Neglected PV Maintenance Fuels Fire Risk

Sizable Energy, a pioneer in long-duration ocean energy storage, announced it has raised $8 million to accelerate its path to commercial deployment. The round was led by Playground Global. With successful testing completed at the offshore wave basin at Maritime Research Institute Netherlands (MARIN) and new sea trials launching in Reggio Calabria, Italy, Sizable is now advancing its offshore pumped hydro system to deliver low-cost, long-duration energy storage using gravity.

“Without cost-effective long-duration storage, the grid cannot keep up, regardless of energy source,” said Dr. Manuele Aufiero, CEO and Co-Founder of Sizable Energy. “Our ocean-based system stores gigawatt-scale power affordably, making the grid more stable, resilient, and ready for the future.”

This investment round will accelerate the development and deployment of Sizable Energy’s innovative offshore pumped hydro system, designed to provide economical and reliable long duration energy storage (LDES).

The world needs up to 120 terawatt-hours of long-duration energy storage by 2040, ten times more than we have today. Most of today’s storage installed capacity comes from onshore pumped hydro, but it’s slow to build, expensive to scale, and limited by geography and environmental concerns. Sizable Energy offers a faster, more flexible solution: offshore pumped hydro that’s modular, cost-effective, and ready to deploy at scale.

The New Gravity Battery: Sizable Energy to Build Offshore Pumped Hydro

Sizable Energy’s patented offshore pumped hydro system stores energy by pumping saturated sea salt brine (heavier than seawater) from the seabed to a surface reservoir, leveraging the depth of the ocean for efficient energy storage.

Invisible from the shore, Sizable Energy’s ocean energy storage solution:

• Offers the lowest cost Levelized Cost of Storage (LCOS) for LDES even when considering the most optimistic projections for Li-ion cost decreases.
• Adopts a modular and scalable design capable of delivering from one to hundreds of gigawatt hours of storage.
• Combines readily available materials that can be manufactured, assembled, and installed at depths of 500 meters or more, using existing maritime infrastructure.

“As a society, we’ve proven that wind and solar can deliver the cheapest electrons. Now we urgently need a long duration energy storage solution that can be economically deployed at massive scale,” said Bruce Leak, general partner at Playground Global and board member of Sizable Energy. “Ocean depth is a practically unlimited resource, and Sizable Energy is leveraging it to deliver long-duration energy storage at a fraction of the cost of batteries. Their gravity-based approach is the clear path to enabling energy abundance.”

Rigorous Tests Leading to Megawatt Demonstration Plant

Sizable Energy has validated its core technology at both wave basin labs and in-ocean demonstrations, proving it can withstand real marine conditions and scale up. In September, the team tested the system at MARIN, one of the world’s leading maritime research institutes. These tests confirmed that the system can operate reliably in harsh ocean environments, clearing a critical hurdle as Sizable prepares to deploy its megawatt-scale pilot system.

Sizable Energy has also begun deployment of its next sea trial off the coast of Reggio Calabria, Italy. This pilot will validate all key floating components, demonstrate the full-scale assembly and deployment process, setting the stage for a multi-MWh demonstration plant in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Italy.

With this milestone approaching, the company is preparing for commercial project development in 2026 across multiple global sites, in partnership with local manufacturers, governments, and energy providers.

Additional investors include Exa Ventures, Verve Ventures, Satgana, EDEN/IAG, and Unruly Capital which led a previous round.

Sizable Energy | https://sizableenergy.com

kWh Analytics, the market leader in Climate Insurance, has been awarded Sustainable Re/Insurer of the Year and Climate Risk Transfer Deal of the Year by InsuranceERM at its Climate Risk and Sustainability Awards. This award marks the third consecutive year kWh Analytics has been honored by InsuranceERM, following the company’s 2024 win for Sustainable Insurance Initiative of the Year and 2023 win for Climate and Sustainability Collaboration of the Year.

For over a decade, kWh Analytics has been a leader in advancing innovations in Climate Insurance through intelligent underwriting and data-driven risk transfer solutions purpose-built for renewable energy assets. The company was recognized as this year’s Sustainable Insurer of the Year for its continual advancement of its offerings through innovative partnerships, advanced modeling, and cutting-edge automation, which are setting industry benchmarks in renewable energy insurance.

kWh Analytics received the Climate Risk Transfer Deal of the Year honor for its pioneering Wind Proxy Hedge, a credit enhancement that improves the bankability of wind projects. The Wind Proxy Hedge, developed in consultation with Munich Re, marks the latest innovation in risk transfer solutions, which have been a hallmark of kWh Analytics’ commitment to building the technical infrastructure and driving capital efficiency and bankability essential for a resilient clean energy transition.

