Higher Power PV Modules Drive Up BOS Costs

Parameter, a leading provider of mission-critical infrastructure monitoring systems, launched the DCM6-L-IECEx, a battery monitoring module purpose‑built for IECEx‑certified operation in Zone 1 and Zone 2 hazardous environments. The DCM6-L-IECEx is natively compliant and eliminates risk at the source, rather than relying on bulky explosion-proof containment – delivering a smaller footprint, easier installation, lower maintenance and proven extended-life protection engineered specifically for the application.

The module enables Parameter's Cellwatch Battery Monitoring and Cellwatch Frontier systems to operate seamlessly in classified zones where explosive gases such as hydrogen are present. The urgency is accelerating across energy sectors. In Bain & Company's 2026 Energy Agenda survey of more than 800 executives, utilities and power generation leaders reported a 60% improvement in their outlook on energy storage's business case over the prior year, making it the second-most-optimistic technology shift in the sector, while oil and gas executives reported a 19% improvement, ranking energy storage among their top five. But energy storage is only as reliable as the batteries behind it – and battery rooms are frequently where critical power failures begin. In the energy sector, they are also among the most dangerous places to send a technician. 

From “Enter to Diagnose” to “Enter to Resolve”

In traditional hazardous-area battery management, technicians enter classified zones to take manual readings, diagnose problems and determine next steps. Every entrance event increases personnel exposure to potentially explosive atmospheres.

The DCM6-L-IECEx eliminates that cycle. Continuous cell-level monitoring of voltage, temperature and internal resistance provides predictive failure intelligence, pinpointing which cells are at risk and why, before failures occur. Operators know what is failing and where before anyone enters the room. 

Technicians enter only to resolve a confirmed or predicated issue, not to find one. The shift from an “enter to diagnose” workflow to an “enter to resolve” workflow represents a fundamental change in how facilities manage risk in classified environments. This approach substantially reduces entry events, technician risk exposure, and response times.

Built From the Ground Up, Not Bolted Into a Box

Parameter did not simply add an enclosure to an existing product to meet IECEx requirements. The DCM6-L-IECEx was purpose-built for Zone 1 and Zone 2 applications, so the unit itself is intrinsically safe. Certification is engineered into the product, not imposed on it by an enclosure.

The practical difference is significant. Units mount directly to standard DIN rails without modifying battery room layouts. All leads, terminals and temperature probes ship pre-certified with the module. There are no enclosure gaskets to fail, no additional cable engineering or certification to manage, and no need to remove the unit during battery replacements. Once installed, the system requires zero ongoing maintenance or calibration.

The result is faster installation, a smaller physical footprint, fewer potential points of failure and dramatically fewer entrance events into hazardous zones over the life of the system.

“In hazardous environments, every unnecessary entry is a risk,” said Mike Blazes, CEO at Parameter. “By shifting from ‘enter to diagnose’ to ‘enter to resolve,’ we give operations teams the confidence to act with precision instead of uncertainty. That’s how you protect people, uptime and infrastructure at the same time.”

Converging Risks in the Energy Sector and AI-Scale Data Centers

Two traditionally separate worlds, energy production and digital infrastructure, are now converging around the same operational risks.

Decades of electrification and automation in the oil & gas sector have shifted essential power infrastructure into hazardous environments. Batteries serve as the backbone for shutdown, communications and control functions, often in spaces where explosive gases are present and physical access is tightly constrained.

Mirroring conditions once associated primarily with heavy industry, AI data centers are hurling toward industrial‑scale power architectures. On-site energy storage and generation requires increased battery capacity, resulting in more hydrogen off‑gassing and multiplying the number of classified spaces that require IECEx-certified monitoring solutions. 

Regulatory compliance is rising in both sectors, alongside the risks associated with increased power density. The IECEx certification framework has grown from fewer than a dozen member countries to more than 60 approved certification bodies across 35-plus countries, and compliance is becoming a baseline expectation for international operations. The global hazardous-area equipment market is projected to grow from $15.8 billion this year to more than $26 billion by 2034. 

“As energy systems and battery infrastructure evolve to meet growing demand, operators are increasingly being asked to manage power environments that are both mission‑critical and hazardous,” said Joe Arena, chief commercial officer at Parameter. “The DCM6-L-IECEx system extends a single, unified monitoring platform across those environments, giving global operators the visibility, compliance and confidence they need to operate safely at scale.”

