Drafting vs. Engineering: Choosing the right partner for commercial projects

Elevation, based in Austin, Texas, delivers smart energy solutions to benefit a homeowner’s family, wallet, and the planet. The business began as Curb Energy, with monitoring rooftop solar, and quickly expanded to include energy efficiency. In 2020, after acquiring Curb Energy, Elevation added smart energy monitoring technology to its portfolio, giving homeowners a complete solution (Figure 1).

“Curb is an energy monitoring solution that tells the homeowner how they’re using energy all over their house,” explained Bill Chatterjee, vice president of operations for Curb. “It’s not just energy monitoring; it’s also looking at the diagnostics and the health of the appliances that it’s monitoring.”

Curb Energy Monitoring devices use advanced technology, such as energy monitoring and reporting software, energy-efficient lighting and HVAC systems, and renewable energy sources, such as solar and wind power, to help businesses achieve energy efficiency and cost savings. By providing real-time data and personalized notifications, these devices help users make informed decisions about their energy usage habits, potentially leading to significant energy and cost savings.

Chatterjee explained, “In the electrical panels, you have circuit breakers. We put a magnetic current transformer on that. This monitors not just the power, but lots of power characteristics, like harmonic distortion, voltage, and frequency. By looking at all of those things, we can see if the energy coming in is good, clean power, and how the appliances are using energy.” 

The Curb device collects the data from the home’s circuit breakers, and it sends it through a cell connection to the Elevation cloud. The homeowner can open an app, connect to the cloud, and easily see how much solar panels are generating or how much power devices in the home are consuming. 

For example, if an air conditioner’s refrigerant starts to leak, the air conditioner will need to run longer and longer to achieve the same temperature, but the homeowner won’t necessarily know about the problem. Curb presents the power consumption data in an easy-to-read graph. The homeowners can see exactly when and where problems are occurring, so they can take the necessary action to solve the problem. 

Challenge: Finding the right connectors involves more than just price

“One of the things that you go through when you’re designing a product is called component engineering, where you look at every component that you need to build this thing,” Chatterjee stated. “You pick the biggest things, like your processors, first. Then you buy all the other components that go around it, and you search the market to see who the leading players are.”

The previous generation of the Curb Energy Monitor used small pluggable screw terminal blocks. While they were inexpensive, the tools were small, and the screws were time-consuming to install. 

Eric Norwood, CTO of Elevation, said, “My initial perspective was, let’s just use inexpensive connectors. Let’s get something that’s cheap. And I quickly realized that price is not the only variable on which to evaluate connectors.”

According to Chatterjee, “When you’re an electrician out in the field in 110 degrees, and you have to screw in 36 points, it takes time.” 

Solution: Easy connections with Push-in Technology

For the newest generation of Curb Energy Monitoring, Elevation selected PCB terminal blocks with push-in technology, so the installer can insert two stripped wires with the push of a button. These connectors save space and provide economic value (Figure 2). 

The spring contact ensures that the wires are secure without the use of tools. Push-in technology reduces installation time by eliminating the need to use a tool to terminate. The technology also improves reliability by removing the torque spec requirement and continuous contact on the wire, even as the copper wire relaxes over time. Elevation also saved money by using a single, fixed push-in terminal block versus the pluggable screw terminal block used on a previous product.

To ensure the highest reliability, Elevation tests the components to military standards against many different conditions: temperature, dust, shock, vibration, humidity, elevation, and more. 

Chatterjee said, “We want to make sure the product lives for at least five to ten years, so we elevate the temperature to 225 in the chamber and run it for one to two years, which is far beyond the required thousand hours.” 

Results: Reaping the benefits of solar power and energy monitoring

“Ultimately, we found that price was not the most important thing, but it was really about finding the right connector that allowed our product to be installed faster and more reliably,” Eric said. 

“As we bring new products to market, we’ll need different types of connectors that allow us to lower the cost of our product or speed up the installation of our product,” Eric concluded. “Involving the right vendor during the prototype design of our product helps to empower us with the right materials and resources to make that a truly great product.”

