Local Incentives Stabilize Markets During National Shifts: How New York City will continue solar expansion

When Saturn Solar Bermuda faced the challenge of maintenance and replacing and recycling multiple solar panels and inverters at their site on an old landing strip at LF Wade International Airport, they turned to Bluewater Battery Logistics for a solution. This case study explores how utility scale solar maintenance may require global access to replacement parts and recycling facilities, spanning three countries, utilizing both land and sea shipping, and ensuring compliance with all international regulations.

The Challenge

The project involved replacing and shipping out for recycling a few hundred Znshine ZXP6-TLD72-325 solar panels and custom-sourcing similar or matching replacement panels. The replacement panels needed to match or exceed the voltage and power requirements of the existing system, while also being of similar dimensions to ensure compatibility. 

Additionally, Saturn Solar needed to source Huawei 45KW inverters, which had been manufacturer-discontinued for two years by that time, making them difficult to find in new condition. The logistical challenge was compounded by the fact that shipping to and from Bermuda could only be done using 20-foot containers through New Jersey, the primary port for shipments to the island.

The Solution

Bluewater Battery Logistics began by sourcing the replacement solar panels, which they found in Texas, USA. The chosen GCL panels had a power rating of 370W, slightly higher than the existing panels, 1500V, and dimensions of 1956x992x35mm, making them compatible with the existing solar array. 

Bluewater was also able to locate the discontinued inverter Huawei 45KTL-US-HV-D0 model from surplus stock in Alberta, Canada. This required a huge partner network and careful negotiations and vetting to ensure that all components were in mint condition, crucial for the solar system's performance.

Once the components were sourced, Bluewater coordinated the shipping logistics. They custom-packaged the new panels and inverters for transport in 20-foot containers, the only size permissible for shipping to Bermuda. The old Znshine panels were shipped back to New Jersey in the same containers for recycling at a certified plant.

Managing the entire project under one contract allowed Bluewater to streamline operations and project management on the customer’s side. They took charge of all necessary paperwork for international shipping, ensuring compliance with regulations across the three countries involved in the project: the United States, Canada, and Bermuda.

A Successful Outcome

Bermuda Airport Solar Project at LF Wade International airport is a unique installation on an old airport runway not in use. A subsea cable is used to connect it to the main grid and feed its 6MW of solar-generated clean power. Inexpensive solutions for solar panels replacement and repowering involving complex cross-border logistics became key for keeping Bermuda Airport solar energy affordable and accessible.

“Bluewater Battery Logistics not only managed to source solar system elements matching our unique parameters, including discontinued inverter models, but also handled international shipping and recycling of the old panels. Everything was managed as one project by one team—this is unique in our industry!” said Mike Gupta, VP of Operations & Maintenance at Saturn Solar.

Expertise in Action

This case study underlines the importance of logistics efficiency, custom-sourcing specialized components, and compliance with regulations for shipping and recycling of energy systems. Especially for utility scale projects like Saturn Solar Bermuda with its complex island logistics.

Steve Feinberg, President of Bluewater, noted, "Bluewater has a truly unique global network of partners and vast experience with international shipping. We make it simple to work with us, keeping the whole project under one contract." 

In a world where renewable energy solutions are already a major part of energy systems, projects like this highlight the importance of collaboration and commitment to solar equipment circularity. Bluewater Battery Logistics is facilitating the global energy transition by making solar technology more affordable and easier to maintain.

Saturn Solar | https://www.saturnpower.com/

A state of emergency was declared in Northern California following a fire at the world’s largest lithium battery storage plant earlier this year. Packaging And Crating Technologies (PACT), a Connecticut manufacturer of fire-suppressant paper wrap is ensuring that this never happens again! The innovative family-owned business recently presented its life-saving product line that prevents and extinguishes lithium battery fires at the International Battery Seminar & Exhibit in Orlando, Florida. Specifically, PACT COO Rodger Mort conducted an informational session for thousands of  consumers, automotive, military, grid, and industrial professionals.  

“Our booth was swamped with hundreds of visitors each day who work within the battery and EV tech communities,” said Rodger Mort, chief operating officer at PACT, LLC. “We addressed the hot topics of how to safely charge, transport and recycle lithium batteries that are used to power a variety of E-mobility equipment and handheld devices.” 

