Higher Power PV Modules Drive Up BOS Costs

Yaskawa Electric Corporation and Variadores SAS are very pleased to announce that Variadores SAS has been completely acquired by Yaskawa America, Inc., the wholly owned subsidiary of Yaskawa Electric Corporation.

Founded in 1915, Yaskawa Electric Corporation is a global leader in factory automation solutions, with leadership positions in Drives, Motion Control, and Robots. Yaskawa also has a significant presence in the Photovoltaic (PV) inverter market in North America and Japan.

The entire management and staff of Variadores will remain in place with Headquarters in Bogotá, and additional locations in Medellín, Cali, and Barranquilla. Variadores has partnered with Yaskawa as an independent company since 1991 and has grown to become today’s #1 variable speed drive supplier in Colombia.  Variadores supplies low and medium voltage Yaskawa Drives across all the major industrial, municipal, and commercial automation segments, capped with a very large presence in the Oil and Gas market segment.

Variadores, founded in 1987 by three friends, has grown today to 148 employees who are the Drive Experts in Colombia, providing selection, design, application, packaging, solutions, systems, service, monitoring, and repairs. This mirrors the expertise and model of Yaskawa America, making this a logical transition from partner in Colombia to Yaskawa in Colombia.

Yaskawa America President and CEO, Mike Knapek, explains: “I have been directly involved with this partnership for the last 25 years of this 35-year partnership. Rarely have we had a partner that was more lockstep with our customer-centric philosophy of providing the highest quality solutions backed with the very best automation knowledge and customer service. For many years, it has been like we were already one company, and now we are formalizing that attitude and spirit into a legal business entity with the Yaskawa name.” 

David Giraldo, Managing Director, Variadores SAS: “Colombia stands out as a dynamic emerging market with strong industrial potential and regional connectivity. Together with Yaskawa, we see the opportunity to further strengthen Colombia’s role as a key platform for growth across Latin America.” 

Yaskawa America | https://www.yaskawa.com/

SunTracker, a customer relationship management (CRM) and operational platform built for the community solar sector, is scheduled to launch by Summer 2026 as demand grows for software that supports distributed solar sales teams across the United States. The launch comes at a time of rapid expansion in the U.S. community solar market. According to the Coalition for Community Solar Access (CCSA), total installed community solar capacity has exceeded 7 gigawatts nationwide, with projections indicating continued multi-state growth driven by policy expansion and increased consumer adoption.

As the market scales, many solar organizations face operational challenges tied to managing decentralized sales teams, tracking deal flow across multiple utilities, and maintaining accurate commission reporting for independent contractors.
SunTracker has been developed to address these issues by centralizing sales management, reporting, and operational data into a single platform designed for community solar workflows.

Community solar programs allow renters and homeowners to subscribe to shared solar farms and receive credits on their utility bills. These programs often rely on large networks of field sales representatives operating across multiple jurisdictions, creating complex administrative and compliance requirements.

SunTracker is being positioned as a system to organize these processes.

Key features expected at launch include:
• Centralized deal tracking for community solar subscription sales
• Role-based access for sales reps, team leaders, and administrators
• Campaign and product management across multiple markets
• Performance dashboards for real-time sales visibility
• Automated commission reporting for accounting and payroll teams
• Sales rep portals with training and compliance resources
• Mobile-friendly access for field sales teams

The platform is also designed to generate structured commission reports, helping organizations manage non-employee compensation and reduce administrative overhead.

“Community solar is scaling quickly, but the operational side has not kept pace,” said Ryan McManus, President and Founder of PTM Solar. “SunTracker is being built from real-world experience to help companies manage sales activity, support their teams, and keep reporting accurate as they grow.”

The company plans to provide onboarding support to configure workflows, commission structures, and product offerings based on each organization’s operating model.

Industry analysts expect continued expansion in community solar programs across states such as New York, Illinois, Maine, and Minnesota, increasing demand for specialized software solutions that align with utility requirements and subscription-based sales models.