“The rapid growth of the renewable energy industry amidst worsening weather events brings new challenges, making innovation and collaboration more essential than ever,” said Jason Kaminsky, CEO, kWh Analytics. “We’re honored to be recognized by InsuranceERM and our peers for the work we’re doing to ensure that renewable assets continue to scale to reliably meet rising energy demands.”

InsuranceERM's Climate Risk and Sustainability Awards recognize the individuals, teams, companies, and software providers who have stood out as leaders and innovators in this area of international focus. The InsuranceERM awards are the latest in a string of honors kWh Analytics has received since launching Property Insurance for renewable energy assets, including being awarded $500,000 from InnSure’s Insurance Innovation Prize supported by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA), and named a finalist for two prestigious Program Manager Awards – Program Launch of the Year and Innovation in Programs in 2024, and Insurance Insider US Underwriting Innovation of the Year in 2025.

kWh Analytics’ innovative products and partnerships come at a time when renewable energy is increasingly contributing to grid stability amidst heightened load demand. The company’s leadership in renewable energy insurance has enabled the development of data-driven policy terms, conditions, and pricing that match the risk profile, rewarding resilience and encouraging prioritization of risk management. This approach strengthens sector stability and insurability, while driving continued growth and innovation.

kWh Analytics | https://www.kwhanalytics.com/

Argentina Lithium & Energy Corp. (TSX-V: LIT, FSE: OAY3, OTCQX: LILIF), (“Argentina Lithium" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the results of the first Mineral Resource estimate ("MRE") for the Rincon West lithium brine project in Salta Province, Argentina ("Rincon West" or the "Project").

MRE Highlights (see Tables 1 and 2 for details):

• Measured and Indicated Resources of 0.15 km3 brine volume with an average grade of 296 mg/lithium, representing 238,000 tonnes Lithium Carbonate Equivalent (LCE), and
• Inferred Resource of 0.08 km3 brine volume with an average grade of 216 mg/l lithium, representing 64,000 tonnes LCE.

Nikolaos Cacos, CEO commented, "This initial resource marks a pivotal step in unlocking the full potential of Rincon West and reinforces Argentina Lithium's position at the center of one of the most strategic lithium districts in the world. With Rio Tinto's world-class Rincon Project as our direct neighbour and a strong offtake partnership with Stellantis, we are uniquely positioned to advance Rincon West rapidly and responsibly. This foundation allows us to leverage both, strategic infrastructure and commercial synergies, as we move toward the next phase of development.

As we advance PEA studies and evaluate advanced extraction technologies, our long-term focus remains crystal clear: to build a scalable, high-value lithium operation that generates sustainable returns for our shareholders. This initial resource provides a solid foundation on which we intend to expand the resource base: the exploration team will be carefully evaluating drilling below the current mineral resource, where expansion potential has been identified as the current mineral resource is open to depth. Together with our other highly prospective properties at Pocitos, Antofalla and Incahuasi, our company's assets create a strong growth pipeline that will allow us to deepen strategic partnerships and accelerate development, potentially positioning Argentina Lithium as a key future supplier to the global EV and battery markets."  

The Mineral Resource estimate was completed at the West Block properties (mining concessions Villanoveño II and Rinconcita II) totalling 2,931 hectares. The resource estimate does not consider the Paso de Sico concessions in the northern part of the Rincon West project, which in aggregate represents 3742.9 hectares of mining concessions at the Rincon Salar. The resource  was defined by 14 exploration boreholes  totalling 4823.2 metres of diamond drilling, and one production well of 470 metres of total length.

Table 1 presents the Project's mineral resources, volumes and grades by resource category for lithium and potassium. Table 2 shows the Project's mineral resources expressed as Lithium Carbonate Equivalent (LCE) and Potassium Chloride (KCl). 

Table 1. Lithium and Potassium Mineral Resources at the Rincon West Project

Notes to the resource estimate (Table 1):

1. CIM definitions were followed for Mineral Resources.
2. The Qualified Person for this Mineral Resource estimate is Frederik Reidel, CPG. 
3. No cut-off values have been applied to the resource estimate.
4. Numbers may not sum exactly due to rounding.

Table 2. Lithium Carbonate Equivalent (LCE) and Potassium Chloride (KCl) Mineral Resources

Notes to Table 2

1. Lithium is converted to lithium carbonate (Li2CO3) with a conversion factor of 5.32.
2. Potassium is converted to potassium chloride with a conversion factor of 1.91.
3. Numbers may not sum exactly due to rounding.

