AI Rewrites the Rules of Power Resilience

Wallbox (NYSE: WBX), a leading provider of electric vehicle (EV) charging solutions, announced that the Wallbox Group had surpassed the milestone of one million EV chargers sold worldwide as of the end of Q2 2024. This accumulated figure includes ABL’s EV charger sales.

The news follows the positive reception of the company’s growing portfolio, which includes the introduction of ABL’s EM4 into the group's international offering, as well as the launch of the Supernova 180 and Pulsar Pro into the North American market.

“Surpassing the milestone of 1 million EV chargers sold is a testament to the strength of the Wallbox Group and our commitment to accelerating the global transition to electric mobility by delivering best-in-class hardware to our customers,” said Enric Asuncion, CEO and co-founder of Wallbox. “Over the past year we have continued to strengthen our portfolio, particularly our commercial offering, through the introduction of new products and strategic integrations across the Wallbox Group, to ensure we continue to offer innovative, high-quality charging solutions that meet the demands of a sustainable future.”

With over 1 million chargers sold globally, Wallbox continues to lead in providing EV charging solutions tailored for residential, commercial, and fast-charging applications, advancing the global transition to sustainable energy.

Wallbox | www.wallbox.com

Hyzon (NASDAQ: HYZN) (Hyzon or the Company), a U.S.-based high-performance hydrogen fuel cell system manufacturer and technology developer focused on providing zero-emission power to decarbonize the most demanding industries, announced it has entered into a purchase agreement for North America's first 12 hydrogen-powered refuse Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEVs) with recycling and innovation pioneer GreenWaste, contingent upon Hyzon meeting certain commercial terms and specifications as defined in the agreement.   

"We are proud to partner with sustainability leader GreenWaste in this landmark agreement, as it represents a significant leap forward in transforming trucking in the waste industry through both Hyzon's leading Class 8 tractor and refuse collection vehicles," said Hyzon Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Parker Meeks. "It is clear hydrogen-powered refuse collection demand is growing, powered by Hyzon's high-performance hydrogen fuel cells. Our technology offers a compelling value proposition to our customers, providing zero-emission power necessary to meet the demanding challenges of refuse trucks, ensuring they perform day in and day out," added Meeks.

The company also recently announced the Start of Production (SOP) of its revolutionary single-stack 200kW Fuel Cell System (FCS), which enables Hyzon to manufacture standardized FCSs at volume for commercial sale, further accelerating the decarbonization of heavy-duty industries.

Hyzon's FCEVs are the first hydrogen-powered refuse collection FCEVs available for trial and purchase in North America, and GreenWaste is set to make history as the first company in North America to commercially operate them, continuing their commitment to sustainability leadership in the waste industry. The hydrogen-powered refuse collection FCEVs produce zero tailpipe emissions, supporting GreenWaste's broader sustainability initiatives, including its 2030 goal to achieve a 45% reduction in total combined Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions from its 2022 baseline.  In 2023, GreenWaste achieved a 36.3% reduction in total combined Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions from its 2022 baseline.

The purchase agreement comes on the back of GreenWaste's trial of Hyzon's refuse FCEV, where it successfully completed several trial routes throughout the Bay Area, testing for payload, can-lifts and range.  

"Seven years ago, GreenWaste made history by commercially operating the world's first full-sized electric side-loading waste collection truck. Today, we are building on that legacy with our plan to be the first in North America to introduce hydrogen-powered zero emissions vehicles into our collection fleet," said Tracy Adams, CEO of GreenWaste. "For decades, we have been at the forefront of innovative and sustainable resource recovery and recycling.  This latest investment in zero-emission technology reinforces our leadership within the industry and commitment to recovering, recycling, and reusing waste materials in the most innovative, environmentally responsible, and reliable ways possible," he added. 

Hyzon's refuse collection FCEVs will be built in partnership between Hyzon and New Way Trucks, a privately held, industry-leading refuse truck body manufacturer. New Way's expertise and leadership in refuse collection and Hyzon's focus on providing zero-emission power to decarbonize the most demanding industries combine to make hydrogen fuel cell electric refuse collection a reality for the North American waste and recycling industry.