SunTracker is expected to become available to community solar organizations across the United States following its Summer 2026 release. Companies interested in early access or demonstrations can visit https://suntrackerapp.com.

PTM Solar | www.ptmsolar.com

IHI Power Services Corp. (IPSC), a leading provider of operations and maintenance (O&M), asset management, technical and compliance services for the power generation industry, announced that it has entered into an agreement to be acquired by Kyuden International Corporation, a part of the Kyuden Group, a Japan-based global energy leader with extensive experience in power generation and infrastructure, through its U.S. subsidiary, Kyuden International Americas, Inc. Upon completion of customary regulatory approvals and closing conditions, IPSC will officially join the Kyuden Group—marking a significant milestone that positions the company to accelerate growth, expand its national footprint and enhance service delivery.

With decades of experience as an operator of power generation facilities, IPSC has built a strong reputation for safely optimizing plant performance, reducing operational risk and maximizing asset value across a diverse portfolio of services and technologies, including natural gas, renewable energy and other generation assets. The addition of Kyuden’s global expertise and resources will further strengthen IPSC’s ability to grow, broaden its capabilities and deliver even greater value to customers across an increasingly complex energy landscape.

“This is an exciting next chapter for IPSC,” said Tony Dabbene, IHI Power Services Corp. CEO and CFO. “Kyuden International brings deep operational experience and a strong global energy platform that aligns with our mission and values. Together, we are well-positioned to accelerate growth, expand our operations and maintenance and asset management capabilities, enhance operational excellence and build upon our reputation as a trusted partner to power generators across the U.S.”

Under the current leadership, IPSC will ensure a seamless transition with zero disruption to existing operations or the onboarding of new client assets. By merging its local O&M and asset management excellence with Kyuden Group’s global resources, IPSC is strengthening its commitment to safety and reliability while scaling capacity to manage the industry's most complex technical challenges.

This transaction represents Kyuden Group’s first investment in an O&M-focused business in the United States and reflects a shared vision to combine global capabilities with regional expertise to drive sustainable growth and long-term value creation.

IHI Power Services | https://www.ihipower.com 

Kyuden Group | https://www.kyuden-intl.co.jp/en/

Leading offshore wind developers and the Carbon Trust have updated a groundbreaking common methodology for calculating the carbon footprint of offshore wind farms, bringing harmony and transparency to carbon emissions measurement in the sector. 

The Sustainability Joint Industry Programme (SUSJIP) is a collaborative programme to accelerate decarbonisation action across future fixed and floating projects for a Net Zero offshore wind industry, with partners including EnBW, JERA Nex bp, Ørsted, RWE, ScottishPower Renewables (SPR), Statkraft, SSE Renewables and TotalEnergies. ​ 

The programme aims to drive decarbonisation in the rest of the offshore wind supply chain through harmonising carbon reporting in offshore wind. In September 2024, it published its ‘Offshore Wind Industry Product Carbon Footprinting Guidance’, addressing the lack of industry guidance to provide a clear, accessible and freely available reporting standard. 

The updated carbon footprinting Guidance follows an in-depth review by an expert working group, giving greater clarity and alignment with current industry best practices. Updates include updated templates for reporting and disclosure; improved guidance for assessing data quality, sensitivity and uncertainty; and the addition of use cases on how to apply the product carbon footprint methodology. 

SPR, RWE and Ørsted have given real‑world examples of how the SUSJIP methodology is being applied.  

• SPR has used the SUSJIP methodology to calculate portfolio‑level baselines and identify emissions hotspots, strengthening supplier engagement and supporting scenario modelling for lower‑carbon design and procurement.  
• RWE conducted a Life Cycle Assessment on Thor, its flagship offshore wind project in Denmark, using its in‑house tool before benchmarking it against the SUSJIP methodology. This enabled RWE to calculate the project’s carbon footprint, test scenarios such as using greener steel towers, validate assumptions and improve data quality. 
• Ørsted used its LCA model, which is closely aligned with the SUSJIP methodology, to identify major emissions sources, such as steel production and marine fuels. It plans further alignment with the methodology to improve comparability and support supply‑chain decarbonisation. 

