In an era marked by increasingly severe weather from Mother Nature, utilities face mounting pressure to enhance the resiliency and reliability of their power delivery systems. While icing of the wind turbine blades has been discussed extensively, the physical means of distributing that energy has been addressed far less. Just as wind farms components are adopting the latest technologies to modernize their fleets and extend life expectan....
Ensuring the reliability and efficiency of wind turbines requires a deep understanding of the fluids that keep them running smoothly. To that end, compatibility testing plays a critical role in preventing costly issues that arise from mixing incompatible lubricants. This article explores the significance of fluid compatibility testing in industries such as power generation, highlighting its ability to enhance equipment reliability, reduce mainten....
The wind industry takes pride in advancing a clean energy future while protecting species across the globe from the impacts of climate change. However, no energy solution is without challenges. Wind turbines, for instance, have been shown to cause direct mortality to bats. With bat populations already declining due to habitat loss, diminishing food sources, and disease, the wind industry has diligently sought solutions to mitigate this impact.&nb....
Natural disasters including hurricanes, severe storms, winter storms, wildfires and heat waves are becoming more frequent and severe, causing widespread power outages across the United States. Between 2000 and 2023, 80 percent of U.S. power outages were caused by weather events. Power outages caused by extreme weather can impact critical services like emergency response, hospitals, and communications networks. Energy storage on a utility level se....
Energy Storage
Craig Tropea
Solar
Jonathan Lwowski
Solar
Steve Macshane, CESSWI
Hidden-Fastener Solar Mount (HFSM) was recently submitted to independent mechanical testing by CSA Group in order to determine maximum load capacity and failure mode.
When tested in the up-lift direction in conjunction with Unirac rails and panel clamps, HFSM maintained structural integrity up to 6x the standard load listing per UL 2703, which includes an additional safety factor of 1.5x.
“Up-lift resistance has always been HFSM's weakest aspect,” said Preston Nelson, Director of Martin Solar, and Co-Inventor of Hidden-Fastener Solar Mount. “Seeing that HFSM's weakest point endures to a load six-times greater than the standard requirement provides confidence in our mount's long-term form and function. According to this data, HFSM is one of the most resilient solar mounts available on the market, especially in direct-to-deck format comparisons, although it can be installed into trusses as well.”
Mode of Failure: Beyond its maximum load allowance, HFSM exhibited slow deformation after 2,673lbs of total system weight. At 3,500lbs total, a panel clamp dislodged from the rail to conclude testing.
“We invented HFSM to be leak-proof, but its unique utility extends even to failure mechanics,” said Nelson. “Most all other mounting hardware on the market is totally rigid, meaning that things break during extreme up-lift events, like tornadoes, which are not uncommon in the Midwest. What breaks first? It could be a panel clamp, a rail splice, or a section of roofing. In the unique case of HFSM, the extreme forces are first absorbed over a deformation range, which divides force over space and time, similar to the function of an air bag, or bungee cord. This reduces the likelihood of hardware breakage, which only occurred in testing after HFSM reached the end of its deformation range.”
Hidden-Fastener Solar Mount is a new solar attachment for synthetic slate and asphalt shingle roofs, designed by a conjunction of solar and roofing professionals at Martin Solar and Martin Roofing, in Mascoutah, IL. HFSM features a purported leak-proof design, that avoids penetrating external shingles by locating attachments underneath the shingles via the traditional nail strip. The attachment mechanism works to preserve the integrity of the shingle roof and prevent premature problems.
Martin Solar and its Hidden-Fastener Solar Mount was recently awarded a $50,000 prize by the U.S. Department of Energy in the first phase of American-Made Solar Prize Round 8. Martin Solar is a current semifinalist in this challenge to jump-start the commercialization of U.S.-based solar innovations via financial incentives and access to the American-Made Network of laboratories, incubators, investors, and other support facilities.
This summer, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory is anticipated to announce the finalists advancing to the final stage of American-Made Solar Prize Round 8. Finalists are awarded $100,000 in prize funding, a $90,000 voucher for use at a national laboratory, and the opportunity to present at RE+. RE+ is the world's largest renewable energy exposition, scheduled this year September 8-11 in Las Vegas, NV.
Martin Solar | https://www.martinmount.net/
Primary Hydrogen Corp. (TSXV: HDRO) (FSE: 83W0) (OTCQB: HNATF) (the "Company" or "Primary") is pleased to announce the extension of its strategic marketing agreement (the "Services Agreement") with Euro Digital Media Ltd. ("Euro Digital") (address 71-75 Shelton Street, Covent Garden, London UK WC2H 9JQ) previously announced on November 27, 2024, March 28, 2025 and May 7, 2025.
