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PowerBank Corporation (NASDAQ: PBK) (Cboe CA: PBK) (FSE: 103) ("PowerBank" or the "Company"), a leader in independent energy development and asset ownership in North America, is pleased to announce that it has been awarded a contract (the "Contract") to construct a photovoltaic array, electric vehicle chargers and associated infrastructure for the United States Federal Government (the "Project"). The Contract was awarded to PowerBank Corporation's US subsidiary Abundant Solar Power Inc. and was granted by the United States Department of Defense and the Department of the Army for the Armed Forces Reserve Center Farmingdale in Farmingdale, New York (the "Owner"). The AFRC Farmingdale facility serves the Army Reserve, the Naval Reserve, the Marine Corps Reserve, and the New York National Guard.

The Company responded to a federal solicitation administered by the US Army Corps of Engineers for the Project, which will provide onsite power and electric vehicle charging capabilities to the facility. The Company has received Notice to Proceed under the Contract, and will commence with the engineering, procurement and construction of the Project which will be retained by the Owner.

This is PowerBank's first project for the United States Federal Government, demonstrating the Company's experience in providing code-compliant products and services which meet all Federal Acquisition Regulations. The work is provided under the NAICS (North American Industry Classification) code 236220 for Commercial and Institutional Building Construction. This announcement follows recent state-level contracts awarded to Abundant Solar Power Inc. with the New York Department of Military and Naval Affairs for the construction of several ground-mounted and rooftop solar projects as well as battery energy storage systems.

PowerBank's President and Chief Operating Officer Andrew van Doorn commented, "Being awarded this contract by the US Army Corps of Engineers is a meaningful validation of the standard to which our team builds. Federal procurement is rigorous by design, and meeting those requirements on our first submission reflects the institutional-grade capabilities we have built over decades of delivering complex energy infrastructure. We are proud to be bringing reliable, on-site solar and EV charging to the Farmingdale facility, and we look forward to executing this project with the same discipline our clients have come to expect from PowerBank."

PowerBank's proven expertise, with over 100 MW of completed projects and a development pipeline exceeding 1 GW, underpins the project's execution. Strategic partnerships and institutional-grade development capabilities position PowerBank to deliver reliable, high-impact renewable energy solutions.

PowerBank Corporation | www.powerbankcorp.com

Because the 500 MW Highland Wind Farm is undergoing a major repowering process with existing components being changed out and upgraded with new more efficient components plus the addition of an Aircraft Detection Lighting System (ADLS), the wind farm owner and the O’Brien County Board of Supervisors must enter into a new Decommissioning Agreement.  These complex and detailed discussions have been ongoing for several weeks.  

With the original Decommissioning Agreement entered into back on Oct. 9, 2013, the O’Brien County’s Wind Energy Device Ordinance requires an updated Decommissioning Plan that outlines the anticipated means and proposed financing methods adequate to remove the Highland Wind Farm, after being repowered, if it should incur a period of being inoperable.

Decommissioning a wind farm typically entails the removal of all wind energy devices, facilities, additional upgrades including to rotors, nacelles, towers, all step-up transformers, all overhead transmission and underground power collection systems and access roads unless the landowner wish to keep the roads.  Also requiring removal are all cement foundations, pads, underground electrical cables and any underground wind energy structures to a minimum depth of four’.  All areas must then be regraded, topsoil restored and then seeded.

At the Tuesday, June 16, 2026 O’Brien County Board of Supervisors meeting, the Highland Wind Farm Repowering Team consisting of project developer Alex Behnke, associate project director Caden Easter and associate project outreach manager John Huff discussed in greater detail what an agreed to Decommissioning Agreement will look like.  The owner’s attorney, Lee Greenwald, joined in on the discussion virtually.

Why Wind Turbines or Wind Farms Require Decommissioning

Greenwald began the discussion by describing the conversation he has been having with O’Brien County Attorney Katie Morgan.  One primary discussion has centered on how to determine when a wind turbine or an entire wind farm has become inoperable and stops generating electricity for an extended period of time.  

Morgan had recently proposed one questionable change to the original text that she felt could be made.  The proposed change that Morgan offered was that the wind farm owner could file a report regarding “the amount of electricity production on a per turbine bases.  We are discussing that internally and it would be really challenging for us,” Greenwald reported.  “That’s one item we are trying to finalize with Katie.”