Recent research from the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) has found Offshore wind to have almost 99% less impact than coal-fired power plants when generating electricity. Although offshore is a lower emission generation source, there are opportunities to further understand the exact impact of the lifecycle of these developments, from material extraction through to decommissioning. 

Carbon footprint calculations can be used across the offshore wind industry to provide insights into baseline data, emission hotspots and decarbonisation opportunities. However, to ensure standardisation and comparability, the SUSJIP argues that industry-wide alignment on carbon footprint calculations is vital. 

In a position paper also published today, SUSJIP partners make the case for the widespread adoption of its guidance, with harmonisation of carbon reporting in offshore wind leading to better alignment, enhanced transparency and comparability. This is increasingly relevant for developers, as discussions continue incorporating carbon footprint criteria into renewable energy auctions. Indeed, the EU’s Net Zero Industry Act (NZIA) adds important context on the need for harmonisation. 

The paper outlines additional benefits of harmonisation for developers and stakeholders, including:  

• Enhanced transparency of carbon footprint calculations produced by developers 
• Presenting a standard approach for any future greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions monitoring that successful projects may have to undertake as part of potential regulatory obligations 
• Sector-specific rules for the application of the relevant standards for Product Carbon Footprints (PCFs) to an Offshore Wind development (ISO 14067, GHG Protocol Product Standard).  

Mary Harvey, Programme Manager for SUSJIP from the Carbon Trust, said: 

“The launch of the SUSJIP Phase 2 methodology reflects our partners’ continued commitment to a harmonised approach to product carbon footprinting of offshore wind farms. Combined with case studies demonstrating real-world adoption over the past year and a position paper setting out a unified developer voice, the revised methodology signals that the industry is ready to adopt consistent, robust PCF calculations and accelerate the reduction of emissions across the sector.

Jean Gavalda, Director of Construction Asset Management, Offshore Wind Business Unit at TotalEnergies, said: 

"Through our participation in Phase II of the JIP Sustainability programme, TotalEnergies reinforces its commitment to reducing emissions across our operations and value chain, while advancing a lower carbon energy mix built on renewables such as offshore wind. A shared, harmonised methodology is essential to improve transparency and comparability, enabling the industry to accelerate decarbonization."  

Louis Alen, Sustainability Officer at JERA Nex bp, said: 

“We want to apply the SUSJIP carbon footprint analysis to our Arcadis Ost I wind farm as a test case. Using the methodology, developed within the Sustainability Joint Industry Programme, we will carry out a standardised life cycle assessment (LCA) to map the project’s CO₂ emissions from construction to decommissioning. This provides transparency and comparability within the industry, helps identify emission hotspots, and supports both internal decision-making and external reporting, for example under the Net Zero Industry Act. It is a valuable step to substantiate our sustainability objectives and prepare for future tendering and reporting requirements.” 

SUSJIP is the fifth addition to the Carbon Trust’s renewable energy innovation platform, which consists of a portfolio of R&D activities including the Offshore Wind Accelerator (OWA), the Floating Wind Joint Industry Programme (FLWJIP), the Integrator and the Offshore Renewables Joint Industry Programme (ORJIP). 

Carbon Trust | https://www.carbontrust.com/

Avantus and Toyota Tsusho America (TAI) – a wholly owned subsidiary of Toyota Tsusho Corporation, Japan, announced the completion of construction of the 159-megawatt (MWdc)/125 MWac Norton Solar Project in Runnels County, Texas. The project achieved substantial completion in October 2025. The successful delivery of Norton highlights the strength of the relationship between Avantus and TAI and demonstrates Avantus’ ability to deliver high-quality projects that help global corporate leaders advance their clean energy commitments. TAI entered into a long-term Virtual Power Purchase Agreement (VPPA) with Toyota Motor North America for the full output of the solar plant. 

“Avantus delivered on their promises throughout the construction of the Norton Solar Project,” said Akihiro Yoshida, Vice President of TAI Norton Solar, LLC. “Their collaborative work ethic and rigorous focus on safety, schedule, and budget gave us confidence and comfort every step of the way. With the project now in operations, Avantus has helped us achieve concrete progress in advancing our sustainability goals.”