Under the terms of the Services Agreement, Euro Digital creates campaigns, ad groups, text ads, display ads, performs detailed keyword research, setup and manages remarketing campaigns, optimize keyword options, coordinates online advertisers and marketers corresponding to online marketing targets, creates landing pages for ad campaigns and generally bring attention to the business of the Company.
The Company has renewed the Services Agreement and agreed to pay Euro Digital a fee of USD $100,000 for continuation of the ongoing services, inclusive of third-party costs. The renewal of the services under the Services Agreement will commence on or about June 10, 2025, and continue until the earlier of (a) a two-month term, and (b) exhaustion of the marketing budget. The principal of Euro Digital is Harry Kundan. The Company will not issue any securities to Euro Digital as compensation for its marketing services. As of the date hereof, to the Company's knowledge, Euro Digital (including its principal) does not own any securities of the Company and has an arm's length relationship with the Company. The renewal of the Services Agreement is subject to approval of the TSX Venture Exchange.
Primary Hydrogen | https://primaryh2.com/
Kitu Systems, a leading provider of clean energy solutions for Electric Vehicle (EV) charging and Distributed Energy Resource (DER) management, is proud to announce the successful completion of integration testing between its Expedition CMS and EV charger provider, FractalEV. The integration confirms that Fractal's chargers are now fully interoperable with Kitu's charge management system, a flexible software designed for both site owners and vehicle drivers, providing user-friendly, web-based and mobile applications for flexible and intelligent EV charging management.
The integration included rigorous testing of key functionality, including secure onboarding, remote configuration, telemetry reporting, charging session management, and over-the-air updates, all critical capabilities for charge point operators, fleet managers, and utilities seeking to deploy and scale charging networks with confidence. FractalEV's leading L2 chargers and advanced backend software, combined with Kitu's platform, strengthens the OEM-to-customer connection through a more unified, intelligent charging experience.
Kitu's Expedition CMS is built on industry standards such as OCPP, IEEE 2030.5, and ISO 15118, and is uniquely positioned to support advanced use cases like demand response, dynamic pricing, vehicle-grid integration, and complex energy use cases.
"By combining Expedition's software flexibility with FractalEV's reliable hardware, we're empowering operators and end users with a complete solution. This integrated offering will enable charge point operators to get their sites live and running without delay," shares Tom Barbour, Kitu's Chief Commercial Officer.
Kitu Systems and FractalEV are currently in the deployment phase of an EV charging project with a leading energy company in the San Diego area, delivering integrated smart charging infrastructure for commercial application. This real-world deployment reflects the shared commitment of both companies to advancing clean transportation and serves as a model for future projects. With additional opportunities already under discussion, the partnership between Kitu and Fractal is poised to expand into new markets and use cases across the evolving EV ecosystem.
"For energy companies and other complex operators, it is critical to provide solutions that are both flexible and resilient. This partnership with Kitu Systems reflects a true enterprise offering that is ready to meet the needs of operators across a wide range of uses cases," said Micah Gold-Utting, Head of Sales and Partnerships at FractalEV.
With this successful integration, customers now have access to a fully tested, interoperable, and all-in-one charge management solution. For more information on our EV charging solutions, please visit our website at www.kitu.io/expeditioncms.
Kitu Systems | www.kitu.io
FractalEV | www.fractalev.com
Following the recent announcement of a partnership between LAZ Parking and Epic Charging to deploy 50,000 Level 2 chargers, Autel Energy has been named a preferred EV charging hardware provider for the program. Together, Autel and Epic Charging will deploy their combined offering to execute the EV Charging vision for LAZ Parking, the largest, fastest-growing privately owned parking operator in North America.
"We're thrilled to be working alongside LAZ and Epic Charging to support one of the most ambitious EV infrastructure rollouts in the country," said Michelle Luo, Chief Revenue Officer at Autel Energy North America."Our chargers are designed to adapt to a wide variety of use cases—from commercial garages to mixed-use developments—and we're proud to help enable such a transformational and impactful effort."
"At Epic Charging, we really value Autel's hardware for its quality, reliability, and outstanding support," said Michael Bakunin, CEO of Epic Charging. "That's why we're excited to work with Autel Energy on LAZ Parking's large-scale EV charging rollout, ensuring a smooth and efficient driver experience in North America. Our CPMS offers LAZ a full range of features—like remote monitoring, smart charging schedules, built-in payments, and real-time analytics—and is fully OCPP-compliant. Epic will integrate its system with LAZ's existing e-commerce, reporting, and customer service platforms, creating a seamless and cohesive charging experience."