Mort explains that the company’s signature product- PACT Thermo Shield was invented as a thermal management system for shipping and storing items containing lithium batteries.  It consists of three thin, lightweight, paper materials coated with proprietary ink.  When a lithium battery goes into thermal runaway and burns, the special ink releases a moisture barrier that creates a vapor cloud to immediately cool the internal contents of the package to prevent a domino fireball effect, while limiting oxygen around the package to prevent the battery temperature from escalating to 1,500° Fahrenheit, at which point, lethal gases form.

From the same technology, PACT also developed a 100% paper-based solution for lithium-ion battery packs, called TR Sleeve that shuts down thermal runaway on the cellular level, as well as TR Envelope, which safely transports and stores smaller devices such as cell phones, pagers, smartwatches and rechargeable A-D batteries, items becoming a hazard for commercial airlines during flight.

Lastly, Mort discussed the company’s newest invention – the PACT Lion-X Fire Extinguisher, which is still undergoing testing requirements but is targeted to be available by end of the year.  The pre-mixed, water-based solution quenches lithium battery fires upwards of 1,600 degrees within seconds, while eliminating the release of toxic gases into the environment and is the first of its kind on a global scale.

“The PACT team was very well-received at this venue as lithium battery safety is a serious global issue,” adds Mort.  “As new electronic devices continue to enter the market, we are committed to educating industry peers, business owners and consumers on the proper way to handle, charge and recycle these items.”

As the longest-running annual battery industry event in the world, the International Battery Seminar & Exhibit has always been the preferred venue to announce significant developments, new products, and showcase the most advanced battery technology. In fact, Sony chose the International Battery Seminar as the platform to first announce its lithium-ion technology in 1991, an accomplishment that has since gone on to change the world.

PACT Thermo Shield | www.pactthermoshield.com

Convergent Energy and Power (Convergent), a leading provider of energy storage solutions in North America, announced its plans to provide Clemens Food Group with an energy storage system. The system is expected to stabilize Clemens’ energy costs at its Hatfield, Pa. facility, and provide insulation against PJM’s rising capacity costs. Convergent will finance, own, and operate the 14.5MW / 29MWh industrial-scale battery energy storage system, leveraging its proprietary energy storage intelligence, PEAK IQ®, to maximize value. The system is projected to come online in 2026.

PJM, the market operator for the Mid-Atlantic, announced increased capacity charges for businesses like Clemens, which are expected to rise significantly year-over-year starting in June 2025. Convergent will charge and discharge its battery storage system for Clemens at strategic times, storing energy when it is cheapest and discharging energy to displace reliance on the electric grid during the most expensive times. As a result, Clemens will be able to reduce its energy costs and hedge against future volatility in energy pricing.

“We are proud to partner with Clemens Food Group, a family-owned, local business to help reduce their energy costs and their product cost to consumers,” says Johannes Rittershausen, CEO, Convergent Energy and Power. “Convergent has a nearly 15-year track record of financing, owning, and operating energy storage systems on behalf of our customers to reduce costs, while improving the resilience and sustainability of the electric grid.”

Founded in 2011, Convergent is one of the original players in the energy storage sector and has over $1bn invested in projects in operation or allocated to projects under development across North America.

Clemens Food Group | clemensfoodgroup.com

Convergent Energy and Power | convergentep.com 

Willdan Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: WLDN) announced that it has been selected for a $17.7 million contract to provide engineering and construction oversight services for Paramount Unified School District (USD). The scope of the project includes 2.2 MW of solar arrays and 44 level 2 electric vehicle charging stations across 11 sites within the District. This project is expected to offset over 1,100 metric tons of CO₂ emissions annually.

“This project builds on Willdan’s 50-year working relationship with the City of Paramount and our ongoing work with school districts across the U.S.,” said Mike Bieber, Willdan’s CEO. “We thank Paramount USD for this opportunity to support their investment in long-term sustainability and their commitment to clean energy.”