Elevation estimates consumers can save up to 95 percent on their annual electricity costs when using the Curb Energy Monitoring system. With the right connectors and a strong support team, Elevation can keep installation fast and affordable for its customers so they can maximize savings and power their lives smarter.

Elevation | https://poweredbyelevation.com/

Intermoor, Acteon’s Moorings and Anchors business line, and Jumbo Offshore, a global leader in offshore transportation and installation, are pleased to announce a strategic alliance aimed at jointly delivering fully integrated project management, engineering, transport and installation services to the offshore oil and gas as well as floating wind sectors.

This partnership brings together Intermoor’s deep expertise in mooring systems and offshore engineering with Jumbo Offshore’s proven capabilities in heavy-lift transport and mooring installation. By uniting complementary strengths, the alliance offers a streamlined, end-to-end solution across the offshoremoorings lifecycle – enhancing efficiency, reducing risk and improving schedule certainty for complex offshore campaigns.

Energy operators and developers will benefit from a cohesive offering that spans mooring system engineering, pre-lay, transport, tow-out and hook-up. The alliance globally supports a broad spectrum of floating platforms, including FPSOs, FLNGs, FSRUs and floating wind turbine foundations. Together, the partners deliver enhanced operational control and safety, backed by extensive deepwater experience and proprietary technologies such as Intermoor’s suction embedded plate anchor (SEPLA).

David McGuire, EVP of Intermoor at Acteon, commented: “As offshore projects grow in scale and complexity, collaboration becomes essential. This alliance reflects a shared commitment to delivering smarter, more integrated solutions that reduce interfaces and creates an offering that delivers on our customers’ requests. By combining our mooring expertise with Jumbo Offshore’s installation and transport capabilities, we’re setting a new standard for offshore mooring execution.”

Under the alliance, Intermoor will lead tow-out, station keeping, and hook-up operations, while Jumbo Offshore will spearhead the pre-lay of deep water mooring systems using its DP2 Heavy Lift Crane Vessels. Both companies will jointly provide project management and engineering services, with chartering of third-party assets such as anchor handlers and tugs to ensure flexibility and responsiveness.

Brian Boutkan, Director Commerce at Jumbo Offshore, added: “This partnership is built on mutual respect and a shared vision for the future of offshore energy and specifically the deep-water mooring market. By integrating our services, we’re eliminating bottlenecks and delivering a safer, more predictable pathway from planning to execution. It’s a win-win for operators, developers, and the industry at large.”

The alliance also aligns with Acteon’s recent business consolidation into four core business lines – UTEC (geo-services), Menck (marine foundations), Intermoor (moorings and anchors) and 2H (engineering consultancy) – reinforcing its commitment to delivering engineering-led solutions that simplify offshore energy infrastructure.

Acteon | https://acteon.com/solutions/business-lines/intermoor

Jumbo Offshore | https://www.jumbomaritime.nl/

Orange EV, the U.S. leader in electric yard trucks, and OptiGrid, an innovator in charging technology, introduced the Orange Juicer, a battery-integrated DC fast charger designed to eliminate the most significant barriers to fleet electrification: waiting on utility upgrades and high infrastructure costs. Fleets across the country want to electrify, but many face multi-year delays waiting on new power service or 6-7-figure infrastructure quotes that make projects financially unworkable. The Orange Juicer changes that equation.

Using an onboard 180-kWh battery, the Orange Juicer steadily draws energy from existing on-site power and delivers it as high-capacity fast charging on demand. The result is full charging performance with up to 85% less grid input power, resulting in a dramatic reduction of both installation timelines and upfront costs.

"As more customers accelerate adoption of Orange EV trucks and electrify other site equipment, we've seen infrastructure upgrades cause serious holdups," said Kurt Neutgens, co-founder and president of Orange EV. "The Orange Juicer solves that challenge, giving fleets a fast, scalable, and cost-effective charging platform that utilizes existing on-site power."

