Looking Ahead to 2026

Ascent Solar Technologies (“Ascent” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: ASTI), the leading U.S. innovator in the design and manufacturing of featherweight, flexible thin-film photovoltaic (PV) solutions, announced that its previously delivered solar blankets have been successfully integrated into NOVI’s Pathfinder spacecraft, scheduled to fly on a SpaceX Falcon 9 Transporter launch no earlier than March 29th.

NOVI's spring mission will demonstrate GENIE (Geospatial Ecosystem for Near Real-Time Information at the Edge), the company's flagship open-access, multi-sensor, edge-compute platform designed to provide low-cost, low-latency Earth observation data and real-time geospatial intelligence.

Integration of Ascent’s flexible CIGS array allows for a tightly rolled configuration that minimizes the stowed volume. Pathfinder, the toaster-sized hyperspectral imaging spacecraft (pictured below) will generate 150W, an amount of power typically seen on larger spacecraft at higher costs. NOVI is poised to recognize compounded savings across its planned constellation by partnership with Ascent.

“Our partnership with NOVI has evolved quickly over the last year. In large part due to our rapid manufacturing capabilities in a domestic facility, enabling Ascent to quickly supply product to customers looking for immediate solutions,” said Paul Warley, CEO of Ascent Solar Technologies. “Through this partnership with NOVI, we’re achieving lower costs on faster timelines, driving major reductions in mass and volume compared to traditional silicon solar arrays. Our solutions are also more durable and sustainable, which reduces space debris risks while improving efficiency for spacecraft operators.”

Ascent Solar Technologies | https://www.ascentsolar.com

Ascent Solar Technologies (“Ascent” or the “Company”) (Nasdaq: ASTI), the leading U.S. innovator in the design and manufacturing of featherweight, flexible thin-film photovoltaic (PV) solutions, announced that its previously delivered solar blankets have been successfully integrated into NOVI’s Pathfinder spacecraft, scheduled to fly on a SpaceX Falcon 9 Transporter launch no earlier than March 29th.

NOVI's spring mission will demonstrate GENIE (Geospatial Ecosystem for Near Real-Time Information at the Edge), the company's flagship open-access, multi-sensor, edge-compute platform designed to provide low-cost, low-latency Earth observation data and real-time geospatial intelligence.

Integration of Ascent’s flexible CIGS array allows for a tightly rolled configuration that minimizes the stowed volume. Pathfinder, the toaster-sized hyperspectral imaging spacecraft (pictured below) will generate 150W, an amount of power typically seen on larger spacecraft at higher costs. NOVI is poised to recognize compounded savings across its planned constellation by partnership with Ascent.

“Our partnership with NOVI has evolved quickly over the last year. In large part due to our rapid manufacturing capabilities in a domestic facility, enabling Ascent to quickly supply product to customers looking for immediate solutions,” said Paul Warley, CEO of Ascent Solar Technologies. “Through this partnership with NOVI, we’re achieving lower costs on faster timelines, driving major reductions in mass and volume compared to traditional silicon solar arrays. Our solutions are also more durable and sustainable, which reduces space debris risks while improving efficiency for spacecraft operators.”

Ascent Solar Technologies | https://www.ascentsolar.com

Fonroche Lighting announced that they are the first company in the world to earn a Guinness World Record for solar street lighting installation. Last October, Fonroche Lighting America installed 70 solar streetlights across 3.1 miles in Rowlett, Texas, in just 10 hours and 35 minutes, earning an official Guinness World Records title for the most solar streetlights installed in 12 hours. This record is more than a headline—it’s proof of a global breakthrough, transforming lighting for cities, communities, and businesses everywhere.

Fonroche Lighting declares freedom, bringing light where the grid can’t and redefining what’s possible, anywhere and in any climate. Their off-grid solar streetlights deploy in hours—not weeks— being time-efficient, cutting costs and increasing safety. And they’re not just innovators—they’re record-breakers.