Being the wind farm’s owner/operator, Greenwald then noted how the owner is required to report the total amount of electricity generated across the entire wind farm to the Energy Information Agency (EIA).  

Greenwald suggested that this matter might be the one issue holding up progress on getting beyond a decommissioning agreement approval. The per turbine energy output reporting is what’s so questionable. Unlike an entire wind farm energy production report, it’s the feasibility of arriving at a per turbine energy production figure that’s most in question.

A repowering team member went on to describe in a hypothetical sense what it might look like if a turbine site or two were not operational for a period of 180 days or whatever, then they would be obligated to report that situation to the County. The turbine manufacturer and the local wind farm operations and maintenance personnel would rather take the time and spend the money to repair the turbine than to decommission a problematic turbine site, suggested associate project director Caden Easter.

Easter also suggested that having a 180 day or a 12-month requirement for reporting a problematic turbine site being inoperable and then undergoing a decommissioning wasn’t really that feasible.  Easter suggested it would always be better to get that turbine repaired and back to where it is operational.

County Supervisor Barb Rohwer asked how many turbines in the wind farm currently aren’t functioning.  “To my understanding, there have been only two of the 104 turbines in the O’Brien Wind Farm over the last 2 years.  One has been fully repaired and the other is in the process od being repaired,” reported Behnke.  “I can’t speak for the Highland Wind Farm.  We are obligated to tell the County what efforts we are being taking to repair a problematic turbine.

“We will never leave a County high and dry.  We are an investment grade, rate regulated public utility.  Hopefully, we are a company that never goes away and will never leave an operational wind farm.  That scenario just will not happen.  I don’t see a scenario where we will decommission one or two turbines.  I do take your concern into account,” Easter stated.

“I do know they try as hard as possible to repair a downed turbine.  Our job is energy production,” replied Easter.

When an observer asked the Repowering Team members if they were aware of an entire wind farm in Iowa, or any other state, that had undergone a decommissioning procedure, “To my knowledge, I am not. I am personally not aware of that ever happening in our company’s history,” replied a team member.

Another team member reported, I am aware that the first ever NW Iowa wind farm built in the late 1990’s and located in Buena Vista and northeast Cherokee County will be going through what’s called a full scrape repowering process.  Their old lattice towers will be completely removed and the newer style 3 section, 260’ tall tube-shaped towers will be put back in place.

“With our first wind farm built back in 2004, I think we are realistically still a decade or so from decommissioning our first entire wind farm,” a team member speculated.

In a follow up email, Easter reported, “The turbines are expected to have a 30-year operational life after the current repowering.  So, 2057 would be the estimated end of their operational life after these current repowering projects.”

Stantec Consulting Services was contracted to prepare a report regarding a hypothetical situation where the turbines in the 250 MW O’Brien Wind Project were decommissioned after a completed repowering project. A summary of their estimated costs and revenues associated with a decommissioning project was prepared and also included.  Stantec’s estimated cost for decommissioning the 250 MW wind farm came to $15,213,980.

The decision on the new Highland Wind Farm Decommissioning Agreement is still up for further discussion and consequently still pending.

— Loren G. Flaugh

[email protected]

Aclara Resources Inc. ("Aclara" or the "Company") (TSX:ARA) is pleased to announce that the State of Louisiana has granted final approval under the Industrial Tax Exemption Program (ITEP) for the Company's planned heavy rare earth separation facility at the Port of Vinton, Louisiana. The approval follows the execution of the Industrial Tax Exemption Contract by Governor Jeff Landry, providing an 80% exemption from ad valorem property taxes for an initial five-year period Based on the Company's current estimates, the exemption is expected to generate approximately US$4.2 million in annual property tax savings, representing approximately US$20.8 million during the initial five-year term and has the opportunity to renew the exemption for five additional years.

The facility will process mixed rare earth carbonates produced from Aclara's ionic clay deposits in Chile and Brazil into high-purity separated rare earth oxides. Once operational, the facility is expected to strengthen critical mineral supply chain resilience across the Western Hemisphere by enabling the large-scale production of heavy rare earths-including dysprosium, terbium, yttrium, gadolinium and samarium-which are essential for permanent magnets used in electric vehicles, robotics, wind turbines, and other advanced technologies.