Key Benefits for Fleets

• Deploy in weeks, not years - Skip long utility delays and start running electric trucks immediately.
• Slash infrastructure costs - Avoid expensive utility upgrades, trenching, and construction by using existing power.
• High-performance charging - Up to 85% less grid input power without sacrificing uptime or speed.
• Scalable and flexible - Modular design grows with a fleet and can be relocated as site needs change.
• Compatible across brands - Works with Orange EV trucks today and is adaptable for other fleet equipment.

That's where OptiGrid comes in, delivering the charging performance fleets need without waiting on costly utility upgrades.

"Fleet operators are tired of waiting on infrastructure that doesn't match their electrification schedule," said Tyler Phillipi, CEO of OptiGrid. "The Orange Juicer gives them the power to deploy today, with charging performance that rivals high-capacity systems but requires just a fraction of the grid input."

Now in its fourth generation, the OptiGrid charging platform builds on nearly a decade of engineering development. Originating from technology created at FreeWire and refined by OptiGrid's team, it is already committed to deployment with fleet operators in the U.S.

With Orange EV trucks already delivering an average of $60,000 in annual diesel savings per vehicle, pairing them with the Orange Juicer unlocks an even faster, more cost-effective path to electrification.

Availability

The Orange Juicer, powered by OptiGrid, will be commercially available in Q4 2025.

It will be showcased at the IANA Intermodal EXPO 2025 in Long Beach, Calif., September 15–17, in the Orange EV booth (#1122).

OptiGrid | www.optigridllc.com

Orange EV | www.orangeev.com

On the occasion of its 20th anniversary, EliTe Solar officially unveiled its new corporate logo at a grand launch event in Las Vegas. This refreshed visual identity marks a significant milestone in the company's brand evolution, embodying EliTe Solar's philosophy: Professional Excellence, Innovative Empowerment, and Client Success.

Professional Excellence | Driving Value Through Expertise

Professionalism has always been the foundation of EliTe Solar's global presence. Backed by four key pillars — market services, product excellence, manufacturing capacity, and R&D strength — the company has built a reliable and sustainable value delivery system. The new logo's modern and confident design language reflects EliTe Solar's commitment to precision, reliability, and trust, reinforcing its reputation as a dependable partner in the global solar market.

Innovative Empowerment | Unlocking New Possibilities Through Continuous Innovation

EliTe Solar's innovation is driven by its leadership across three generations of solar cell technology, which consistently enhance module efficiency, durability, and performance. From R&D breakthroughs and product upgrades to business model optimization, innovation remains central to the company's mission of powering the future. The refreshed logo incorporates a dynamic and forward-looking design, symbolizing the company's dedication to advancing clean energy solutions worldwide.

Client Success | Partnering for Shared Growth

At EliTe Solar, customer success is the ultimate goal. By listening to clients worldwide and delivering products and services that exceed expectations, the company has built long-term partnerships across diverse markets. The streamlined and powerful design of the new logo symbolizes EliTe Solar's close connection with its clients, highlighting a journey of shared growth and mutual success.

The U.S. launch event showcased not only EliTe Solar's new identity but also underscored the company's strategic vision in the global solar industry. Looking ahead, EliTe Solar will continue to place client success at the center, delivering professional value and driving innovation to accelerate the world's transition to sustainable energy.

EliTe Solar | www.elite-solar.com 

Longroad Energy, a U.S. based renewable energy developer, owner and operator, announced the financial close and recent commencement of construction of 1000 Mile Solar, its 400 MWdc (300 MWac) solar project in Yoakum County, Texas.  In late 2024 Longroad finalized a long-term offtake agreement with Meta in the form of an Environmental Attributes Purchase Agreement, which includes a financial settlement arrangement for the entire energy output of 1000 Mile.  The project is expected to achieve commercial operations in 2026.

The output of the 1000 Mile project will be delivered into the Southwest Power Pool (SPP) grid, advancing Meta's target to support its data center operations with 100% clean energy.