The effective date of the Mineral Resource estimate is September 26, 2025. Supporting information for the Mineral Resource estimate will be detailed in an independent technical report prepared in accordance with National Instrument 43-101 Standards of Disclosure for Mineral Projects ("NI 43-101") which will be filed on SEDAR+ under the Company's profile within 45 days of the date of this news release.

Resource Estimation Methodology

Between 2022 and the end of 2024, Argentina Lithium conducted two drilling campaigns at the Rincon West Project during which 14 diamond drill exploration holes ("HQ" diameter) were completed.  Drilling was carried out by Salta-based AGV Falcon Drilling SRL, under the supervision of Argentina Lithium's geologists.   Continuous "core" samples and unaltered formation test samples were collected at specific depth intervals for porosity studies. Depth representative brine samples were extracted, typically by using a packer system. In some boreholes bailer and HydraSleeve sampling methodologies were applied.

On completion of drilling the boreholes were prepared as monitoring wells with the installation of 2-inch diameter blank or slotted PVC casings. At the conclusion of the second drilling campaign, one production well (RW-RT-1) was drilled using a mud-rotary system and completed with 10-inch diameter stainless steel production casing.  A variable rate pumping test and a 30-day constant rate pumping test were carried on this production well. 

The brine resource estimate was determined by defining the aquifer geometry, the drainable porosity or specific yield (Sy) of the hydrogeological units in the Salar, and the concentration of the elements of economic interest, mainly lithium and potassium. Brine resources were defined as the product of the first three parameters. The resource estimate is limited to the Villanoveño II and Rinconcita II mining concessions in the Rincon Salar.

The resource model domain is constrained by the following factors:

• Upper Boundary: The upper boundary of the model is determined by the highest elevation samples within the dataset, and/or the phreatic brine level.
• Lateral Extent: The lateral extent of the resource model is confined within the boundaries of the LIT mining claims.
• Lower Boundary: The lower boundary of the model domain extends to 385 metres below the topography, which is 5 metres below the deepest sample. At this depth, geological evidence supports the continuation of brine with similar characteristics.

The specific yield values used to develop the resources are based on results  of drainable porosity analyses carried out on 310 undisturbed samples from HQ core by Daniel B. Stephens and Associates laboratory.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Mineral Resources

The mineral resources disclosed in this press release conform to NI 43-101 standards and guidelines and were prepared by an independent qualified person. The above-mentioned mineral resources are not mineral reserves as they do not have demonstrated economic viability. The quantity and grade of the reported Inferred Mineral Resources are conceptual in nature and are estimated based on limited geological and hydrogeological evidence and sampling. Existing data are sufficient to imply but not verify mineral grade and/or quality of continuity. An Inferred Mineral Resource has a lower level of confidence relative to a Measured or Indicated Mineral Resource and constitutes an insufficient level of confidence to allow conversion to a Mineral Reserve. It is reasonably expected, but not guaranteed, that the majority of Inferred Mineral Resources could be upgraded to Measured or Indicated Mineral Resources with additional drilling and pump tests. The National Instrument 43-101 Technical Report supporting the mineral resources for the Rincon West Project contained in this news release, will be filed on SEDAR+ by Argentina Lithium & Energy within 45 days of the date of this news release.

Stellantis Investment and Off-take

In September 2023, the Company entered into a definitive agreement with Stellantis, a leading global automaker, for a strategic investment through Stellantis' subsidiary Peugeot Citroen Argentina S.A., in return for a 19.9% stake in Company's Argentine subsidiary Argentina Litio y Energia S.A. ("ALE"), with Argentina Lithium retaining 80.1%. The agreement includes an Exchange Right allowing Stellantis to convert its ALE shares into up to 19.9% of Argentina Lithium's common shares (undiluted), subject to certain conditions and a Top-Up Right to maintain that ownership threshold. Additionally, the parties executed a seven-year lithium offtake agreement, under which Stellantis will have the right to purchase up to 15,000 tonnes of lithium carbonate per year, if and once commercial production begins, with options for extension and rights of first refusal on surplus product.

Qualified Persons and QA/QC

The Mineral Resource Estimate and technical data in this news release were prepared under the direction of Frederik Reidel, CPG, of Atacama Water Consultants. Mr. Reidel is an independent Qualified Person ("QP") as defined in NI 43-101. Mr. Reidel reviewed drill and brine sample collection, handling, and security practices for all drilling and sampling campaigns. All conform to industry best practice. The QP has reviewed and approved the technical content of this news release.

