud to partner with Zelestra to deliver American-made manufacturing, advanced technology, and world-class execution that will help support Meta’s clean energy goals while creating lasting economic and environmental value for the community.”

Zelestra continues to expand its US renewable energy platform with multi-technology solutions designed to meet the growing energy needs of hyperscalers and corporate customers.

Headquartered in Arlington, Virginia, the company is developing a pipeline of approximately 15 GW across key US markets.

Zelestra | https://zelestra.energy/en