"1000 Mile Solar is our seventh renewable energy project in Texas and a milestone project for Longroad," said Paul Gaynor, CEO of Longroad Energy.  "1000 Mile is Longroad's first project in the SPP region and brings us to 2.1 GW of successfully developed utility-scale projects in Texas in all three RTO regions, ERCOT, MISO and SPP.  Thank you to Meta, our banking partners, our contractor SOLV, our suppliers, and to Yoakum County officials for their roles in helping us advance 1000 Mile."

A commitment from Morgan Stanley Renewables Inc. for tax equity financing for 1000 Mile has closed.

"We are excited to partner with Longroad for the first time on its largest solar project developed – a landmark transaction for the company," said Jorge Iragorri, Managing Director and Co-Head of Infrastructure Capital Markets at Morgan Stanley. 

Debt financing for 1000 Mile was led by Societe Generale and CIBC, with additional participation by ANZ, Barclays, and Key Bank.

"SG is thrilled to have played a lead role in supporting Longroad Energy to raise the debt financing for 1000 Mile Solar," said Ahmed Maqsood, Director at Societe Generale's Energy+ Group.  "This financing enables a landmark project like 1000 Mile to deliver clean, cost-effective renewable power to the region and to meet the unprecedented growth in the demand for power."

"CIBC is proud to have led the 1000 Mile Solar financing as Co-Coordinating Lead Arranger and Administrative Agent," said Peter O'Neill, Head of U.S. Project Finance and Infrastructure at CIBC.  "Our ongoing support for Longroad as they expand their development pipeline demonstrates CIBC's commitment to advancing renewable energy and the energy transition in the U.S."

1000 Mile is Longroad's fifth solar facility in Texas, with all five utilizing First Solar's photovoltaic technology.  The project will employ First Solar's American-made Series 7 modules.

"We are thrilled that Longroad Energy trusts our uniquely American energy technology to support operations in Texas, while enhancing grid reliability," said Georges Antoun, Chief Commercial Officer, First Solar.  "We're proud to be powering a critical pillar of our nation's economic growth with American innovation."

SOLV is the engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contractor on 1000 Mile.  The project is expected to employ over 400 people during peak construction. 

"SOLV Energy is proud to continue our partnership with Longroad Energy on the 1000 Mile Solar project.  As a full lifecycle services provider, we're committed to delivering not only high-quality EPC services but also the infrastructure and technology that ensure long-term reliability and performance.  This project reflects our mission to power forward-thinking companies and communities with clean, reliable energy that scales."

Nextracker is providing the smart tracker equipment for the project which will feature its new 75-degree stow capability.  Longroad will provide long-term operations and maintenance services through its affiliate Longroad Energy Services with additional O&M support provided by Northstar Energy Management, LLC.

Environment and Community
According to the EPA AVERT, the 1000 Mile project will reduce regional emissions by approximately 475,000 metric tons of CO2 equivalent annually.  Further, an analysis by REsurety found the carbon abatement impact is expected to be over 20% higher than comparable solar projects sited elsewhere in the United States.

1000 Mile will contribute more than $18 million in tax revenue to local tax jurisdictions over the life of the project.  Longroad extends its appreciation to staff and officials from Yoakum County for their continued collaboration during development and construction of the project.

Longroad Energy | https://www.longroadenergy.com/

The Department of Justice filed to voluntarily remand and vacate its approval of the Construction and Operations Plan for US Wind’s Maryland Offshore Wind Project. 

In response, Oceantic Network has issued the following statement from CEO Liz Burdock: 

“Today’s news is yet another targeted action against American energy. The unlawful actions by the Trump administration against fully permitted offshore wind projects up and down the East Coast represent one of the largest, economically devastating assaults on U.S. workers, businesses, and energy in decades. Revoking a permit on an approved project after years of thorough agency review will raise electricity prices for families, jeopardize private investment, delay economic growth, and weaken our power grid.   