"New Way is excited to be working with GreenWaste to introduce the first-ever commercial application of hydrogen powered refuse collection in North America. GreenWaste has been a long-time, valued New Way partner and, together with Hyzon, we are making the biggest steps forward to decarbonize the solid waste industry — with no compromise on range or dependency on the grid," said Don Ross, Chief Sales Officer for New Way, and Chairman of the National Waste and Recycling Association. "We look forward to continuing our partnership with Hyzon and fielding more zero emissions, clean energy refuse vehicle solutions that will set a new standard for our industry."

Refuse FCEV deliveries are expected to GreenWaste starting as soon as Q4 2025.

Hyzon | www.hyzonfuelcell.com

GreenWaste | www.greenwaste.com

New Way Trucks | www.newwaytrucks.com 

The American Clean Power Association (ACP) released the following statement from Anne Reynolds, ACP Vice President for Offshore Wind, after the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) finalized a comprehensive environmental review to evaluate potential wind development activities across six lease areas encompassing more than 488,000 acres in the New York Bight, located offshore New York and New Jersey. BOEM estimates that fully developing these lease areas could produce up to 7 gigawatts of offshore wind energy, which would be enough energy to power approximately two million homes:

“The six lease areas off the coasts of New Jersey and New York will host the next tranche of offshore wind power projects to meet the increasing demand for electricity on the East Coast. This environmental review of the entire lease area is a vital step in establishing a more standardized and efficient permitting process. It reflects extensive outreach and input from diverse stakeholders, including tribal, community members and other ocean users, ensuring that a wide range of perspectives have been considered. We commend BOEM for their dedication and thorough environmental reviews, and we look forward to future project-specific reviews building on this important work.”

As part of the Energy Systems Integration Group (ESIG) Fall Technical Workshop kicking off, Vibrant Clean Energy (VCE), Pattern Energy, Catalyst Cooperative and GridLab released the Resource Adequacy Renewable Energy (RARE) Power Dataset, which provides an open-source solar and wind dataset for power systems planners helping to fill an important void in the modeling world. 

CLICK HERE to access the “RARE Power Dataset”

“The availability of public and quality high-resolution renewable datasets is one of the most important requirements for planning a reliable clean power system,” said Debra Lew, ESIG Executive Director. “Pattern Energy is filling an important void by making this data set available and addressing an important need for modeling high renewable future power systems." 

In a report released last year, Weather Dataset Needs for Planning and Analyzing Modern Power Systems, ESIG detailed the need for accurately modeling the impacts of weather variables on resource adequacy and system reliability in increasingly weather-dependent power systems. 

With support from GridLab, Catalyst Cooperative will host and distribute the renewable energy dataset. The data includes hourly solar, onshore and offshore wind production published at a county granularity by aggregating 3 km data for the contiguous United States. The first release contains data for the years 2019-2023, while a further release in Q1 2025 will contain data for 2014-2018. The foundation for this dataset are weather variables produced by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's High-resolution rapid refresh (HRRR) operational numerical weather prediction model. The approach has been used to inform real-world processes, such as developing a dataset for the Midcontinent Independent System Operator (MISO) in 2020.  

“Without quality renewable datasets that are coherent with the weather conditions and load, we are flying blind with respect to planning for an energy system powered by renewables. This contribution from Pattern Energy is a step forward in filling the gap and will help enable more accurate power system analysis," said Justin Sharp, who has a doctorate in atmospheric sciences and is an EPRI technical lead focusing on the intersection of meteorology and energy. 

“The Pattern team and I recognize that there is benefit to all consumers, as well as the power system broadly, by making this data publicly available,” said Pattern Energy Vice President of Integrated Systems Planning and CEO of VCE, Christopher Clack. “One of the main challenges that modelers run into when designing robust future clean power systems is the lack of availability of granular quality renewable datasets for multiple weather years. The partnership with Catalyst Cooperative moves us one step closer to a clean and reliable grid.”

“The models that energy planners utilize to power our world are only as good as the information provided to that model. Modelers have been operating with only a part of the picture, which is a risk to reliability for all consumers. The release of RARE Power Dataset will help the collective community to build a stronger grid for everyone,” said Ric O’Connell, Executive Director of GridLab. 

GridLab | http://gridlab.org/

A review by the SUN DAY Campaign of data newly released by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) reveals that the mix of renewable energy sources (i.e., biomass, geothermal, hydropower, solar, wind) accounted for over 90% of total U.S. electrical generating capacity added in the first two-thirds of 2024. Moreover, August was the twelfth month in a row in which solar was the largest source of new capacity and during which it provided nearly 100% of all new capacity.