Key Capabilities

The DCM6-L-IECEx provides continuous cell-level monitoring of voltage, temperature and internal resistance in Zone 1 and Zone 2 classified environments. It carries full IECEx certification for IIC gas groups, the most hazardous classification, covering hydrogen and acetylene. The module integrates natively with Parameter's Cellwatch and Frontier platforms and supports SNMP, BACnet and Modbus protocols for direct connections to building management, SCADA and network management systems. Its enclosure-free, DIN-rail-mount design requires no layout modifications, no post-installation maintenance and no calibration.

Parameter | parametersystems.com

Noon Energy (“Noon”), a pioneer in ultra-long duration energy storage (ultra-LDES), announced an agreement with Meta Platforms, Inc. to reserve up to 1 GW / 100 GWh of energy storage capacity. The collaboration will begin with a 25 MW / 2.5 GWh project, scheduled for completion by 2028. Following the success of that project, Noon will begin delivering systems under a 1 GW / 100 GWh supply contract. The agreement aligns with Meta’s drive to accelerate the next generation of AI infrastructure using resources like Noon’s storage technology to unlock reliable energy supply from quick-to-build renewable generation. It also underscores the promise of Noon’s ultra-long duration energy storage for hyperscale applications.

Noon’s modular, reversible solid oxide fuel cell 100+ hour energy storage systems allow energy to be stored and discharged for multi-day periods when intermittent renewables have low generation, providing 24/7 baseload clean energy.

“Our partnership with Meta is a monumental step toward realizing what we founded Noon to achieve,” says Chris Graves, co-founder and CEO of Noon Energy. “We’re partnering with a company that is actively securing stable power for the AI infrastructure of tomorrow, and Meta recognizes the promise in our 100+ hour ultra-long duration storage technology. Data centers stand as one of the best applications for Noon’s battery system, and we look forward to working with Meta on building production capacity and an ultra-LDES supply chain in the years ahead.”

“Bringing data centers online faster requires rapid deployment of reliable energy sources. Our agreement with Noon advances that goal with a storage technology that delivers grid resilience and firm power,” said Nat Sahlstrom, VP of Energy and Sustainability, Meta. 

Noon Energy | noon.energy

Amperon, a leading provider of AI-powered energy forecasting solutions, announced the launch of its probabilistic Asset Solar and Wind Short-Term Forecasts, giving renewable energy operators, independent power producers, gentailers, and utilities a new way to quantify generation uncertainty, manage weather-related risk, and make more informed market and operational decisions.

Energy companies face increasing pressure to forecast generation accurately and plan for a wider range of possible outcomes. Traditional deterministic forecasts provide a single expected generation value, but they do not fully capture the variability that can affect bidding, scheduling, procurement, and profitability. Amperon's probabilistic Asset Solar and Wind Short-Term Forecasts are designed to close that gap by providing a range of likely generation outcomes and associated probability bands, helping customers make risk-aware decisions with greater confidence.

"Our focus at Amperon is simple: keep pushing forecasting forward so customers have the insight they need to make smarter decisions," said Sean Kelly, CEO of Amperon. "We recently expanded our weather-informed, probabilistic Grid Mid-Term Forecast into Europe after launching it in the U.S., and now we are bringing that same commitment to innovation to probabilistic Asset Short-Term Forecasts—giving customers a clearer view of uncertainty and more confidence in how they plan, bid, and operate."

Amperon's probabilistic Asset Solar and Wind Short-Term Forecasts provide hourly and sub-hourly visibility up to 15 days ahead, with 19 percentile bands from P5 through P95 delivered via API. By moving beyond a single-point forecast, the product helps renewable energy operators and IPPs better manage market exposure, while also giving gentailers and utilities a stronger basis for net load planning, supply stack decisions, and renewable portfolio optimization. For example, an independent power producer bidding into the day-ahead market can use probabilistic forecasting to see when weather uncertainty materially increases the risk of underperformance during a key interval, then adjust its bid accordingly to reduce imbalance exposure and protect margins.