"The final approval of the ITEP incentive marks another important milestone for Project Dynamo and reflects the outstanding partnership we have built with the State of Louisiana,"said Ramón Barúa, Chief Executive Officer of Aclara Resources. "We are grateful for the strong support from Governor Jeff Landry, Louisiana Economic Development and our local partners, who share our vision of establishing Louisiana as a strategic hub for rare earth processing and strengthening resilient critical mineral supply chains for the United States."

Aclara continues to advance engineering, permitting and financing activities for the Louisiana facility and is targeting to break ground during the fourth quarter of 2026. In parallel, the Company continues operating its rare earth separation pilot plant at Virginia Tech, where its proprietary solvent extraction technology is being demonstrated. The pilot plant is expected to provide approximately two years of operational data before the commercial facility enters production, further reducing scale-up risk and supporting an efficient commissioning process. Once its separation technology is fully validated, Aclara plans to apply, in the medium term, its separation technology in Brazil and other countries where it operates.

The project represents a cornerstone of Aclara's vertically integrated mine-to-alloys strategy, combining sustainable rare earth mining in Chile and Brazil with downstream separation and metals production in North America to establish a resilient, independent supply chain for permanent magnets and other critical heavy rare earths.

Aclara Resources I https://aclara-re.com/

New data recently released by the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), and reviewed by the SUN DAY Campaign, reveals growth of more than 10% in electrical generation by renewable energy sources in the first third of 2026. Moreover, utility-scale solar, wind, and battery storage are projected to add more than 78.5 gigawatts (GW) of new generating capacity in the U.S. by April 30, 2027 while total fossil fuel and nuclear power capacity will fall by over 5.2-GW.

Electrical generation by renewables sources grew over 10% and was 30% of the U.S. total in the first third of 2026.

According to the EIA’s latest “Electric Power Monthly” report (with data through April 30, 2026), renewably-generated electricity during the first four months of 2026 was 10.03% greater than in the first third of 2025. The growth was led by utility-scale (i.e., >1 megawatt (MW)) solar (up 21.3%), hydropower (up 15.7%), small-scale solar (i.e., <1-MW) (up 11.9%), and wind (up 3.4%). [1]

By comparison, the electrical output of the nation’s coal plants fell by 11.6% while nuclear power experienced weak growth – just 0.5%. Electricity produced by natural gas facilities expanded by 2.8%.

The combination of just wind and solar, including small-scale solar, provided well over a fifth (21.8%) of domestic electrical production.

In April alone, wind and solar each produced more electricity than the nation’s coal plants while the combination of solar and wind produced 57.0% more electricity than did nuclear power. [2]

The mix of all renewables, including biomass and geothermal, accounted for 30.0% of total U.S. electrical generation during the first third of 2026 – up from 27.8% a year earlier.

Over the past year, renewable energy capacity increased by almost 40,000-MW.

Between May 1, 2025 and April 30, 2026, the installed capacity of utility-scale solar increased by 27,572.3-MW while that of small-scale solar and wind grew by 6,492.2-MW and 5,976.4-MW respectively. The combined capacity of all renewable energy sources - including hydropower, biomass, and geothermal - expanded by 39,884.2-MW.

In April, for the first time, EIA reported that utility-scale solar capacity surpassed that of wind (160,208.1-MW vs. 160,100.6-MW).

In addition, utility-scale battery energy storage capacity increased by 17,703.5-MW or 58.1%. [3]

By comparison, coal capacity fell by 3,511.4-MW and nuclear added just 18.4-MW. However, natural gas capacity rose by 7,754.2-MW.

Renewable energy to add 56-GW of new capacity in the coming year.

As of May 1, 2026, renewable energy’s share of total U.S. utility-scale (i.e., >1-megawatt (MW)) generating capacity was 33.8%. EIA projects this to grow to 36.8% by April 30, 2027. Utility-scale solar will add 42,527.2-MW thereby expanding its share from 13.1% to 15.9% while wind will grow by 13,154.4-MW (including 3,355.0-MW of offshore wind), increasing from 13.1% to 13.6%. The mix of other renewables (i.e., hydropower, biomass, and geothermal) will add 298.7-MW.  

