The Solar Product Registry Set to Boost Solar Deployment

In a joint effort to make battery recycling more accessible to Albertans, South Country Co-op has officially launched the Recycle Your Batteries, Canada! program - powered by Call2Recycle Canada - across all its retail locations. This initiative marks a major milestone, as South Country Co-op becomes the first Co-op in the Co-operative Retailing System to implement the program province-wide.

The partnership officially began in May 2025, with 24 South Country Co-op sites across 19 communities in southern Alberta now serving as active battery collection points. From gas bars and hardware stores to food retail locations, the Co-op's wide-reaching presence provides convenient access for residents to dispose of their used household batteries safely.

"At South Country Co-op, our purpose is Enriching Lives and Communities," says Heather Smith-Schenkey, HSE Manager. "By joining forces with Call2Recycle, we're making it easier for our members and customers to make environmentally responsible choices every day, right where they shop."

The battery recycling initiative reflects a shared commitment to sustainability and community safety. Through in-store collection boxes and educational point-of-purchase (POP) materials, the program helps prevent used batteries from ending up in landfills or causing safety hazards when improperly disposed of.

This collaboration builds on Call2Recycle Canada's ongoing efforts to expand its Recycle Your Batteries, Canada! program, which officially launched in Alberta in April 2025. By partnering with trusted local retailers like South Country Co-op, Call2Recycle is increasing battery collection accessibility in urban and rural areas.

"We're proud to support South Country Co-op as they lead the way in battery stewardship within the Co-operative Retailing System," says Joseph Chung, VP Account Management at Call2Recycle. "This is a great example of how local Co-ops can drive meaningful environmental action in their communities while inspiring others across Alberta to do the same."

Call2Recycle and South Country Co-op hope this success story encourages more retail Co-ops and grocery partners to join the movement and help build a cleaner, safer Alberta.

For more information on how to recycle your household batteries, visit www.call2recycle.ca or stop by your local South Country Co-op store.

South Country Co-op | www.southcountryco-op.crs

Call2Recycle Canada | www.call2recycle.ca

Vestas is proud to announce the following order as part of our Q3 order intake:

Vestas | www.vestas.com

Tandem PV, a leader in next-generation solar technology, announced a $4 million grant from the California Energy Commission (CEC) to help accelerate the path to commercialization of its ultra-efficient perovskite-silicon tandem solar panels. As Tandem PV expands domestic manufacturing, its technology offers a cost-effective, scalable solution for decarbonization and U.S. energy independence.

The award will fund extensive third-party testing and validation of the company’s panels, designed to be among the world’s most powerful and durable, to demonstrate their readiness for widespread deployment.

“This award accelerates our durability testing to bring us closer to delivering a new standard for clean energy and delivering high-efficiency solar that’s proven, reliable, and ready for the market,” said Colin Bailie, Founder and CTO, Tandem PV. “We’re grateful to the California Energy Commission’s leadership in investing in the technologies that will power the country’s clean energy future.”

Tandem PV’s solar panels stack a thin layer of perovskite, a powerful light-absorbing material, on top of conventional silicon solar cells. This dual-layer approach increases power output and reduces the cost of solar energy. The company’s panels currently achieve 28% efficiency and are 30 percent more powerful than the average silicon solar panel.

With this new grant funding, Tandem PV will partner with independent labs and technical institutions to rigorously assess its panels’ performance in real-world conditions, including their long-term durability, environmental resilience, and energy yield. The testing will build on the company’s internal results, which already show industry-leading efficiency and decades-worth of projected stability in the lab.

This is Tandem PV’s second major grant within a year. In late 2024, the company was awarded $5.2 million from the U.S. Department of Energy to advance the manufacturing and commercialization of its tandem panels as part of the DOE’s thin-film solar initiative.

“California has long been a global leader in solar innovation, and we’re proud to be part of the next chapter,” said Scott Wharton, CEO of Tandem PV. “This support from the CEC signals strong momentum for tandem solar technology and helps ensure that the next wave of clean energy breakthroughs are developed and manufactured here in the U.S.”