"The selection of Epic Charging and Autel Energy reinforces LAZ's commitment to deploying high-quality, scalable, and user-friendly charging solutions at LAZ-managed properties in the U.S. and Canada. This partnership will serve as the backbone of this growing network, delivering reliability and performance to meet the needs of both property owners and EV drivers" said Alan Lazowski, Chairman and CEO of LAZ Parking. "The partnership with Autel and Epic gives our clients ultimate flexibility on pricing for customers, tenants and residences and allows LAZ to seamlessly integrate the EV charging alongside the parking operations."
With EV adoption accelerating across the U.S., this partnership—now backed by Autel Energy's trusted technology and Epic Charging's state-of-the-art Charge Point Management System (CPMS) —aims to make charging more accessible, efficient, and scalable for urban centers and beyond.
Autel Energy | https://autelenergy.us/
Epic Charging | https://epiccharging.com/
LAZ Parking | www.lazparking.com
First Hydrogen Corp. (TSXV: FHYD) (OTC Pink: FHYDF) (FSE: FIT) ("FIRST HYDROGEN" or the "Company") is pleased to announce a strategic collaboration with Professor Muhammad Taha Manzoor from the University of Alberta aimed at advancing Small Modular Nuclear Reactor (SMR) technology, specifically focusing on fuel reactor materials and reactor design optimization taking into consideration the growth of artificial intelligence (AI) data centres as they consume up 10 times more power than normal data centres (Ithy - Comparative Power Consumption of AI Servers and Normal Servers in Data Centers). The project will take into consideration the surge in AI data centres and energy needs worldwide. The project will be led by Dr. Manzoor, an expert in molten salt thermal-hydraulics and lead at the Renewable Thermal Laboratory that has projects ranging from thermal energy storage to small modular nuclear reactors.
Molten salt, as a coolant and nuclear fuel, is the future of nuclear energy due its:
| Safety | - | if the salt overheats, it naturally expands and makes the fission reaction less effective which will shut down the reactor. |
| Efficiency | - | molten salt reactor cores can change its power level to match heat removal for electricity production. |
| Flexibility | - | can be used with uranium, plutonium and thorium |
| Source: Idaho National Laboratory https://inl.gov/how-molten-salt-could-be-the-lifeblood-of-tomorrows-nuclear-energy/ |
||
This collaboration aligns with First Hydrogen's mission to pioneer sustainable, efficient, and safe energy solutions, leveraging nuclear technology to produce green hydrogen and support global decarbonization objectives. First Hydrogen seeks to integrate advanced nuclear technology with green hydrogen production. SMRs, known for their compact design, scalability, and ability to provide a continuous, weather-independent power supply, are the cornerstone of this initiative. By leveraging SMRs, First Hydrogen ensures a stable, cost-effective, and efficient process for producing green hydrogen, addressing the growing demand for clean energy solutions worldwide.
The International Energy Agency reported artificial intelligence from data centres will drive electricity demand. By 2030, electricity demand from data centres worldwide is expected to more than double to 945 terawatt hours, more than the entire electricity consumption of Japan today. (https://www.iea.org/news/ai-is-set-to-drive-surging-electricity-demand-from-data-centres-while-offering-the-potential-to-transform-how-the-energy-sector-works)
According to McKinsey and Company, the AI book is driving significant investment in data centres. Their research indications that approximately $5.2 trillion, in capital expenditures, will be required worldwide by 2030 to meet the increasing demand for computing power. (https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/technology-media-and-telecommunications/our-insights/the-cost-of-compute-a-7-trillion-dollar-race-to-scale-data-centres)
Dr. Manzoor commented, "We are excited to collaborate with First Hydrogen on molten salt small modular nuclear reactor research. The signing of this letter of support marks an important first step in what promises to be a series of significant milestones in advancing SMR technology in Canada. This industry-led project will provide students with valuable hands-on experience and help train the next generation of engineers and scientists who will contribute to the growth and diversification of Canada's energy sector."
Balraj Mann, CEO of First Hydrogen, stated, "We are excited to collaborate with the University of Alberta, leveraging their expertise in nuclear research to significantly advance nuclear fuels for SMRs. This collaboration underscores our commitment to driving innovation in clean energy solutions that will play a critical role in transitioning toward a zero-emission future."
