Protecting Our Grid Lines

On Friday, May 16, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (“FERC”) denied without prejudice the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (“MISO”) ERAS proposal. FERC’s difficult but necessary decision protects fundamental transmission open access policy and reinforces the need for a fair, careful, and transparent interconnection process for expedited resource additions.

MISO’s proposal would have improperly favored incumbent utilities while delaying critical renewable energy and storage projects and threatening reliability, FERC reaffirmed its commitment to long-standing market-based approaches to reliability and affordability. The failed proposal would have sidelined over 300 gigawatts of clean energy resources currently in MISO’s queue without meaningfully considering, much less addressing known and pressing challenges related to resource adequacy and reliability, such as bulk electric transmission constraints, natural gas pipeline constraints, or multiyear gas turbine backlogs.

FERC provided guidance in the order that MISO must now take back to stakeholders to discuss. “We welcome FERC’s guidance for a better path forward. Any new proposal should protect competition and reliability by prioritizing market-ready projects so that any desired resource adequacy or reliability benefits could be delivered to the intended state or utility service territory without harming other utilities’ ratepayers,” said David Sapper, Vice President of Transmission & Markets. “We look forward to continued work with MISO, states and other stakeholders."

CGA is committed to collaborating on a durable solution that accelerates clean energy while preserving competition and reliability and addresses actual Resource Adequacy and reliability issues.

Clean Grid Alliance | cleangridalliance.org

In response to Equinor’s announcement that the Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) stop work order has been lifted for the Empire Wind project, allowing construction activities to resume, Oceantic Network has issued the following statement, attributed to president and CEO Liz Burdock:

“After more than a month of uncertainty, America is back on track with an Above All Energy approach—one that puts thousands of skilled workers back on the job, reignites construction in our nation’s shipyards, and sends mariners back to sea.

“This moment marks a critical step forward in securing the nation’s energy future and underscores the real, hands-on work building out America’s energy infrastructure to meet rising electricity demand. It’s a win for workers, for the industry—and for the companies in places like Louisiana, South Carolina, and Pennsylvania helping build projects in the northeast.

“We thank President Trump and his administration for letting us get back to work revitalizing shipyards and manufacturing plants, enhancing our maritime sector, and securing our energy future. We thank leaders at every level of government who worked tirelessly to resolve the issues and help resume construction of Empire Wind 1. We are deeply grateful to Governor Kathy Hochul, whose unwavering commitment and leadership ensured that offshore wind—the largest energy infrastructure effort in the last 50 years and a cornerstone of New York’s economy—never lost momentum. America is moving forward. Let’s get to work.”

Oceantic Network | https://oceantic.org/

GoSolar has officially resubmitted its interconnection application with Arizona Public Service (APS) for its flagship Sun Mesa–Cholla project, aiming to deliver over 1,500 MW of solar and 1,500 MW of battery energy storage (BESS) for more than 12 hours storage capacity through a behind-the-meter (BTM) system and received its APS Queue Number. Additionally, the project includes the power flow model to withdraw up to 1,500 MW from the APS grid, supporting a 3.0 GW-peak high-performance computing (HPC) data center campus for its redundancy power needs planned for northeast Arizona on more than 1,000 acres of private land for sale to HPC´s. Strategically located near APS’s Cholla Power Plant—one of the largest transmission hubs in northern Arizona with 230 kV, 345 kV, and 500 kV infrastructure—the Sun Mesa–Cholla site offers unmatched advantages for largescale power users such as data centers, Bitcoin mining operations and hydrogen productions.  Key benefits of the project site connecting to APS, SRP, TEP in WECC and to CAISO includes: 