Renewables were 99.8% of new generating capacity in August and 90.1% in first two-thirds of 2024:

In its latest monthly “Energy Infrastructure Update” (with data through August 31, 2024), FERC says 29 “units” of solar totaling 1,404 megawatts (MW) were placed into service in August along with one unit of biomass (3-MW). Combined they accounted for 99.8% of all new generating capacity added during the month. Natural gas provided the balance: 3-MW. [1]

During the first eight months 2024, solar and wind added 16,546-MW and 2,270-MW respectively. Combined with 212-MW of hydropower and 6-MW of biomass, renewables were 90.1% of capacity added. The balance consisted of the 1,100 Vogtle-4 nuclear reactor in Georgia plus 977-MW of gas, 11-MW of oil, and 3-MW of “other.”

Solar was 99.6% of new capacity in August and 78.3% during the first eight months of 2024:

The new solar capacity added from January through August this year was more than double the solar capacity (8,248-MW) added during the same period last year. Solar accounted for 78.3% of all new generation placed into service in the first two-thirds of 2024.

New wind capacity YTD accounted for much of the balance – 10.7% but that was somewhat less than that added during the same time frame in 2023 (2,761-MW).

In August alone, solar comprised 99.6% of all new capacity added.

Solar has now been the largest source of new generating capacity added each month for twelve months straight: September 2023 – August 2024.

Solar plus wind are now 21% of U.S. generating capacity:

The combined capacities of just solar and wind now constitute more than one-fifth (21.0%) of the nation’s total available installed utility-scale generating capacity: wind – 11.74%; solar – 9.21%.

However, approximately 30% of U.S. solar capacity is in the form of small-scale (e.g., rooftop) systems that is not reflected in FERC’s data. Including that additional solar capacity would bring the share provided by solar + wind closer to a quarter of the nation’s total. [2]

With the inclusion of hydropower (7.7%), biomass (1.1%) and geothermal (0.3%), renewables now claim a 30.1% share of total U.S. utility-scale generating capacity.

Solar’s share of U.S. generating capacity greater than either nuclear power or hydropower:

The latest capacity additions have brought solar’s share of total available installed utility-scale (i.e., >1-MW) generating capacity up to 9.2%, further expanding its lead over nuclear power (8.0%) as well as hydropower (7.7%).

Installed utility-scale solar has now moved into fourth place – behind natural gas (43.3%), coal (15.7%) and wind - for its share of generating capacity.

Solar will soon become the second largest source of U.S. generating capacity:

FERC reports that net “high probability” additions of solar between September 2024 and August 2027 total 91,167-MW – an amount more than four times the forecast net “high probability” additions for wind (22,159-MW), the second fastest growing resource.

FERC also foresees growth for hydropower (1,280-MW), biomass (124-MW), and geothermal (90-MW). On the other hand, there is no new nuclear capacity in FERC’s three-year forecast while coal, oil, and natural gas are projected to contract by 21,377-MW, 2,114-MW, and 1,606-MW respectively.

If FERC’s current “high probability” additions materialize, by September 1, 2027, solar will account for more than one-seventh (15.2%) of the nation’s installed utility-scale generating capacity. That would be greater than either coal (13.2%) or wind (12.6%) and substantially more than either nuclear power (7.5%) or hydropower (7.3%). The installed capacity of utility-scale solar would thus rise to second place – behind only natural gas (40.3%).

Meanwhile, the mix of all renewables would account for 36.4% of total available installed utility-scale generating capacity - rapidly approaching that of natural gas - with solar and wind constituting more than three-quarters of the installed renewable energy capacity.

The combined capacities of all renewables, including small-scale solar, remain on track to exceed natural gas within three years:

As noted, FERC’s data do not account for the capacity of small-scale solar systems. If that is factored in, within three years, total U.S. solar capacity (i.e., small-scale plus utility-scale) is likely to surpass 300-GW. In turn, the mix of all renewables would then exceed 40% of total installed capacity while natural gas’ share would drop to about 37%.

Moreover, FERC reports that there may actually be as much as 212,412-MW of net new solar additions in the current three-year pipeline in addition to 67,395-MW of new wind, 8,944-MW of new hydropower, 199-MW of new geothermal, and 195-MW of new biomass. Thus, renewables’ share could be even greater by late summer 2027.