Drainable Porosity Analysis 

319 undisturbed drill core samples obtained during 2022 - 2024 drilling campaigns were analyzed for drainable porosity by Daniel B. Stephens & Associates, Inc. in Albuquerque, New Mexico ("DBSA") as primary laboratory, with additional control samples analyzed by Geo Systems Analysis, Inc. in Tucson, Arizona ("GSA"). Both DBSA and GSA are independent laboratories from LIT.

Brine Sample Analysis

Several brine sampling methods were employed to obtain depth-specific and representative samples for chemical analysis as follow:

• Brine samples were collected during diamond drilling at specific depth intervals using double or single packer systems, with occasional bailer sampling.
• Some samples were collected using HydraSleeve (RW-DDH-03) when technical issues prevented packer sampling during the drilling.
• Field parameters: pH, temperature (T), density, and electrical conductivity (EC), were measured at the wellhead for all samples.
• Brine samples were stored in 1-litre plastic bottles that were pre-washed and rinsed with the same brine to condition the container. After proper labelling and sealing, samples were transported to LIT's Salta office and then shipped to the laboratory for chemical analysis under a strict chain of custody.
• Brine analysis results were uploaded to the project's chemical database and periodically verified internally.

The quality of sample analytical results was controlled and assessed with a protocol of blank, duplicate and reference standard samples included within the sample sequence. Approximately 23% (75 of 322 samples) of all brine analyses were performed on control samples.

All brine samples were sent to the Alex Stewart NOA laboratory, which has extensive experience in analyzing lithium-rich brines and is accredited under ISO 9001, complying with ISO 17025 guidelines. The laboratory maintains internal QA/QC procedures with results reported in each assay certificate. Alex Stewart NOA laboratory is independent from LIT.

Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP) spectrometry was used for chemical analysis of key elements including boron, calcium, potassium, lithium, and magnesium. Samples were diluted 100:1 prior to analysis.

The accuracy and consistency of the Alex Stewart NOA assays were assessed by the QP, facilitated by the aforementioned sample blanks, standards and duplicates. Good precision was observed, with a 10% error threshold for duplicate samples across all analytes. Only one sample pair exhibited an error slightly exceeding 10% for boron.

Argentina Lithium | https://argentinalithium.com/

Westbridge Renewable Energy Corp. (TSXV: WEB, OTCQX: WEGYF, FRA: PUQ) ("Westbridge", "Westbridge Renewable" or the "Company") is pleased to announce the expansion of its data centre portfolio with the addition of a new strategic project located in Alabama, USA. The project marks another important step in the Company's strategy to diversify its asset base and capture value from soaring demand for AI-ready data centres and lagging supply. Westbridge is providing key solutions to operators that are actively decarbonizing data centres in response to their net-zero commitments and emerging government regulation.

The Alabama Data Centre Project will be situated in proximity to major fibre routes, high-voltage transmission infrastructure, and renewable energy sites, offering direct access to both reliable power and low-latency connectivity. The location also benefits from a favourable business environment, stable regulatory framework, and access to a skilled workforce, making it an attractive hub for data centre development in the Southeastern United States.

This milestone represents a continuation of Westbridge's strategic evolution — leveraging its expertise in large-scale renewable energy development to integrate energy-intensive digital infrastructure. By combining renewable power assets with high-efficiency data processing facilities, the Company aims to position itself at the intersection of two growth sectors: renewable energy and artificial intelligence.

"Our expansion into Alabama reinforces Westbridge's long-term vision to create a diversified platform that supports the renewable energy transition while enabling the next generation of digital technologies," said Stefano Romanin, CEO of Westbridge Renewable Energy. "We believe that data centres powered by renewable energy will play a central role in the AI economy, and this new project strengthens our ability to deliver sustainable, scalable, and high-value infrastructure to our stakeholders."

Westbridge continues to advance a pipeline of solar, battery energy storage, and data centre projects across North America, focusing on locations that offer both grid capacity and fibre connectivity. The Company expects to provide further updates on the Alabama project, including capacity, partners, and expected development timeline, in the coming months.

Westbridge Renewable Energy | www.westbridge.energy 

Vema Hydrogen, developer of a disruptive renewable hydrogen production technology - Engineered Mineral Hydrogen - announced that it has been chosen as a Qualified Supplier by The First Public Hydrogen Authority (FPH2). The collaboration positions Vema to supply clean hydrogen at scale to California’s municipalities, transit agencies, and businesses through FPH2’s network, and advances the state’s leadership in clean energy innovation.