• High-Elevation Climate: Situated above 5,400 feet, the site benefits from a cooler average annual temperature of 57°F (14°C), ideal for reducing HPC cooling loads and improving operational efficiency of the GigaWatt-scale solar and energy storage system. 
• High sun radiation: On a slow slope with approx. 1% towards south on very flat private land, the Sun Mesa–Cholla site is in one of the highest sun radiation areas in the US.  
• Water Access: Located atop the Coconino Aquifer, the project offers access to substantial water reserves, once used for open-loop cooling and now repurposed for high-efficiency hydro-cooling systems for next-gen data centers and H2 storage. 
• Fiber Connectivity: The site lies adjacent to one of the largest long-haul fiber optic corridors (Dallas–Las Vegas), with two additional dark fiber routes nearby (Phoenix-Albuquerque & Flagstaff) ensuring scalable bandwidth for HPC and digital infrastructure. 
• Strategic Incentive Zones: The site is designated as part of an Energy Community, a Qualified Opportunity Zone (QOZ) (through 2026), and a USDA-eligible rural development area, enabling layered economic / tax incentives and farmer benefits. 
• Accelerated Buildout Timeline: Leveraging its independent microgrid infrastructure, integrated large-scale energy storage and a natural gas pipelines onsite the project enables a significantly faster deployment—delivering partial power supply of 50 MW or more to future onsite campus clients from its onsite resources within 4 to 24 months.

The company is open to new co-location partnerships, land sales, and project acquisition offers from IPP´s, utilities or long-term infrastructure owner-operators. GoSolar has already begun negotiations with hyperscale data center developers and major Bitcoin mining firms for onsite PPA´s, EPC contractors, independent power producers (IPPs), and institutional investors. GoSolar specializes in GigaWatt-scale industrial renewable energy development across Arizona, Iowa, and Missouri. Its projects are designed for co-located solar + storage and BTM microgrid solutions, tailored to meet the needs of high-load consumers including HPC, BTC mining, hydrogen and ammonia production, and e-fuels manufacturing. Additionally, GoSolar’s grid-scale energy storage is engineered to support grid reliability through frequency control ancillary services (FCAS) and demand response capabilities for utilities and grid operators.

GoSolar | https://gosolar.us/

Hitachi Energy’s 765 kV natural ester-filled transformer is the world’s largest at this voltage and power level, setting the benchmark for biodegradable and safety-by-design solutions for high-voltage AC transmission

Hitachi Energy has successfully tested a 765 kilovolt (kV) / 400 kV single-phase, 250 megavolt-ampere (MVA) natural ester-filled oil transformer. This breakthrough innovation makes this transformer the first in the world at this voltage and power level, with the implementation of ester oil providing a biodegradable and safety-by-design option for operators of ultra-high-voltage alternating current (AC) grids. 

765 kV transformers are part of utilities’ strategic transmission expansion plans to meet growing energy needs, thanks to their ability to transmit large amounts of electricity over long distances, improving grid efficiency, stability, and reliability. A typical three-phase 765 kV transformer may supply equivalent power to serve a city of 250,000 people.

The transformer was designed, manufactured and tested to further develop Hitachi Energy’s TrafoStar transformer technology platform, which is available in all power transformer factories worldwide. 

Transformers have traditionally used mineral oil, well known for its excellent electrical properties, as an insulation and cooling medium. More recently, transformer technology innovation has advanced the use of alternative fluids, such as natural ester, with additional safety and environmental performance features.

The tested 765 kV transformer uses natural ester fluid with a flash point twice as high as mineral oil and with self-extinguishing properties. Combined, these qualities make it safer than mineral oil transformers. Additionally, virgin natural esters are up to 100 percent biodegradable within 28 days, reducing the risk of environmental pollution resulting from insulating fluid leakages. Safety is further enhanced by Hitachi Energy’s rupture-resistant TXpandTM technology.