First Nuclear | https://firstnuclear.com/
First Hydrogen Corp. | https://firsthydrogen.com/
NRG Systems, the global leader in wind and solar resource measurement and intelligence, has appointed John Carroll as Vice President of Global Sales. In this role, Carroll will lead NRG’s global sales strategy with a focus on expanding international market share, driving revenue growth, and delivering strong financial performance. He will also oversee customer engagement, strengthen relationships with NRG’s authorized dealers and technical partners, and advance the company’s global presence across its portfolio.
With more than three decades of experience in the energy industry, Carroll brings a proven track record of commercial success, team leadership, and strategic growth. His background spans the renewable energy, grid automation, power systems, and decarbonization sectors. Most recently, he served as Vice President for the Commercial and Industrial (C&I) business in North and Latin America at SolarEdge.
“We are thrilled to welcome John to our team,” said Evan Vogel, President of NRG Systems. “His leadership experience, market insight, and strong industry relationships will be instrumental as we continue to scale globally and expand our impact across the wind and solar sectors. John’s deep understanding of customer needs and his talent for building lasting partnerships align perfectly with NRG’s customer-first approach and will further strengthen our position as a trusted leader and innovator in renewable energy worldwide.”
Carroll is also a retired U.S. Navy Reserve Captain with four command tours over his 25-year military career. He holds a BSEE in Electrical Engineering from N.Y. Maritime College, an MBA from Adelphi University, and strategy and policy certifications from the National Defense University and Air Command & Staff College.
“I am honored to join NRG Systems, a company with a clear vision for the future of renewable energy,” said Carroll. “NRG is a long-standing industry leader known for delivering trusted, customer-focused resource measurement solutions. I look forward to building on that legacy and working with our talented global team to deliver meaningful value to our customers and partners around the world.”
NRG Systems | nrgsystems.com
Qcells, a premier provider of complete energy solutions and leader in the global solar manufacturing market, announced the formation of EcoRecycle by Qcells, a new vertical for the company in solar panel recycling. As the first generation of solar installations reach end-of-life (EOL), EcoRecycle addresses the growing challenge of solar panel waste while reducing the industry's overall environmental footprint.
This year, EcoRecycle will launch recycling operations at a state-of-the-art facility in Cartersville, Georgia, with plans to expand its recycling network across the U.S. At full capacity, EcoRecycle's facility in Georgia will have the ability to recycle approximately 250 megawatts (MW) of solar panels annually – around 500,000 panels per year – repurposing materials like aluminum, glass, silver and copper. With plans to expand its recycling centers across the nation, EcoRecycle aims to optimize logistics and scale up operations to enhance efficiency.
Qcells' expansion into solar recycling is part of its commitment to manufacturing, sustainable energy and circular economy practices in the U.S. Given the dominant role solar energy plays in all new energy generation, it is important to build the infrastructure needed to recycle retired equipment. The amount of decommissioned panels is anticipated to continue increasing annually. EcoRecycle is taking proactive steps to address this growing challenge and opportunity through innovative recycling solutions.
Currently, the lack of recycling regulations has led to the majority of waste solar panels being sent to landfills. However, with state-level discussions on obligatory recycling policies gaining momentum in the U.S., the solar recycling industry is rapidly evolving. New advancements in recycling technology are driving cost reductions and enhancing the value of recovered materials through high-purity resource extraction methods.
Positioning itself at the forefront of the waste-to-resource industry, EcoRecycle is focusing on three key initiatives:
"As the U.S. moves towards a more sustainable and self-reliant solar industry, EcoRecycle by Qcells is committed to pioneering innovative recycling technologies that not only reduce environmental impact, but also create economic opportunities," said Jung-Kwon Hong, Head of Qcells Manufacturing Group. "Through strategic investments and cutting-edge solutions, we are positioning ourselves as a leader in the circular economy, ensuring that solar energy remains a truly renewable and responsible power source."
"Georgia's clean energy ecosystem continues to grow by way of EcoRecycle by Qcells in Bartow County, Georgia, and we're so proud to be part of Qcells' fully integrated solar panel manufacturing process from beginning to recycling," said Melinda Lemmon, Executive Director at the Cartersville-Bartow County Department of Economic Development. "We congratulate our friends at Qcells on this exciting new endeavor."
"With this new business, Qcells will emerge as the first-ever crystalline silicon (C-Si) solar panel producer to possess a full value chain, conducting both solar panel manufacturing and recycling on U.S. soil," said Kelly Weger, Senior Director of Sustainability at Qcells."Effectively managing solar waste is essential to ensure the long-term sustainability and resilience of the clean energy sector. We're proud to be leading the charge with the launch of EcoRecycle by Qcells."
Qcells | https://qcells.com/us
Energy Storage May 15, 2025
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