In Rowlett, Texas, Fonroche provided a solar-powered alternative which illuminated three major corridors—State Highway 66, Rowlett Road, and Dalrock Road, over 3.1 miles. This was done at half the cost of a traditional $2.8 million utility proposal. “Lighting three roads for the price of one speaks to every official and taxpayer,” said David Hall, City Manager. “Rowlett’s choice proves solar should lead the future of roadway infrastructure.”.

Fonroche Lighting is also present in 50+ countries, delivering reliable solar lighting in some of the world’s most challenging environments. Every system is engineered for 365 nights of lighting per year, backed by advanced battery technology and continuous innovation.

Headquartered in Texas, serving all of America.

Since entering the U.S. market in 2019, Fonroche Lighting America has delivered installations across 1,000+ municipalities in 43 states.

Its U.S. headquarters is in Fort Worth, Texas supporting coast to coast delivery. The company operates 5 regional service hubs in Boise (ID), San Antonio (TX), Los Angeles (CA), Orlando (FL), and Marietta (GA) to accelerate onsite installs and aftermarket service.

Major U.S. and remarkable world-wide projects. 

• Los Angeles (CA)
When devastating wildfires struck California in January 2025, Fonroche responded with hundreds of solar streetlights installed in just 24 hours, restoring safety to neighborhoods without relying on damaged grid infrastructure. This rapid intervention showcased the unmatched speed and resilience of off-grid solar lighting—qualities that U.S. cities increasingly demand. Later that year, the city accelerated solar streetlight installations to combat copper wire theft and keep neighborhoods lit during potential future outages—announcing hundreds of new solar lights.

• Chile – Atacama Desert
Fonroche deployed solar lighting in one of the driest regions on Earth—the Atacama Desert—where extreme heat can reach up to 104°F and nights can approach freezing, making traditional grid lighting nearly impossible to install and function. This solution ensures reliable illumination in harsh conditions, enhancing safety and delivering cost efficiency for Chile’s infrastructure.

• Colombia – Viaducto de la Paz
Fonroche illuminated one of South America’s largest viaducts, spanning 3.1 miles. This project demonstrates how solar lighting can overcome the challenges of high-altitude weather and complex engineering, improving safety for thousands of drivers while reducing infrastructure costs for the country.

• Switzerland – The Evolène Ski Resort
Despite the low level of sunlight, the slopes are illuminated 365 nights a year.

• San Antonio, TX
In Texas’s second biggest city, San Antonio, there have been ongoing municipal rollouts across multiple corridors and facilities, with 1,200+ lights installed citywide.

• Las Vegas, NV
With a total of 500 lights, Las Vegas is scaling solar streetlighting. The move eliminates trenching, break-ins, damage and copper wiring, a frequent target for theft, while guaranteeing operation during outages. The result: safer streets and a smarter, more resilient city.

• Maui Airport, HI
At Hawaii’s second-busiest airport, solar-powered perimeter parking lights were installed – a critical solution for a region prone to tropical storms and power outages, ensuring uninterrupted lighting when reliability matters most.

• Other memorable projects include: Tesla Facilities, Domino’s Pizza, Virgin Galactic Spaceport and the NASA Glenn Center.

Fonroche Lighting  | https://www.fonrochesolarlighting.com/

In preparation for its commercial Phase 2, Nouveau Monde Graphite Inc. (“NMG” or the “Company”) (NYSE: NMG, TSX: NOU) has acquired the brownfield site and industrial facilities adjacent to its greenfield site in Bécancour, Québec. The purchase enables the Company to deploy the first stage of its refining operations to fulfill Panasonic Energy’s 13,000-tpa active anode material offtake and reinforces NMG’s presence in Bécancour, at the heart of the Canadian battery hub and two hours from the Matawinie Mine.