Driven by the accelerating global energy transition and the continuous growth of electricity demand, the supply of new and innovative transformers is more important than ever. High-voltage, natural ester-filled transformers provide grid operators with an efficient and safe solution, especially for environmentally sensitive areas. We are working closely with customers and partners both to upgrade existing ultra-high-voltage power grid infrastructure and develop new energy projects that help to create a more sustainable and secure power system. This development is hugely exciting, and we expect it to meet the needs of a growing number of customers worldwide. -- Bruno Melles, Managing Director for the Business Unit Transformers, Hitachi Energy

On its journey from power generation sites to the end-user, electrical energy passes through an average of four to five transformers, making them essential components of power grids. The 765 kV AC high-voltage transmission is part of power grids in various regions worldwide, including North America, South America, South Africa, and parts of Asia (including China). 

Hitachi Energy has been supplying natural ester-filled transformers for over 20 years, with products installed in over 40 countries. The company’s TrafoStar transformer technology platform harmonizes transformer design, manufacturing processes and quality control measures across all Hitachi Energy power transformer factories worldwide, ensuring consistency and excellence in every transformer produced. With more than 30,000 power transformers produced, the platform incorporates a rigorous quality system and all processes covering material, technical, production, and quality, fostering collaboration, global knowledge sharing, and innovation.

Hitachi Energy | https://www.hitachienergy.com

JinkoSolar Holding Co., Ltd. (the "Company," or "JinkoSolar") (NYSE: JKS), one of the largest and most innovative solar module manufacturers in the world, announced that EAGLE Preserve, its proprietary takeback-and-recycling program for end-of-life solar modules in the U.S., has become the very-first such stewardship program to receive the approval of the Washington State Department of Ecology.  

EAGLE Preserve will pick up end-of-life modules registered with the Stewardship Program from Commercial and Industrial ("C&I") and utility project sites in Washington and ensure they are recycled in a sustainable way, giving solar power customers in Washington their very first turnkey recycling solutions provider.  

The EAGLE Preserve Stewardship Program starts July 1 this year. At that time, other manufacturers may also join the Stewardship Program and offer the same services to their customers. 

Washington laws requiring that solar manufacturers who sell products in-state create and implement an end-of-life module stewardship program (at no cost to the project owner), have been on the books for nearly a decade (RCW 70A.510.010).  In that time, the State of Washington has reconfirmed its policies for end-of-life requirements for solar modules, ensuring that all module components are disassembled and responsibly repurposed or recycled.  A state-approved stewardship plan must ensure the convenient, safe, and environmentally sound takeback and recycling of modules.  A manufacturer's plan, and/or the program it joins, must cover all modules it has sold into the State of Washington after July 1st, 2017.

With this announcement, JinkoSolar is happy to be considered the state's leader in panel recycling.

"JinkoSolar is honored to get approval for the EAGLE Preserve Stewardship Program in the State of Washington," said Nigel Cockroft, General Manager of JinkoSolar (U.S) Inc. "JinkoSolar takes compliance very seriously, and we developed EAGLE Preserve with an eye toward serving the Washington market effectively, responsibly, and in intentional accordance with state law."

JinkoSolar | www.jinkosolar.com

Doral Renewables LLC ("Doral") has successfully closed construction project financing for the Mammoth South, Mammoth Central I, and Mammoth Central II solar projects in Pulaski County, Indiana. The three projects, each with a generation capacity of 300 MWac, are part of the broader 1.3 GW Mammoth Solar facility. Mammoth Solar will generate enough energy to power approximately 275,000 households annually.

The Mammoth South, Central I, and Central II projects will all be ground-mounted single-axis PV systems utilizing approximately 20,000 tons of Indiana steel in aggregate and boosting Indiana's economy with tens of millions of dollars in economic value impacts. The projects will also utilize over 1 million US-made solar modules. Upon the completion of the three projects, Doral Renewables plans to expand its large-scale dual-use practices, known as agrivoltaics, inside the projects' area, allowing farmers to return to heritage farming activities such as livestock grazing and food production. Each of the three projects maintains long-term Power Purchase Agreements with leading utilities and is expected to reach commercial operations in the 4th quarter of 2026. Doral's existing and planned agrivoltaics efforts for Mammoth Solar were recognized as the "Dual-Use Plan of the Year" at last year's North American Agrivoltaics Awards.