Paramount Unified School District | www.paramount.k12.ca.us

Willdan | www.willdan.com

Energy Abundance Development Corporation has unveiled plans for Data City, Texas—a 5GW behind-the-meter data center hub to be built on 50,000 acres near the city of Laredo, powered by 100% 24/7 green energy. Hyperscalers currently face mounting challenges: securing gigawatts for AI datacenters while managing strained grids, rising costs, and green energy commitments.

Data City offers a unique solution, achieving the holy grail of hyperscalers' clean energy ambitions — delivering low-cost 100% 24/7 green energy at scale. Fully islanded from ERCOT, the project combines wind, solar, batteries, and dual-fuel gas turbines—initially running on Texas-produced natural gas and shifting over time to 100% green hydrogen sourced from the company's adjacent 2TWh Hydrogen City salt dome storage facility.

Data City will be built in phases, with the first 300MW and 1 million sq ft of data center space set to launch in 2026 and expand quickly to 5GW and over 15 million sq ft of leasable space as demand accelerates. The project is designed to host large AI workloads with power-dense racking and a centralized district cooling system optimized for direct-to-chip liquid cooling, supporting NVIDIA's latest Blackwell and Rubin chip designs.

"Data City is a world-class infrastructure project, pioneering a new behind-the-meter approach," said Brian Maxwell, Founder and CEO of Energy Abundance. "It will help America win the AI race while demonstrating how to achieve 24/7 green power with hydrogen and salt cavern storage. Data City surpasses all others in size, sustainability, and cost-efficiency— we believe it will be the birthplace of AGI."

Energy Abundance's management team has extensive experience in large-scale global energy development and behind-the-meter project engineering, having developed, built, and financed over 3,000MW of power projects globally.

"Many of these new data centers will require new power-dense racking and direct-to-chip liquid cooling designs, making off-grid, high-output new-build infrastructure like Data City vital for winning the AI race," said former McKinsey Senior Partner and Energy Abundance Board Member Andy Steinhubl.

According to McKinsey, the global market demand for datacenter power is projected to reach 298GW by 2030—more than tripling current demand.

"Data City solves hyperscalers' biggest hurdle: securing massive low-cost power quickly," said Brian Maxwell, Founder and CEO of Energy Abundance. "Building behind-the-meter is the path to energy abundance—a cornerstone of this landmark project. It's an honor to lead a quintessentially American and Texan endeavor that will power the AI revolution and pave the way to an energy abundant future."

Energy Abundance Development Corporation | https://www.energyabundance.com/
 

Invenergy, the largest privately held developer, owner, and operator of clean energy solutions, announced its first clean hydrogen project, the 5-acre Sauk Valley Hydrogen (Sauk Valley) facility in Rock Falls, Illinois, has reached commercial operations.

Utilizing power from Invenergy's co-located solar facility and Ohmium International's electrolyzer technology, Sauk Valley can produce up to 40 metric tons of clean hydrogen annually with the capacity to store up to 400 kilograms (kg) of clean hydrogen on site.

"A broad range of industries have identified the immense potential of clean hydrogen, and I am extremely proud that Invenergy has again invested in the talent and technology to pioneer a new energy asset with multiple end users," said Joel Schroeder, Executive Vice President, Engineering and Technology at Invenergy. "I congratulate the elite team we assembled for building Sauk Valley and I look forward to seeing their unmatched skills support the development of future clean hydrogen production facilities in our portfolio."

"Collaborating with Invenergy on the Sauk Valley Hydrogen project has been incredible, and we are deeply grateful for the exceptional teams involved. We are thrilled that our cutting-edge PEM electrolyzer technology is making this clean hydrogen resource a reality. This is a significant step toward a sustainable energy future, and we are eager to see its positive impact across sectors," said Arne Ballantine, Ohmium CEO.

Sauk Valley's initial hydrogen supply has been used as a turbine generator cooling agent at the adjacent Nelson Energy Center, Invenergy's 980-megawatt natural gas facility. The loading capability at Sauk Valley also enables hydrogen to be shipped and used offsite. Sauk Valley's first offsite order will be delivered by Certarus to an Aether Fuels project.

"Invenergy's significant renewables portfolio allows our team to produce clean hydrogen for 'hard-to-abate' sectors of the economy across the country at scale, especially large hydrogen consumers such as liquid fuels and chemicals plants. We are excited to supply Aether with hydrogen from Sauk Valley, demonstrating our unique market capabilities and strong partnerships," said Jon Horek, Vice President, Hydrogen at Invenergy.