Avantus oversaw the successful completion of the project with RES providing engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) services.

“Our track record for executing large-scale projects like Norton safely, on time, and on budget is the foundation of our reputation and our partners’ trust,” said Fausto Perez, Executive Vice President, Engineering and Construction at Avantus. “Our team is proud to deliver certainty and reliability for project owners, enabling them to advance their sustainability goals and invest in clean energy with confidence.” 

Norton created nearly 250 jobs at peak construction and will continue to provide economic benefits to Runnels County and the local community throughout its operating life.

Avantus continues to advance one of the nation’s largest pipelines of solar and energy storage projects, with approximately 24 gigawatts (GWdc) of solar and 75 gigawatt hours (GWh) of energy storage under development across the Western United States.

Avantus | www.avantus.com

Black Moon Energy Corporation ("BMEC") announced it has secured a contract to supply Helium-3 to the U.S. Department of Energy's Isotope Program (DOE IP), marking a key milestone in the company's plan to develop the first commercial supply of lunar Helium-3. The agreement positions BMEC at the forefront of efforts to establish a scalable supply of Helium-3.

BMEC is among a very limited number of companies holding a contract to supply newly sourced Helium-3 to the DOE IP. Managed by the Office of Science, the DOE IP is the only federal entity authorized to sell and distribute Helium-3. For more than 50 years, the program has overseen the federal Helium-3 inventory, supplying the isotope for mission-critical applications including national security, government research, medical diagnostics, quantum computing, cryogenics and fusion energy. Day-to-day commercial operations are administered by the National Isotope Development Center at Oak Ridge National Laboratory.

Helium-3 is extraordinarily scarce on Earth. Small trace amounts escape annually from the Earth's core, but the primary terrestrial supply is derived from the decay of nuclear materials—an expensive and very limited source. In contrast, the Moon has accumulated abundant quantities of Helium-3 in its regolith over billions of years through continuous exposure to the solar wind, making it the only known scalable reserve within our reach.

Earlier this year, BMEC announced its engagement of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and Caltech to lead robotic systems, scientific instrumentation, data acquisition, and mission operations for the company's inaugural Fusion 1 Mission. The mission will conduct the first systematic survey of an operational area in the equatorial regions of the Moon, directly sampling and analyzing lunar regolith to quantify Helium-3 resources and test excavating and processing procedures for production and return of the resource to Earth.

Over a one-year operational period, Fusion 1 will generate a decision-grade dataset on Helium-3 abundance, define terrain and regolith conditions necessary for scalable field development, and demonstrate autonomous robotic operations through multiple lunar day-night cycles. The mission is designed to deliver the first commercial-grade resource model for lunar Helium-3 production.

Addressing return logistics, CEO David Warden explains "Helium-3 gas will be robotically compressed into transport cylinders and returned at a cost substantially lower than any potential terrestrial supply, without the associated radioactive, operational, and waste challenges. In any event, the terrestrial quantities are miniscule and insufficient to meet the projected demand for quantum computers and fusion power plants. Importantly, no breakthrough technologies are required to harvest Helium-3 from the Moon—rovers, return vehicles and supporting hardware systems are already in production by multiple commercial providers."

Helium-3 is essential for the low operating temperature required by quantum computers. In a recent report, McKinsey reported: "According to our conversations with tech executives, investors, and academics in quantum computing, 72 percent believe we'll see a fully fault-tolerant quantum computer by 2035." McKinsey has identified it as one of the next big trends in tech, accounting "for nearly $1.3 trillion in value by 2035." See, What is Quantum Computing, McKinsey & Company (April 2024).

Global interest in fusion energy continues to accelerate. Recent demonstrations of net energy gain have advanced the field, while growing electricity demand—from AI infrastructure to global decarbonization commitments under the Paris Agreement—continues to drive investment in next-generation power solutions. U.S. policy has moved decisively toward enabling commercial space development, including a recent Executive Order directing federal agencies to accelerate permitting and regulatory approvals for space activities.