The combined capacity growth of all utility-scale renewable energy sources for the 12-month period (55,980.3-MW) is two-thirds more (i.e., 67.6%) than that added during the previous 12 months (33,392.0-MW).

Meanwhile, EIA projects no new generating capacity by nuclear power and a net decline of 5,200.5-MW in fossil fuel capacity. [4]

With the inclusion of new small-scale solar, renewables’ capacity could surpass natural gas by early 2027 – or sooner.

The figures cited above do not include small-scale solar. [5] The estimated capacity of small-scale solar systems grew by 6,492.2-MW during the last year, bringing its total to 61,521.5-MW. EIA does not provide a forecast for small-scale solar capacity growth but the SUN DAY Campaign assumes it will roughly equal that of the past year (i.e., an additional 6,000-MW or more). [6]

If small-scale solar does increase by approximately 6,000-MW by May 1, 2027, it will bring renewable energy’s installed capacity up to about 537,606.9-MW. By comparison, natural gas’ generating capacity would total 515,744.9-MW.

Solar power’s share alone would be more than one-fifth (20.1%) of total U.S. capacity.  

Battery energy storage is projected to increase by over 47% by next spring:

EIA foresees battery energy storage adding another 22,828.9-MW by May 1, 2027, bringing the total up to 71,007.4-MW – an increase of over 47%.

Thus, the combination of utility-scale renewable energy sources and battery energy storage will provide 78,809.2-MW of new clean energy capacity by mid-spring 2027. With the inclusion of small-scale solar, that figure could rise to close to 85,000-MW.

"The steadily accelerating march of solar, wind, and battery storage continues," noted the SUN DAY Campaign's executive director Ken Bossong. “Trump seems to be having no more success in stopping the growth of renewable energy sources than he is having in repairing the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.”

EIA | https://www.eia.gov/electricity/monthly

[1] In January-April 2026, wind produced 185,496 gigawatt-hours (GWh) - 12.8% of total U.S. electrical generation - while utility-scale and small-scale solar combined produced 130,639-GWh (9.0%), hydropower produced 99,787-GWh (6.9%), biomass produced 14,521-GWh (1.0%), and geothermal produced 5,238-GWh (0.36%).

[2] In January-April 2026, the mix of wind and solar, including small-scale solar, produced 316,135-GWh while nuclear power generated 255,104-GWh and coal provided 212,270-GWh. In April 2026, wind generated 49,136-GWh. Utility-scale and small-scale solar generated 40,912-GWh. Solar and wind combined generated 90,048-GWh. Coal generated 39,777-GWh. Nuclear power generated 57,373-GWh.

[3] EIA presents its capacity data as “summer capacity” defined as the maximum output that generating equipment can supply to system load at the time of summer peak demand. See Table 6.1 in the “Electric Power Monthly” report.

[4] Capacity factors for fossil fuels and nuclear power are generally higher than for solar and wind. For 2025, EIA reported capacity factors of 48.7%, 58.4%, and 91.0% for coal, natural gas, and nuclear power respectively. By comparison, the capacity factors for wind and utility-scale PV were 34.2% and 24.4% respectively. See Tables 6.07.A and 6.07.B. Capacity factors for small-scale solar systems (10%-25%.) are usually lower than for utility-scale solar.

[5] In its “Electric Power Monthly” report, EIA refers to small-scale or distributed solar as “Estimated Small Scale Solar Photovoltaic.” Unless otherwise indicated, all calculations presented in this release include electrical generation by small-scale solar which EIA estimates to have totaled 31,245-GWh in January-April 2026. Utility-scale solar totaled 99,394-GWh for the same period.

[6] Between May 1, 2025 and April 30, 2026, estimated small-scale solar accounted for 6,492.2-MW in new capacity additions. The SUN DAY Campaign is therefore assuming that at least 6,000-MW in new small-scale solar capacity will be added during the coming 12 months.

Coyote Valley Casino & Hotel, located on the Coyote Valley Reservation in Redwood Valley, California, announces the completion of a 2.23-megawatt (MW) solar carport system designed to significantly cut energy costs and provide long-term protection against future price volatility. The newly installed system, which features 1,500 JA modules and 10 Chint Power inverters, is expected to generate approximately 3,472 megawatt-hours (MWh) of electricity annually – around 90% of the site’s energy use – delivering more than $450,000 in estimated first-year savings for the Coyote Valley Band of Pomo Indians, the owner of the complex.