Amperon's probabilistic Asset Solar and Wind Short-Term Forecasts build on the company's broader momentum in expanding the forecasting tools available to global energy market participants. In addition to the Grid Mid-Term Forecast in the U.S. and Europe, Amperon is growing momentum in Latin America. With renewable capacity rapidly increasing across the region, energy market operators are requiring shorter-interval, more risk-aware asset-level forecasts in order to maintain reliability as solar and wind resources are integrated at scale. Amperon's probabilistic Asset Solar and Wind Short-Term Forecasts are designed to support this global expansion, helping market participants better quantify uncertainty, manage variability, and integrate renewables more confidently as power systems continue to evolve.

Amperon | www.amperon.co

Solidion Technology Inc. (Nasdaq: STI), announced the grant of a series of key patents covering its proprietary liquid-to-solid electrolyte conversion platform — a technology that enables existing lithium-ion battery manufacturers to produce solid-state batteries without new equipment or process investment — adding to the Company's portfolio of over 345 patents.

Flame-resistant electrolytes are key to safe operations of energy storage systems (ESS) and all-types of electric vehicles, such as drones, electric bikes, e-automobile, electric vertical take-off and landing aircraft (eVTOL), and e-boats. The fire and explosion danger in conventional lithium-ion batteries is caused by certain highly volatile and flammable organic solvents commonly used in liquid electrolytes.

The technology invented includes using any current lithium-ion cell manufacturing facility to produce dry battery cells, injecting a proprietary liquid electrolyte into the dry cells, and then converting the liquid electrolyte inside the cells into a semi-solid or solid electrolyte, thereby reducing or eliminating flammability.

A major advantage of such a breakthrough technology is that solid-state batteries can be manufactured at-scale today rather than tomorrow, using existing lithium-ion battery manufacturing facilities. There is no need to develop new processes and equipment.

Solidion, a pioneer in this "liquid-to-solid conversion" technology, is positioned to readily transform the entire lithium-ion battery industry into producers of semi-solid and solid-state batteries.

Solidion Technology | www.solidiontech.com

Bobwhite Energy Storage, an affiliate of independent energy company Tenaska, has signed a long-term energy storage agreement with Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) for a 225-megawatt/900-megawatt hour storage project in East Tennessee.

The Bobwhite project, currently in advanced development in Hawkins County, is expected to start construction in 2027 and come online in late 2029. The agreement with TVA, the nation's largest provider of public power, spans 20 years and supports TVA's strategic commitment to strengthen grid reliability, manage peak demand and integrate more resources to help keep power affordable for hardworking American families. The project also reinforces the nation's drive to expand homegrown energy capacity, strengthen America's long-term energy security and ensure communities have access to dependable, resilient power that supports continued economic growth.

"Battery storage is essential to protecting the reliable, affordable electricity our region depends on to power next-generation technologies," said Monika Beckner, TVA Vice President, Power Supply & Fuels. "Projects like Bobwhite strengthen the Valley's energy security, increase our ability to manage extreme conditions and help unleash American energy – building a resilient system that supports families, drives economic growth and reinforces America's energy dominance."

With this agreement, TVA has signed 425 megawatts of standalone battery energy storage systems (BESS) to support capacity needs throughout its seven-state service territory.

"This project exemplifies Tenaska's ability to strategically site and develop high-value energy projects that consider grid challenges and market needs," said John Hejkal, Vice President, Origination & Development, with Tenaska Development. "The Bobwhite project supports TVA's goal to maintain a stable, reliable electric grid amid growing customer demand."

Tenaska, based in Omaha, Nebraska, has successfully developed approximately 14,000 megawatts of natural gas-fueled and renewable power projects. The company's development portfolio includes more than 33,000 megawatts of energy projects, including 7,000 megawatts of battery storage.

Construction and operation of the Bobwhite project is expected to boost the local economy, with a total estimated investment of approximately $300 million. The project will create up to 75 jobs during peak construction, prioritizing skilled workers from the surrounding communities and supporting TVA's commitment to investing in the people who call the Valley home. In addition to new job opportunities, the project will create meaningful avenues for local businesses to provide goods and services, helping to keep economic benefits rooted in the community and supporting long-term regional growth.

Tenaska | https://www.tenaska.com/

Tennessee Valley Authority | tva.com

Solx, a U.S.-based solar manufacturer, and Caelux, a U.S.-based leader in perovskite solar technology, announced a five-year, 3-gigawatt (GW) strategic partnership and unveiled their breakthrough US-made high-performance solar module. The collaboration integrates Caelux's advanced energy-producing glass into Solx's Aurora platform, creating a solar module with double power generation layers (hybrid tandem), enabling increased efficiencies of 28% and delivering significantly more power than conventional silicon-only modules.