Eric Desaulniers, Founder, President, and CEO of NMG, stated: “For NMG, delivering an optimized and competitive solution to our partner Panasonic Energy with the utmost efficiency is a strategic priority. By accelerating our development pathway and maintaining the highest standards of performance, cost discipline, and ESG excellence, we are helping anchor a resilient and sustainable integrated battery value chain in North America. This collaboration reinforces our shared ambition to build a local, carbon-neutral, and future‑proof supply chain that will strengthen industrial sovereignty, support the energy transition, and ensure long‑term value for our partners, our communities, and the North American market.”

The 143,000-m2 brownfield site includes a 22,000-m2 facility, large storing and logistics area, and connections to key industrial infrastructure. It is contiguous to NMG’s 200,000-m2 greenfield site, providing an ideal setting for a two-stage development plan for the Company’s Phase-2 Bécancour Battery Material Plants. Bécancour offers direct access to highways, railway and port for easy logistics, robust industrial infrastructure, nearby labour pool, along with potential synergies within the industrial park with battery material and chemical producers.

NMG will leverage this brownfield facility to build a first production capacity of active anode material dedicated to Panasonic Energy. Offering a full integration from ore to battery materials, graphite concentrate from the Company’s Phase-2 Matawinie Mine will be refined at this Bécancour Battery Material Plant into 13,000 tonnes per annum (“tpa”) of active anode material as per Panasonic Energy’s technical and quality specifications. The production will support battery manufacturing at Panasonic Energy’s Nevada and Kansas facilities in line with Panasonic Energy’s global capacity expansion.

Leveraging the technology and engineering work carried out thus far, NMG will work to retrofit its plan to the building and develop a class-3 estimate for this brownfield development in H1-2026. The industrial building and associated infrastructure should enable the Company to lower infrastructure costs, optimize CAPEX per tonne for this first stage development, and streamline permitting, engineering and construction timelines to align the commissioning period with that of the Matawinie Mine. The Company will work with its strategic shareholders and targeted financial partners toward a Bécancour final investment decision (“FID”) in H2-2026.

Nouveau Monde Graphite | www.nmg.com

Avangrid, Inc., a leading energy company and member of the Iberdrola Group, announced that it extended its offtake agreement with Xcel Energy for electricity produced at Avangrid’s MinnDakota energy project. This extension of an existing Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) between the two companies will ensure MinnDakota continues to generate reliable energy for the region and support the local economy.

“MinnDakota was a milestone project when it was built and it continues to generate safe, reliable, and affordable electricity today,” said Jose Antonio Miranda, Avangrid CEO. “Projects like MinnDakota help power thousands of homes and businesses each year, and contribute to the local community with jobs, tax revenue, and landowner lease payments. Our collaboration with Xcel Energy ensures these benefits will continue to support the local community.”

“We’re committed to powering the communities we serve with reliable energy they depend on every day. This extension allows us to continue providing renewable wind energy to our customers in the region,” said Justin Tomljanovic, senior vice president, Corporate Finance and Strategic Growth at Xcel Energy. “We value working with Avangrid and share a common goal to support the local economy and help the community thrive.”

MinnDakota is a 150 MW wind energy project located on the Minnesota-South Dakota border. Two-thirds of the project is located in Lincoln County, Minnesota, with the remainder located in Brookings County, South Dakota. It supports 9 full-time jobs in the community for operation and maintenance. Since it was built, the project has paid about $10 million in property taxes, which support a variety of public services in the area.

Xcel Energy has been the offtaker for MinnDakota since the project began its operation, and it will continue to receive energy from the project under this extension.

Avangrid has over 900 MW of power generation capacity from 10 projects in Minnesota and South Dakota, including MinnDakota. Overall, Avangrid operates over 10.5 GW of capacity from more than 80 projects across the country.

Avangrid | http://www.avangrid.com

Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E), unveiled a new web site designed to help customers make informed decisions as they explore all-electric appliances and solutions.

Developed in partnership with GridX, PG&E's Clean Energy Calculator delivers personalized cost and savings estimates that help customers understand how clean energy choices may impact their energy bills, total cost of buying, installing and operating an electric appliance or vehicle, and available rate plans and other incentives.