The project includes a 1,411-kW solar carport installation across the casino’s parking areas, transforming existing parking space into a dual-purpose asset that generates onsite electricity while providing shaded parking for guests and staff. A second 817.5 kW system at the Coyote Valley Hotel supplies power to the adjacent Tribal Council offices, a convenience store, and wastewater treatment facility.

Development was led by Watthub Renewables, working in partnership with EPC contractor SunRenu Solar. The PPA was provided by Sunrock Distributed Generation with no upfront capital investment from the Coyote Valley Band of Pomo Indians.

In partnership with the Coyote Valley Band of Pomo Indians, Sunrock Distributed Generation will manage and operate the system for the next 30 years, selling all of the energy generated onsite to the customer at a discounted price compared to the cost of grid-supplied electricity. As part of the agreement, the system will be monitored and maintained under a long-term service arrangement, meaning the Coyote Valley Band of Pomo Indians will benefit from reliable performance and ongoing cost savings.

“This project demonstrates how Sunrock can help turn energy costs into long-term economic value for local communities,” says Wilson Chang, CEO of Sunrock Distributed Generation. “The Coyote Valley Band of Pomo Indians is using solar to reduce utility exposure, strengthen operating resilience, and save more than $450,000 in the first year alone. Sunrock is proud to partner on a project that supports Tribal self-determination and results in lower energy costs, greater cost certainty, and a renewable energy asset that will deliver value for decades.”

“This solar project represents an important step toward a more sustainable future for our Tribe and our community,” comments Rachel Whetstone, CFO of the Coyote Valley Tribal Council. “By investing in renewable energy, we are reducing operating costs, protecting the environment, and demonstrating leadership in responsible development.”

John McDonnell, Principal of SunRenu Solar, says: “We are proud to have developed this project alongside Tribal leadership, the Department of Energy, Sunrock Distributed Generation and Watthub Renewables. This unique project offers more than 45% annual savings, with no upfront cost and no maintenance responsibility for the Tribe. It is a win-win-win-win for all involved.”

Project Snapshot

• Site: Coyote Valley Hotel and Casino – 455 Coyote Valley Blvd, Redwood Valley, CA 95470
• System size: 1,411 kW on casino + 817.5 kW on hotel
• Estimated annual production: 3.4 GWh
• Monitoring: Wattch
• Structure: Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) — zero upfront cost to Coyote Valley
• Bundled scope: Carport solar
• PPA provider / financier: Sunrock Distributed Generation
• Developer: Watthub Renewables
• EPC / builder: SunRenu Solar

Watthub Renewables | www.watthub.com

SunRenu Solar | www.sunrenu.com

Sunrock Distributed Generation | www.sunrockdg.com

Technology group Wärtsilä is a member of a new, multi-sectoral consortium which aims to tackle one of the greatest challenges facing the energy transition: how to safely store and transport clean hydrogen. The Business Finland co-innovation project is led by VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd.

While the global hydrogen market is growing – reaching 97 million tonnes (Mt) globally in 2023ⁱ – it is faced with significant limitations to adoption due to a lack of hydrogen compatible materials that allow for safe and cost competitive scaling.

The new consortium MatH2 aims to create a complete, industry-driven and innovative ecosystem to deliver essential hydrogen-compatible materials and technologies required to tackle critical materials reliability challenges and scale the hydrogen transition globally.  

Rasmus Teir, Director, Technology Strategy & Decarbonisation at Wärtsilä says: “Scaling hydrogen cost efficiently is one of the defining energy challenges for the energy transition – one that cannot be achieved in isolation. By bringing together the entire hydrogen value-chain, we are bridging the gap between research and industry to overcome the barriers preventing the growth of hydrogen across Europe and globally. Doing so will accelerate deployment, while enabling hydrogen to become a safe, affordable and scalable fuel that will accelerate the world’s energy transition toward a net zero future.”