"This is a defining moment for American energy manufacturing - U.S.-made hybrid tandem is no longer a theoretical, it's now in commercialized production," said James Holmes, Co-Founder & CEO of Solx. "We've integrated Caelux's leading glass technology into our domestic manufacturing platform, engineered for gigawatt-scale production. This is how the U.S. leads again - by building the energy future at scale."

From Innovation to Commercial Deployment
The partnership marks a critical landmark for U.S. energy infrastructure, transitioning Caelux's energy producing glass from the laboratory and low-volume production to giga-scale deployment. The Solx Aurora platform integrates Caelux's technology in place of conventional top glass bringing the ultra-high efficiency modules to market.

"Leading the market in the commercialization of double power layer modules, this partnership revolutionizes the American energy industry to meet growing energy demand," said Scott Graybeal, CEO of Caelux.

The collaboration between the two companies will meet the present-day need for speed-to-power in a world experiencing ever increasing energy growth, rising prices and fragile global supply chains. U.S. production is already underway on the module, delivering higher energy density per acre and a lower cost of power than conventional solar – positioning it as a defining energy infrastructure advancement.

Solx Aurora beta modules built with Caelux's energy amplifying glass technology are already confirmed for deployment in an operating domestic project with a leading U.S.-based developer. Widespread commercial volumes are expected by 2027 to the U.S. market, with a roadmap to scale to multi-gigawatt annual domestic capacity.

"Our partnership with Solx is the largest production agreement of its kind for energy producing perovskite glass in the Western Hemisphere," said Aaron Thurlow, SVP of Sales for Caelux. "While licensing has occurred in the industry, our agreement is a true production deal with volume and purchase commitments, deploying the technology to the broader market."

Building a Fully Domestic U.S. Solar Supply Chain
This partnership establishes a fully U.S.-based solar supply chain for Solx's advanced manufacturing platform to support its Aurora module wherein the Caelux glass technology comprises the first power generation layer and Suniva's U.S. produced solar cells make up the second power layer.

"A strong domestic supply chain is essential to America's energy future," said Matt Card, CEO of Suniva, the largest and oldest merchant solar cell manufacturer in the U.S. "This partnership demonstrates what's possible when U.S. manufacturers and technology leaders align. By supplying domestically produced solar cells into Solx's Aurora platform while also incorporating Caelux's Active Glass, we are strengthening domestic energy security, creating high-quality American jobs, and enabling the next generation of solar innovation."

The companies plan to continue to collaborate to domestically meet rising energy demand and cement a path forward for American energy technology leadership.

Solx | www.solx-energy.com

Caelux | www.caelux.com

Natural Power, a leading renewable energy consultancy and service provider, has successfully delivered technical advisory services for the 67.1 MW Benbrack Wind Farm, acting as lender’s technical advisor to support project financing on behalf of Red Rock Renewables. Appointed to undertake a comprehensive technical due diligence (TDD) review, Natural Power provided lenders (Lloyds, HSBC and China Construction Bank) with an independent assessment of the project’s technical, environmental and commercial readiness. This included detailed evaluation of construction progress, turbine installation and commissioning, grid connection, and contractual arrangements.

Fiona Lucas, Senior Technical Adviser at Natural Power, said: “Projects of this scale require a rigorous and detailed approach to technical due diligence to ensure risks are fully understood and appropriately managed. Our role is to provide lenders with clear, independent insight into the project’s status and readiness, supporting informed investment decisions. It’s been a pleasure to work with Red Rock Renewables and the wider project team to help bring Benbrack Wind Farm through this critical stage.”

The project has progressed strongly through construction, with all balance of plant works completed and turbine commissioning successfully achieved. Grid connection was energised in September 2025, with the final stages focused on achieving takeover and commercial operation.

In addition to core due diligence activities, Natural Power reviewed key risk areas including turbine quality assurance, environmental and social management planning, and contractual frameworks such as Contracts for Difference (CfD) and power purchase agreements (PPA). The team also assessed the project’s environmental and social management plan against Equator Principles requirements, confirming that it meets expected standards for a development of this scale and complexity.

Natural Power | www.naturalpower.com