KeyBanc Capital Markets, Inc., Banco Santander, S.A., and HSBC Bank USA, N.A acted as Coordinated Lead Arrangers for the $1.3 billion construction debt financing for the projects, which consisted of $412 million of construction-to-term loan facilities, $614 million of tax equity bridge loans, and a $259 million letter of credit facility. The closing was completed simultaneously with Doral's signing of an over $200 million tax equity commitment for the Mammoth South project from Truist Bank.

"We are thrilled to close these landmark financings in support of the construction of the remaining three phases of our Mammoth Solar project," said Evan Speece, Chief Financial Officer of Doral Renewables LLC. "Each of the three banks leading the debt financing is a repeat partner for Doral and we could not be happier to broaden our relationships with them. Notably, we are also proud to be extending our long-standing relationship with Truist by executing our first tax equity transaction together."

"We are proud to serve as coordinating lead arranger for Doral Renewables as they build out the remaining phases of the Mammoth Solar Complex," said Nadav Hazan, Vice President, KeyBanc Capital Markets, Utilities, Power & Renewable Energy Group. "Our longstanding relationship with Doral's management team has created a foundation of trust that enables transformative projects like this. We are excited to see this collaborative effort pay off, and we look forward to the impact Mammoth will have on Indiana'seconomy going forward."

"We are proud to have supported Doral throughout the financing of these milestone projects, from development through to construction. We value our strong relationship and congratulate Doral and their partners on this important achievement," said Nuno Andrade, Head of Structured Finance & Advisory US, Santander Corporate & Investment Banking.

"We are extremely proud to support Doral in the close of the construction financing for their Mammoth Solar project," said Paul Snow, Head of Renewables, Americas at HSBC. "Building on our role in the initial bridge construction financing, this milestone reflects our ongoing commitment to Doral's vision for large-scale renewable energy in the United States. As we deepen our partnership with Doral, we remain focused on financing leading renewable energy projects."

"Truist is excited to close on this meaningful and important tax equity commitment with Doral for their impressive Mammoth South utility solar project," said Chris Nygren, Head of Tax Equity for Truist Bank. "Broadening our relationship with Doral through this transaction is a win for both parties, and we look forward to partnering with them again in the future to help deliver renewable energy to local communities."

Marathon Capital Markets served as the tax equity advisor and McDermott Will & Emery was legal counsel to Doral with respect to both the construction debt and the tax equity. CCA Group served as the tax equity advisor and Milbank LLP provided tax equity legal counsel to Truist. Norton Rose Fulbright provided legal counsel to the lenders.

Doral Renewables | doral-llc.com 

Infinium, the world's leading producer of commercially available eFuels, announced that construction is underway on its second U.S.-based eFuels production site, known as Project Roadrunner. The project, which includes investors Brookfield Asset Management and Breakthrough Energy Catalyst, is located in Reeves County, Texas, near the city of Pecos.

The site is expected to become the world's largest eFuels production facility when operational, producing 23,000 tonnes per year (7.6 million gallons) of sustainable aviation fuel (eSAF) and other eFuel products for customers including global aviation leaders American Airlines and IAG, owner of British Airways, Aer Lingusand other international airline brands.

"Infinium's Project Roadrunner marks a huge achievement for the fuel industry," said Infinium CEO Robert Schuetzle. "Not only will the project produce commercial eSAF for its customers, it will bring highly skilled jobs and economic growth to the Pecos community and state of Texas. This project demonstrates the ongoing commitment of Infinium, its investors, and partners to help ensure that the United States remains a global leader in energy security, resilience and innovation." 

eFuels are synthetic fuels, produced from waste CO2 and renewable energy, that are chemically identical to conventional petroleum-based fuels. These drop-in fuels are used in the transportation and chemicals sectors, seamlessly integrating with existing engines, infrastructure, and manufacturing processes. Infinium eFuels provide an opportunity for energy diversification while leveraging the global infrastructure that powers the transportation and chemicals industries today. In 2023, Infinium became the world's first to produce and ship commercial volumes of eFuels to customers in the U.S. and Europe from its production facility, Project Pathfinder, in Corpus Christi, Texas.