With Europe already scaling hydrogen infrastructure – including pipelines, terminals and industrial end-use – hydrogen-compatible materials and technologies act as critical barriers to adoption. Materials degradation by hydrogen embrittlement or corrosion needs to be managed and the reliability of critical locations, such as welds, secured, while enabling storage and transfer of hydrogen at various scales within reasonable costs; this framework forms the most significant challenge facing the hydrogen economy today, slowing adoption and undermining cost competitiveness. The aim of the consortium is to address these challenges, allowing technology developers to benefit from reliable, predictable material behaviour that enables hydrogen-ready engines, pipeline reactors and fuel processing systems, alongside significant strides for researchers.

By driving these advancements, the consortium aims to offer the market components with enhanced durability, lower degradation under hydrogen service, and enhanced cost competitiveness, which, in turn, can help accelerate the pace of adoption of hydrogen globally. 

The MatH2 consortium is leveraging Finland’s unique position to harness the hydrogen economy thanks to the country’s abundant access to low-cost, carbon-free electricity and biogenic carbon dioxide for hydrogen-derivative production, alongside strong electrical grid infrastructure.

The outcome of the consortium can contribute to accelerating Finland toward becoming a leader in the hydrogen market, set to contribute up to €34 billion annually to national GDP by 2035 and create more than 60,000 jobs in technology development and infrastructure production, while also contributing to the European Union’s target of 20 million tonnes per year of renewable hydrogen supply by 2030ⁱⁱ. By overcoming the reliability challenges of materials, MatH2 can unlock more secure access to sustainable fuels, power and industrial products, while reducing the risk and cost in hydrogen infrastructure – in turn, making future energy systems stable, sustainable and resilient.

The new consortium, MatH2, has been established under WISE – Wide and Intelligent Sustainable Energy, a Business Finland co-funded collaboration with the ambitious aim of developing zero-emission balancing power to help accelerate the move towards decarbonisation. WISE is led by Wärtsilä – a technology company at the forefront of the transition towards a 100% renewable energy future and already leading critical innovation within the hydrogen economy. The MatH2 consortium consists of altogether 10 industry and research partners, spanning the full hydrogen value chain, from materials suppliers, component manufacturers, technology providers through to end-use industries. The consortium includes industry leaders EOS, Neste, Nordic Tank, Teknos, SSAB, Bumax, SP Stainless and two research partners, VTT and University of Oulu.

Earlier in June Wärtsilä announced that it has started validation of a new 100% hydrogen engine to power Spain’s national electricity grid in Bermeo, northern Spain – the world’s first demonstration of a large-scale, 100% hydrogen engine. The demonstration marks a significant step beyond hydrogen-ready technologies, proving that engine-based power generation can run entirely on hydrogen in real grid conditions – paving the way for this capability to become a reality at scale in the future.

Wärtsilä Energy | www.wartsila.com/energy

FuelCell Energy, Inc. (Nasdaq: FCEL), a clean energy technology company that manufactures utility scale power solutions, and Fit Energy USA LP (“Fit Energy”), a developer of reliable power solutions to support advanced computing infrastructure and artificial intelligence, announced a strategic agreement for up to 380 megawatts (MW) of clean, baseload on-site power for data centers using FuelCell Energy’s utility-scale fuel cell technology. The agreement includes an immediate deposit for an initial 30 MW of power scheduled to begin delivery later this year.

“We are pleased to partner with Fit Energy on its development plans. We’ve engaged with a diverse range of prospective customers across the digital infrastructure landscape, and Fit Energy has distinguished itself through its commitment to ‘energy as a service’ power solutions that support both communities and the environment,” said Jason Few, President and CEO of FuelCell Energy. He added, “This agreement further validates our decision to scale our operations to 500 MW, preserving our ability to serve a broad and growing pipeline of customers.”

Joel Leonoff, CEO of Fit Energy, added, “Today’s announcement marks a critical step in building the power foundation required for the next generation of AI infrastructure. FuelCell Energy’s technology aligns with our growth objectives and our goal of delivering behind-the-meter power solutions to data centers at gigawatt scale.”

Under the arrangement, Fit Energy will be eligible to receive warrants tied to future deployment milestones of up to 380 MW. The warrant structure is designed to align long-term value creation with successful project execution and customer deployment.

Canaccord Genuity served as a financial advisor to FuelCell Energy Inc. on certain aspects of this transaction.

Fit Energy | www.fitenergygroup.com

FuelCell Energy | www.fuelcellenergy.com