The development of a scalable Helium-3 supply has the potential to unlock a new generation of fusion energy systems capable of delivering reliable, carbon-free baseload electricity.

BMEC's commercial roadmap targets Helium-3 production at scale within the next eight years, establishing a supply capable of supporting a substantial portion of future U.S. electric demand. Fusion power is compatible with existing electrical infrastructure, enabling integration with the current grid. Several private fusion companies are already partnering with utilities to build pilot plants with projected grid connections in the early 2030s. 

When realized, Helium-3-based fusion could provide large-scale power generation to support global electrification while delivering a stable energy supply for hundreds of millions of people worldwide.

Black Moon Energy Corporation | https://blackmoon.energy/

A newly released report from the Minnesota Department of Commerce confirms that Minnesota’s Low- and Moderate-Income Accessible Community Solar Garden Program (LMI Accessible CSG Program) is achieving its intended goal of driving equitable access to clean energy, while maintaining the state’s leadership in community solar deployment. 

Launched on January 2, 2024, with the express goal of expanding solar access to households typically left out of renewable energy participation, the program is demonstrating that community solar can deliver on both climate and equity objectives. According to the 2026 Annual report on the LMI Accessible CSG Program, the majority of capacity is serving the Minnesotans it was designed to reach. Key findings of the report include: 

● 90% of the program participants are low-income, residential, or public interest customers 

● 77% of the program is made up of residential subscribers, of which 47% are LMI 

● 62% of subscribers in the LMI category, exceeded set program goal of 55% 

● The third largest subscriber group is public interest organizations, such as schools, religious institutions, municipal governments, and other non-profits 

“For years, MnSEIA staff and members worked to design and advance the LMI Accessible CSG Program with a clear goal: expand access to affordable clean energy. This report confirms the program is delivering measurable savings to low- and moderate-income households while strengthening Minnesota’s leadership in community solar,” said Logan O’Grady, Executive Director of MnSEIA. “By embedding equity into policy design from the start, Minnesota is proving that the clean energy transition can lower costs, expand opportunity, and deliver real value to the families who need it most.” 

Achieving fast deployment while reaching critical community organizations, the program made 100 MW available in both 2024 and 2025 and as of December 16, 2025, 179 MW of projects had been approved across a total of 133 gardens. This impressive deployment pace maintains Minnesota’s ranking as one of the top community solar states nationwide. 

“Minnesota has long been a leader in community solar, and this report highlights how that leadership translates into meaningful access for historically underserved communities,” said Kevin Cray, Vice President of Existing Markets and Regulatory Affairs for Coalition for Community Solar Access (CCSA). “When lawmakers design equity-focused policy, we get results that have real impact on people’s lives. Minnesota is setting a national example that community solar is both scalable and equitable.” 

Even though the program is only two years old, these early results demonstrate that Minnesota’s policy framework is aligning clean energy growth with affordability and access. Pouya Najmaie, Policy and Regulatory Director at Cooperative Energy Futures, emphasized the broader significance of the findings. 

“This program proves that when intentionally designed, the clean energy transition is equitable,” said Najmaie. “Solar is the most democratizing form of energy on the planet so it is essential that it is accessible to working families. With the overwhelming majority of capacity serving residential customers, public interest groups, or low-income participants, Minnesota’s LMI Accessible CSG Program is showing the rest of the nation exactly what the energy transition can achieve.” 

majority of capacity serving residential customers, public interest groups, or low-income participants, Minnesota’s LMI Accessible CSG Program is showing the rest of the nation exactly what the energy transition can achieve.” 

As energy prices skyrocket across the nation and state clean energy policies fill in the gap left from the overturning of the Inflation Reduction Act, Minnesota’s equitable clean energy program provides compelling evidence that well-crafted policy, paired with industry excellence, produces measurable and meaningful results. 

MnSEIA | www.mnseia.org

CCSA | https://communitysolaraccess.org/

Cooperative Energy Futures | https://www.cooperativeenergyfutures.com/