"Invenergy has an outstanding reputation as a leader in clean energy innovation and we were fortunate to secure the first delivery from their impressive Sauk Valley Hydrogen facility," said Aether Fuels CEO Conor Madigan.

Sauk Valley Hydrogen is Invenergy's 22nd clean energy project to have completed development in Illinois. The facility builds upon Invenergy's robust investment in Illinois and reflects a commitment to supporting the state's clean energy economy. Invenergy's Illinoisportfolio of operational clean energy solutions now includes wind, solar, clean hydrogen, natural gas generation, and advanced energy storage projects.

Invenergy | https://invenergy.com/

Onyx Renewables, a national provider and owner of localized clean energy solutions, celebrated the groundbreaking of a 2.5-megawatt (MW) onsite solar project with Sol Systems, the initial project developer, and Verde Solutions, the engineering and construction company for the project, marking the start of major upgrades at an Urbana and Champaign Sanitary District (UCSD) wastewater treatment facility in Illinois.

The solar project, set to begin construction this spring, will feature a ground-mount array that generates clean, affordable power for UCSD's southwest wastewater treatment plant. Once complete, the onsite solar energy system is expected to produce over 4,100,000 kilowatt-hours in the first year of production. Any excess power will be used as credits to further offset UCSD's power costs. This project highlights Onyx's commitment to developing onsite solar in the Midwest, where programs like Illinois Shines provide incentives that create well-paying jobs for Illinoisans and cut energy costs for customers.

Onyx will complete development, oversee construction, finance, own, and operate the onsite solar energy system, providing UCSD with stable, low-cost electricity through a long-term power purchase agreement. Onyx will also monetize the project's renewable energy credits (RECs) as part of the Illinois Shines REC program. Sol Systems originated and initially developed the project in 2022 before transferring it to Onyx. Verde Solutions will serve as engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) partner, handling the design and permitting of the project. The system is expected to be operational by the end of 2025.

"Building on our extensive experience with water and wastewater treatment facilities, Sol Systems is proud of the partnership built with UCSD over the last few years as we developed this project. Onsite, this project will generate local, fixed price electricity, helping manage costs for UCSD for the next 15 years," said Anna Toenjes, Associate Vice President of Impact & Business Development at Sol Systems. "Offsite, Sol Systems will establish a scholarship in partnership with Parkland College to reflect our broader commitment to making a positive difference not only through energy projects but also by investing directly in the communities where we work."

"This project exemplifies Onyx's value as a partner throughout our customers' clean energy journey. We've been able to tailor our approach to UCSD's needs to ensure that the end result delivers on what matters most to our customer: cost savings and reliable clean power for Illinoisans," said Kevin Cox, SVP of Origination at Onyx. "Our relationship doesn't end there, either — long after construction is finished, we'll be with UCSD every step of the way as the long-term owner and operator to deliver consistent, reliable electricity to its facility."

"Since our founding, UCSD has sought out economical and reliable energy solutions for our facilities. We were very pleased with Sol Systems' work to initially develop the project. Now, Onyx is a critical partner committed to building a high-quality, well-maintained solar solution that will be part of a state-of-the-art facility which will fit in with residential and park facilities as neighbors," said Rick Manner, Executive Director at UCSD. "With the Solar Power Purchase Agreement, and requiring no up-front investment from UCSD, about 85% of our southwest plant's electric usage will be generated onsite. The price for the clean power is fixed at a low rate that will allow us to see considerable savings for our facility's budget. Our ratepayers will enjoy this benefit from the cost savings for at least the next 15 years."

This onsite solar project is part of a larger $35.9-million expansion and upgrade of UCSD facilities funded by a low-interest loan from the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency and slated for completion in 2027. Together, the forthcoming energy upgrades — which include more efficient combined heat and power units at UCSD's northeast plant as well as onsite production at the facility's southwest plant — are expected to supply about 75% of UCSD treatment plants' electricity needs.

Onyx Renewables | www.onyxrenewables.com

Sol Systems | www.solsystems.com