"Every month, for a full year now, solar has led the pack in providing new U.S. generating capacity," noted the SUN DAY Campaign's executive director Ken Bossong. "And it is poised to continue dominating capacity additions for at least the next three years."    

Source:  

FERC's 6-page "Energy Infrastructure Update for August 2024" was released on October 21, 2024, and can be found at: https://cms.ferc.gov/media/energy-infrastructure-update-august-2024.

For the information cited in this update, see the tables entitled "New Generation In-Service (New Build and Expansion)," "Total Available Installed Generating Capacity," and "Generation Capacity Additions and Retirements."

Notes:   

[1] Generating capacity is not the same as actual generation. Fossil fuels and nuclear power generally have higher "capacity factors" than do wind and solar. For example, EIA reports capacity factors in calendar year 2023 for nuclear power and natural gas were 93.1% and 58.8% respectively while those for wind and utility-scale solar were 33.5% and 23.3%. See Tables 6.07.A and 6.07.B in any of EIA's recent "Electric Power Monthly" reports. 

[2] In a September 12, 2023 news release, EIA states: “More than one-third of U.S. solar power capacity is small-scale solar. … We expect small-scale solar capacity … will grow from 44-GW in June 2023 to 55-GW by the end of 2024.” See: https://www.eia.gov/outlooks/steo/report/BTL/2023/09-smallscalesolar/article.php

Energy Vault Holdings Inc. (NYSE: NRGV) ("Energy Vault" or the “Company”), a leader in sustainable, grid-scale energy storage solutions, announced that it has signed an agreement with Enervest Group (“Enervest”) for the deployment of a 1,000 MWh battery energy storage system (BESS) at the Stoney Creek site in New South Wales, Australia. As part of the agreement, the companies are now finalizing the development and grid application approvals to bring the project to full FID.

The Stoney Creek BESS marks a significant step forward in Enervest's strategy to enhance grid reliability and support the state’s growing renewable energy capacity. The Stoney Creek system will provide flexible, grid-scale energy storage, improving the efficiency of renewable energy generation while enhancing the stability and reducing the carbon intensity of the New South Wales power grid.

Energy Vault will serve as the turn-key engineering, procurement, construction and commissioning partner and system integrator for the project, and will also provide long term services, software and maintenance support over the life of the project The BESS system will be built with Energy Vault’s proprietary X-Vault integration platform using Energy Vault’s proprietary UL9540 and AS3000 certified B-VAULT product, and Vault-OS Energy Management System to control, manage and optimize the BESS operations. Energy Vault’s innovative system architecture provides customer optionality with both battery and inverter suppliers, while unique AC-coupled and DC-coupled configurations provide the drop-in flexibility needed for any project.

“Energy Vault’s leading integrated hardware and software solution coupled with their deep technology and system design expertise makes Energy Vault an ideal partner for the Stony Creek BESS,” said Ross Warby, Chief Executive Officer of Enervest. “We value strong partnerships such as the one we have with Energy Vault and consider such collaborations as cornerstone to accelerated, quality project development. We look forward to consolidating further partnerships with other key stakeholders including the Narrabri local and indigenous community, and the successful delivery of the project.”

“We continue to expand and convert on our growing, multi-GWh funnel of energy storage projects in Australia and look forward to building the partnership with Ross and his team at Enervest,” said Robert Piconi, Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Energy Vault. “With Enervest, we share a focus on large scale and financially attractive projects to enhance grid resiliency, and the Stoney Creek project is another example of executing to the growth plans that we have outlined for 2025 and beyond.”

This announcement demonstrates the continued expansion of Energy Vault’s growing footprint in the Australian market, which follows recently announced projects already under execution in New South Wales for 400MWh which will be delivered in 2025, highlighting Energy Vault’s B-VAULT portfolio which consists of more than 2GWh in total projects either deployed or currently in development.

Energy Vault | www.energyvault.com 

SETO launched the American-Made Promoting Registration of Inverters and Modules with Ecolabel (PRIME) Prize, which offers more than $2.7 million in cash prizes to help U.S.-based solar PV module and inverter manufacturers register their products through the EPEAT ecolabel, expanding options for conscious consumers. 

Register for an informational webinar on October 30 at 12 p.m. ET and submit Phase 1 applications by April 17, 2025.

SETO | https://www.energy.gov/eere/solar/solar-energy-technologies-office