Backed by $12.6 billion in federal and state investment, California is rapidly scaling its clean hydrogen economy. Vema's technology directly supports this vision by delivering affordable, clean hydrogen to FPH2's network of customers, helping to decarbonize industries and meet the state's growing baseload power needs.

“Through centralized procurement and planning, we aim to lower the barriers to entry and scale hydrogen adoption statewide,” said Chairman R. Rex Parris at FPH2. “Our Qualified Supplier process ensures that vetted producers, including Vema Hydrogen, can participate in California’s clean energy transition through a transparent, public utility model.”

Selected from multiple applicants, Vema Hydrogen is introducing a new, cost-competitive method for hydrogen production: Engineered Mineral Hydrogen (EMH). The technology uses geoscience to create high-purity hydrogen from naturally occurring reactions below the earth's surface, positioning the company to meet future gigawatt-scale energy demands. As Vema scales its operations, it plans to drill its first pilot wells on the U.S. West Coast later this year.

“The U.S.'s rapid AI and data center growth is demanding an unprecedented amount of new power generation,” said Pierre Levin, CEO of Vema Hydrogen. “Our hydrogen solution is equipped to meet this demand, and we are committed to delivering low-cost and low-carbon Engineered Mineral Hydrogen to FPH2’s members.”

Vema Hydrogen | https://www.vema.earth/

The First Public Hydrogen Authority | https://www.firstpublich2.com/

Leading international renewable energy consultancy, Natural Power, has delivered technical advisory services for the financing of a diversified portfolio of ready-to-build renewable energy assets owned by global energy producer, Neoen.

The portfolio spans seven European countries - France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Portugal and Sweden - and includes battery storage facilities, solar PV, and wind projects with a total capacity of almost 400MW.

Natural Power acted as lenders' technical advisor (LTA) to support the financing process, delivering comprehensive technical due diligence (TDD). This included the energy yield assessment, design and technology review, EPC and O&M contract analysis, Equator Principles compliance, and review of inputs to the financial model across the portfolio.

Pierre Warlop, Natural Power’s Managing Director France, said: “This milestone transaction reflects our long-standing relationship with Neoen and reinforces our shared commitment to accelerating the energy transition. Project Panenka is an impressive portfolio that demonstrates the depth of Neoen’s development capabilities and its leadership in integrating diverse technologies across Europe. We’re proud to have provided independent technical insight to help facilitate the critical financing stage.”

Guillaume Girard, Project Finance Associate at Neoen, added: “Natural Power’s expert team brought deep market understanding and technical rigour to support the successful financing of Project Panenka. The team’s responsiveness, attention to detail, and ability to navigate multi-country complexities were instrumental in securing confidence from our lenders, which is vital in making this ambitious portfolio a reality.”

With more than 169GW of global advisory experience in the past year alone, including 21 GW in battery storage, 44 GW in solar, and 74 GW in wind, Natural Power remains a trusted advisor to developers, investors, and lenders worldwide. The firm has supported Neoen on more than 43 mandates, providing energy yield analysis, due diligence, and owner’s engineering services across a range of technologies and geographies.

For more information on Natural Power’s due diligence and technical advisory capabilities, visit: www.naturalpower.com/uk/expertise/service/advisory/due-diligence 

Natural Power | https://www.naturalpower.com/us

Ingeteam will supply its inverters for the Winton North hybrid project that European Energy Australia (EE Australia) is constructing in the northeast of Victoria, Australia. Once operational, in 2027, this installation will have an estimated annual production capacity of 227 GWh of clean energy generated on an area of 256 hectares. Winton North will feature two phases: a 100 MWac solar farm in a first stage, and a 100 MW / two-hour battery energy storage system (BESS) in a second phase.

Ingeteam will supply its Plug-and-Play medium voltage power stations, integrating inverters, LV / MV transformer, MV switchgear, and auxiliary services panel. Moreover, the scope of supply includes the commissioning of all the equipment and the hybrid plant control system (Multi Plant Controller), designed to help the grid operator manage the performance of the two power plants and ensure the quality and stability of the power supply at the point of interconnection.

Jorge Guillen, Head of Sales for the photovoltaic and storage business at Ingeteam Australia, has declared: “We are delighted to once again be able to provide our expertise and technology in power and control electronics to further contribute to Australia's energy transition”.

Ingeteam is present in North Wollongong since 2010 and has a solar market share of around 25% in the country, where it has positioned itself as a technology partner that accompanies the plant developer, helping it to successfully meet the demanding technical prerequisites for grid connection.

Ingeteam | https://www.ingeteam.com/