Accessible through customers’ PG&E online account, users can explore and compare products including electric heat pumps for water heating and home heating and cooling, induction stoves, solar, battery storage, and electric vehicles. The tool uses customers’ actual energy usage data to tailor different upgrade scenarios, compare rate plans, and provide a complete financial picture of electric and gas costs while offering real-time insights into long-term costs and savings.

"Supporting customers early in their choices is essential in our path to a lower-carbon future,” said Vincent Davis, Chief Customer Officer and Senior Vice President, Customer Experience, PG&E. “Tools like the Clean Energy Calculator give customers clarity and control as they explore new ways to cook, heat, and cool their homes, and they can find electric solutions that fit their needs and budgets.”

Electrification can reduce energy use and costs, improve comfort, and create a more sustainable environment for homes, businesses, and communities. PG&E is committed to supporting its customers in every step of the energy upgrade journey.

"PG&E is demonstrating what's possible when utilities think like tech innovators – putting customers first," said Chris Black, CEO of GridX. "The Clean Energy Calculator empowers residential consumers to see the cost implications of their decisions instantly, making clean energy choices simpler, smarter, and more engaging. The addition of gas modeling means customers can truly understand the total cost of ownership when considering electrification options like heat pumps.”

This launch aligns with PG&E’s vision to build trust, support electrification, and deliver affordable, reliable and decarbonized energy solutions to more than 16 million customers across Northern and Central California. Access the Clean Energy Calculator at pge.com/calculator.

Pacific Gas and Electric Company | www.pge.com 

GridX | www.gridx.com

Hitachi Energy, a global leader in electrification, and Pakal Technologies, a cutting-edge innovator in silicon power semiconductor design, announced a collaboration to advance shared value creation and sustainable growth. Hitachi Energy will incorporate Pakal Technologies' groundbreaking Insulated Gate Turn-Off (Thyristor), IGTO(t), silicon power switch into its portfolio of market-leading high-voltage power modules, beginning with devices used in essential applications such as rail, renewables, energy storage, AI and data center infrastructure.

Semiconductors sit inside almost every critical system, forming the backbone of a stable and modern grid. The collaboration addresses one of the most significant challenges in large-scale electrification: reducing energy losses and improving overall efficiency in high-voltage power conversion. By combining Hitachi Energy's expertise in power module design with Pakal Technologies' IGTO(t) innovation – which delivers 30 percent lower losses compared to today's widely used devices – the collaboration aims to contribute to cumulative daily efficiency gains across energy infrastructure. Together, the companies intend to produce the highest performing ≥3.3 kV power semiconductor modules for Hitachi Energy to offer to its large and growing global customer base, delivering higher performance, lower operating costs, and greater long-term reliability across critical electrification projects.

"With a century-long legacy of in-house semiconductor manufacturing expertise and ongoing expansion, Hitachi Energy is committed to advancing innovation in power electronics. We are pleased to join forces with Pakal Technologies to incorporate its novel IGTO(t) within our semiconductor portfolio," said Niklas Persson, Managing Director of Hitachi Energy's Grid Integration business unit. "This collaboration represents over time an opportunity to strengthen the global energy ecosystem at its core."

"Pakal Technologies was founded to make power conversion simpler, better, and more efficient. Collaborating with Hitachi Energy is an honor and secures a long-term partner capable of scaling impact with us," said Ben Quinones, CEO of Pakal Technologies. "Having our IGTO(t) platform recognized by a company with Hitachi Energy's exceptional history for quality, reliability, and performance in the energy landscape ensures we can contribute to today's sprint toward the electrification era."

The IGTO(t) represents the first new high-voltage silicon power semiconductor since the IGBT was introduced in the 1980s. The IGTO(t) delivers 30 percent lower conduction losses at high current and temperature than IGBT, while maintaining compatibility with existing module architectures. At the system level, these performance advances enable higher power density, reduced thermal and cooling requirements, and materially improved energy efficiency. 

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

Pakal Technologies | https://pakal-tech.com/