Tandem PV | https://www.tandempv.com

Mangrove Lithium announced a major expansion initiative to address North America’s growing need for secure, reliable lithium refining. The new facility will be capable of producing 20,000 tonnes per annum of battery-grade lithium, enough to power over 500,000 electric vehicles annually. To anchor demand for the new facility, Mangrove has signed Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with multiple leading U.S. battery gigafactories. These agreements cover offtake for 20,000 tonnes per annum of battery grade lithium—demonstrating the market’s trust in Mangrove’s refining technology and operational readiness.

“These MoUs reflect the accelerating interest from global customers who recognize Mangrove as a strategic partner in securing lithium supply,” said Saad Dara, CEO and founder of Mangrove Lithium.

Annie Liu, Chief Strategy & Commercial Officer at Mangrove, added “Having negotiated deals for automakers like Tesla and Ford, I’ve seen firsthand how critical it is to have a reliable Western lithium supply chain—and that’s exactly what Mangrove delivers.”

The new plant will integrate spodumene concentrate processing, extending Mangrove’s electrochemical processing flowsheet upstream. This marks a critical step toward reshoring parts of the lithium value chain that are currently dominated by Chinese processing infrastructure.

“The fragility of the global lithium supply chain is growing every day,” said Dara. “Mangrove is building the foundation for a self-reliant, scalable, and sustainable North American lithium future.”

Earlier this year, China proposed an export ban on key lithium processing and extraction technologies—reinforcing the urgency for localized alternatives. Since the majority of lithium is currently processed in China, these restrictions pose a significant risk to global supply chains, making domestic capabilities like Mangrove’s increasingly vital. Mangrove’s feedstock and product flexible electrochemical refining technology not only cuts costs, but it reduces the carbon footprint of the supply chain, eliminates waste production, and brings lithium refining where it is needed most.

Construction is already underway at Mangrove’s first commercial facility in Delta, British Columbia, following a successful $35 million USD funding round. The project remains on track to begin operations by the end of the year, with capacity to produce enough lithium annually to support approximately 25,000 electric vehicles.

Mangrove Lithium | www.mangrovelithium.com

Envision Energy, a global leader in smart renewable energy solutions, and FERA Australia, a dedicated Australian renewable energy developer, announced an agreement to collaborate on the delivery of large-scale hybrid renewable energy projects across Australia's National Electricity Market (NEM). The agreement, signed during the Australia Energy Wind Conference in Melbourne, marks the first initiative of its kind in Australia, establishing a framework to develop projects with the potential to deliver up to 1 GW of wind generation capacity and 1.5 GWh of battery energy storage. This milestone reflects growing confidence in Envision's integrated technology platform, which combines advanced wind turbines, next-generation containerized battery systems, grid-forming power conversion systems (PCS), and the company's proprietary Hybrid Power Plant Controller (HPPC).

"This collaboration represents a major step forward in demonstrating how hybrid wind and storage solutions can unlock new possibilities for Australia's energy future," said Kane Xu, SVP and President of International Product Line of Envision Energy. "We are honored by the trust FERA Australia has placed in our technical capabilities across wind, storage, and grid integration, and we look forward to delivering projects that set new benchmarks for clean, flexible power."

"Partnering with Envision Energy marks an exciting milestone in our pursuit of large-scale renewable projects in Australia. Integrating wind power and energy storage in a hybrid project, will constitute an excellent model for future initiatives." said Sebastiano Falesi, Head of FERA Australia and Member of the Board of Directors of the FERA Group. "The rapid advancement of renewable energy projects is crucial for supporting Australia's transition to zero-carbon energy. Envision's cutting-edge technology and deep global expertise assure us that we have a reliable partner capable of helping us achieve new standards in performance and reliability."

The partnership will launch with a pilot project in Victoria, featuring Envision's full converter wind turbine, grid-forming battery storage, and advanced HPPC technology in a grid-connected hybrid plant. This project will serve as a showcase for how hybrid systems can enhance grid reliability and unlock new value streams, while demonstrating Envision's strong commitment to the Australian market and a shared aspiration to set new benchmarks in renewable energy innovation.

By combining FERA's local development expertise with Envision's proven global track record, the two companies aim to accelerate Australia's transition to a sustainable energy system.