The Roadrunner project reached financial close with investments from Brookfield Asset Management and Breakthrough Energy Catalyst and is now under construction. The project represents significant investment in the region and will support highly skilled direct labor jobs in construction, fabrication, operations, and logistics locally and across Texas. Commercial agreements for the project—including feedstock, vendor and offtake contracts — have been structured and de-risked to attract the infrastructure capital and debt required for the continued scaling of the eFuels market.

Infinium's Project Roadrunner facility will convert waste CO2 and renewable energy to produce sustainable aviation fuel, leveraging new renewable power assets purpose-built for the project. The fuels produced by the Roadrunner project will be sold domestically in the U.S. and exported to international markets. Under a landmark agreement with airline group IAG, the eSAF will be shipped to the UK to satisfy compliance requirements under the recently enacted UK SAF Mandate which requires that at least 10% of all jet fuel in flights taking off from the UK is sourced from sustainable feedstocks by 2030.

"The construction of Project Roadrunner represents a real step forward in the production of sustainable aviation fuel at scale," said Jonathon Counsell, IAG's Group Sustainability Officer. "We're proud to be an early customer of Infinium's eSAF and working hard to procure and invest in SAF to deliver our 10% 2030 SAF goal. The aviation industry is making progress, but continued support and stronger incentives are necessary to accelerate production at the scale and pace required to ensure a long-term, affordable supply."

Currently under construction, the facility is expected to reach commercial operations in 2027. Roadrunner has secured 150 MW of new wind generation capacity from a subsidiary of NextEra Energy Resources through a long-term power purchase agreement.

"We are pleased to support Infinium's Roadrunner project, which reflects a significant step forward for an emerging new market for renewable electricity," said Petter Skantze, Senior Vice President, Infrastructure Development for NextEra Energy Resources. "The United States has tremendous potential to use its abundant energy resources to serve global demand, and we're excited to expand our investment in Texas to enable Infinium's industry-leading electro-fuels production facility."

Infinium selected leading electrolyzer manufacturer Electric Hydrogen to supply its complete 100 megawatt (MW) HYPRPlant solution for the project, which will be integrated on site for green hydrogen production1. This large-scale system will not only produce hydrogen for the eSAF facility but will also have capacity to support future hydrogen offtake opportunities. 

"Infinium's Project Roadrunner stands as a remarkable example of how next-generation technologies can rapidly evolve from proof-of-concept to finance-ready infrastructure," said Mario Fernandez, Head of Breakthrough Energy Catalyst. "At BE Catalyst, we are proud to have partnered with Infinium from the onset to help shape this project, positioning it to attract the necessary infrastructure capital required to scale and accelerate the delivery of eFuels into the market."

"Our investments in Infinium and Project Roadrunner are the first Brookfield has committed to sustainable aviation fuel," said Laura Hellman, Senior Vice President at Brookfield. "We are excited about our partnership with Infinium which will help advance sustainability within the aviation sector consistent with the goals of our investment strategy."

The Roadrunner project underscores expanded support for innovative solutions that meet the market's growing demand for resilient energy supply chains, while decarbonizing and utilizing products that leverage the existing infrastructure and engines in use today. By enabling eFuels to be used as pure fuel or blended with petroleum-based products, Infinium solutions can be used to significantly reduce the overall carbon footprint of the energy supply chain. Supported by top industry leaders in energy and infrastructure, Infinium is expanding its development of eFuel facilities both across the U.S. and internationally. This growth will not only contribute to the expansion and diversification of fuel market supply options but also offer low-carbon alternatives to augment conventional fuels relied on today.

1Breakthrough Energy Ventures is an investor in Electric Hydrogen

Infinium | www.infiniumco.com