“Offshore wind is already delivering for Maryland—creating skilled jobs, revitalizing local steel manufacturing and port redevelopment, and attracting billions in supply chain investment—while building national steel capacities that enhance our national security. This American energy resource is a generational opportunity that nearly 70% of Marylanders support. Families can't afford to pick and choose which types of domestic energy come online to meet rising demand and costs—we need it all. Let’s make sure every community benefits by advancing a shovel-ready project set to power 600,000 Maryland homes with reliable, affordable energy.” 

Governor Wes Moore spoke out about the agency’s intentions following the August 22, 2025, filing: 

“Canceling a project set to bring in $1 billion in investment, create thousands of good-paying jobs in manufacturing, and generate more Maryland-made electrical supply is utterly shortsighted. The President’s actions will directly lead to utility-rate hikes by taking off most promising ways for Maryland to meet its looming energy generation challenges.”  

Oceantic Network | https://oceantic.org/

HiTHIUM, a leading global provider of integrated energy storage products and solutions, unveiled its AI data center ESS solution at RE+ 2025. The portfolio includes the ∞Power 6.25MWh 8h long-duration BESS, the ∞Power N2.28MWh 1h BESS, and a dedicated lifespan assessment model for AIDC ESS. The solution addresses both the real-time and reliability requirements of data centers while helping while help boost renewable energy utilization. This marks a breakthrough in applying long-duration storage to the data center industry.

AIDC’s Urgent Need for Long-Duration Energy Storage

In the AI era, data centers need to balance green transition while maintaining efficient operations. Increasing the share of renewable energy is essential for data centers to cut costs and emissions. However, the intermittency of renewable energy and millisecond-level load fluctuations challenge power stability and computing performance, making 8-hour long-duration storage an essential solution.

Most existing energy storage solutions rely on a single product and generalized models, which are not optimized for the specific needs of AI data centers. To address these challenges, HiTHIUM has developed a tailored AIDC energy storage solution that delivers scenario-specific performance and reliability.

Balancing Demands: Lithium for Stability, Sodium for Power Surges

The solution combines the ∞Power 6.25MWh 8h BESS, designed as the backbone for long-duration storage, and the ∞Power N2.28MWh 1h BESS, a sodium-ion solution purpose-built to handle sudden power surges. Together, these complementary technologies enable data center operators to meet both base load and peak demands efficiently, without sacrificing reliability. The dedicated lifetime assessment model for AIDC ESS further ensures precise degradation insights, longer and more reliable project lifespan guaranteed under highly dynamic workloads. Notably, HiTHIUM’s AIDC ESS solution can effectively enhance renewable energy utilization, significantly reduce the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE) , and thereby improve the efficiency and quality of AI power supply.

“At HiTHIUM, we designed our AI data center energy storage portfolio with customer operations in mind. The ∞Power 6.25MWh 8h BESS reduces auxiliary consumption and maximizes long-duration efficiency, while the ∞Power N2.28MWh 1h BESS built on the ∞Cell N162Ah, delivers 20,000 cycles and stable performance even under millisecond-level load fluctuations. These capabilities ensure operators can achieve reliability and cost efficiency as AI data centers push the boundaries of energy demand,” said Kush Sutaria, HiTHIUM Senior Manager of Application Engineering.

Empowering AI Data Centers with Local Networks and Vertical Integration

Beyond product innovation, HiTHIUM empowers AI data center with integrated manufacturing and localized service. Its fully operational 10GWh Texas factory, together with a U.S. network of 100+ engineers, regional warehouses, and a 72-hour on-site response, enables fast, reliable, and scalable deployment. Leveraging its “Local for Local” strategy and vertical integration capability, HiTHIUM ensures both rapid deployment and long-term reliability for AI data centers in North America and globally.

With its leading customization capabilities and efficient global delivery, HiTHIUM has secured TOP 2 in global energy storage battery shipments and utility-scale shipments in the first half of 2025. The launch of AIDC ESS solutions marks a new milestone for HiTHIUM in its full-scenario customization capability. By breaking through the limits of time and space, HiTHIUM is extending energy storage applications into diverse industries and pioneering new pathways for emerging fields—driving the shift to clean energy and sustainability.

HiTHIUM | https://www.hithium.com/