Envision Energy | https://www.envision-group.com/

Recurrent Energy, a subsidiary of Canadian Solar Inc. ("Canadian Solar") (NASDAQ: CSIQ) and a global developer, owner, and operator of solar and energy storage assets, announced it has closed project financing and tax equity for Blue Moon Solar. U.S. Bank, through its subsidiary U.S. Bancorp Impact Finance, is providing both tax equity and construction financing for the project, totaling $260 million.

Constellation will purchase power and renewable energy certificates produced by the 94 MW energy facility under a power purchase agreement with Recurrent Energy. Located in Harrison County, Kentucky, Blue Moon Solar is currently under construction and expected to reach commercial operation in 2026. Recurrent Energy will own and operate the project after it is energized.

Jason Marshall, Harrison County Judge/Executive, stated, "Harrison County is open to investment, and we are pleased to work with Recurrent Energy on their newest energy facility. Blue Moon Solar will provide a major source of new tax revenue to our county."

"We believe everyone has a role to play in creating a sustainable future, and financing a project like Blue Moon is one way we can be responsible stewards of the environment," said Darren Van't Hof, Managing Director of Environment Finance for U.S. Bancorp Impact Finance. "Our team's ability to offer both equity financing and project finance debt speaks to U.S. Bank's ability to provide custom financing solutions for our clients. Blue Moon Solar is one of several projects we've financed for Recurrent Energy, and we're proud to support its work to expand sources of clean energy, strengthen the energy grid, and drive local job creation."

Ismael Guerrero, CEO of Recurrent Energy, added, "We are pleased to invest in Harrison County, Kentucky. Blue Moon Solar will generate affordable, locally produced energy that will support Kentucky's economic growth. We are excited to complete the financing for Blue Moon Solar and grow our investments in Kentucky, thanks to U.S. Bank and Constellation for supporting our energy projects."

Blue Moon Solar is Recurrent Energy's first project in Kentucky. It is expected to create hundreds of construction jobs and generate significant tax revenue for the local community. Through its Community CaRE Program, Recurrent Energy has donated to local organizations including the Harrison Memorial Hospital Foundation, as well as community events.

Recurrent Energy | www.recurrentenergy.com

GroundWork Renewables, the full-stack provider of trusted solar data for performance optimization, is pleased to announce the promotion of Jim Crimmins to Chief Technology Officer (CTO). Jim, formerly Executive Vice President at GroundWork, also leads the photovoltaic (PV) Test Lab in Albuquerque, NM—a premier PV module and system performance testing facility acquired by GroundWork in September 2024.

With deep experience in PV technology, module testing, and performance analytics, Jim brings the expertise needed to unify GroundWork's data, lab and field services under a cohesive technology strategy. As CTO, he will ensure our tools and data work seamlessly together to support developers, EPCs, module manufacturers and asset owners with precision and clarity.

"Jim has long been at the forefront of PV performance testing, and his ability to identify what truly impacts utility-scale solar performance is unparalleled," said Ann Will, CEO of GroundWork Renewables. "As CTO, he will ensure that GroundWork stays ahead of the curve — delivering precision insights, tools, and accuracy our clients and the industry increasingly demand."

Under Jim's leadership at the former CFV Labs, the organization established itself as a trusted partner to developers, EPCs, asset owners, and module manufacturers seeking objective, data-driven evaluation of PV modules and systems. His appointment to CTO reflects the company's commitment to being the industry's performance partner across the entire life cycle of utility-scale solar.

"I'm excited to take on the role of CTO at such a pivotal time for the solar industry," said Jim Crimmins. "GroundWork is equipped to transform how the industry understands and optimizes utility-scale solar performance. By combining rigorous field and lab data with technical insight, we have the opportunity to elevate decision-making from development through operations. My goal is to ensure our clients get actionable, high-fidelity intelligence that drives performance, de-risks investment, and ultimately accelerates the energy transition."

The appointment comes as GroundWork scales operations in response to the maturing solar industry and increasing demand for bankable solar data and performance diagnostics. Jim's leadership will propel GroundWork's ability to serve more clients with greater technical depth, while reinforcing its reputation for rigor, quality, and impact.

GroundWork Renewables | https://grndwork.com/