The Solar Product Registry Set to Boost Solar Deployment

The Connecticut Green Bank and GoodLeap, a leading finance and technology sustainable home solutions platform, announced a strategic partnership to develop and operate Virtual Power Plants (VPPs) across Connecticut. This collaborative effort, enabled through the State's Energy Storage Solutions program, will focus on deploying residential solar systems and battery energy storage to help lower energy costs, improve grid resilience, and advance Connecticut's clean energy goals.

Enabled by GoodLeap's AI-powered proprietary software, GoodGrid, the fastest growing VPP network in the US, and integrated with the utility's Distributed Energy Resource Management Systems (DERMS), the VPPs can aggregate thousands of residential solar and storage systems into coordinated networks to provide grid services, such as peak demand reduction, helping reduce strain on the electrical grid, potentially deferring distribution infrastructure investments for utilities, and will better position Connecticut to meet its clean energy deployment targets. This can help lower costs for all homeowners as more expensive sources of energy can be avoided during these peaks, and will increase access to distributed energy resources.

"Together with GoodLeap, we are working to ensure that Connecticut residents — especially those in vulnerable communities — benefit from clean, resilient, and affordable energy solutions," said Bryan Garcia, President and CEO of the Connecticut Green Bank. "We saw GoodLeap leading on VPPs in other states around the country and felt that their technology, products and services were needed in Connecticut to help our families realize the benefits of these distributed energy resources. This initiative will bring new resources to homeowners and ratepayers while supporting our state's climate and energy goals."

Eligible Connecticut homeowners will receive monthly cash rewards through the GoodGrid cash rewards, advancing the goals of the Energy Storage Solutions program. The Green Bank will also support the partnership through technical assistance to streamline project development and interconnection, as well as stakeholder and community engagement to boost awareness and participation while ensuring equitable access.  

"We are thrilled to work with the Connecticut Green Bank to scale residential clean energy and energy storage solutions across the state," said Daniel Lotano, Chief Operating and Strategy Officer at GoodLeap. "Our technology has already helped tens of thousands of homeowners across the United States earn money for supporting a more reliable grid, and we're glad to bring our AI powered VPP software and our deep residential customer expertise to Connecticut."

Through this agreement, Connecticut Green Bank and GoodLeap will partner in ongoing collaboration on performance metrics, grid integration, and community impact reporting.

The Energy Storage Solutions program is overseen by the Public Utilities Regulatory Authority, is paid for by electric ratepayers, and is administered by the Connecticut Green Bank, Eversource, and UI. For more information on the Energy Storage Solutions program, visit https://energystoragect.com.

Connecticut Green Bank | https://www.ctgreenbank.com/

GoodLeap | https://www.goodleap.com/

The Team from the Ontario-based green energy company Green Sun Rising has completed the largest Northernmost solar system in Grise Fiord, which also happens to be the Northernmost community in North America, located on Ellesmere Island, the Northernmost Arctic Island in North America.

We would like to thank all the municipalities that provided support and assistance with the four CIPP solar PV projects for Diesel-reduction. Our founder, Klaus Döhring, enjoys cycling as his main mode of transportation. As is tradition with Green Sun Rising, Klaus ships a bicycle to every community we visit to experiencing cycling in extreme conditions throughout Canada, not only to promote healthier alternative to transportation but also to donate to an outstanding member of the community. 

Green Sun Rising | https://greensunrising.com/

Pivot Energy, a leading national renewable energy independent power producer, and the University of Colorado Boulder (CU Boulder), officially broke ground, Aug. 5, on a 5-megawatt direct current (MWdc) virtual net metering solar project in Weld County, Colo. The milestone marks the next phase in a partnership first announced in July 2024, and supports the university's broader clean energy goals while advancing its Climate Action Plan. Pivot Energy will develop, own, and operate the off-site project, which is expected to be completed in early 2026.

Under a twenty-year subscription agreement, CU Boulder will benefit from a virtual net metering program established by Colorado Senate Bill 21-261 in 2021, which allows the university to subscribe to energy produced off-site and receive credits on its electricity bills along with 100% of the project's renewable energy credits (RECs). The solar array will also enable CU Boulder to offset its electricity usage and advance its Scope 2 greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions goals, 50% by 2030, and achieve carbon neutrality by 2050. The initiative is cost neutral.

"This partnership with Pivot Energy is a powerful example of how CU Boulder is leading with purpose," said Chancellor Justin Schwartz. "We're not just talking about sustainability - we're building it into the fabric of our operations in ways that are both financially responsible and environmentally impactful."

Once complete, the project is expected to produce approximately 9.5 million kilowatt-hours (kWh) of solar energy annually, equivalent to powering more than 850 homes or removing 1,580 passenger cars from the road for one year. Laid end-to-end, the project's approximate 8,000 solar panels are enough to fill four football fields. Additionally, agrivoltaics will be integrated into this project. A flock of approximately 100 sheep will provide lamb-scaping services on site to manage the vegetation from April through October each year. A local rancher will benefit from additional grazing land at the project site, which will provide a diversified revenue stream for their farm operations.

"Pivot Energy is proud to partner with the University of Colorado Boulder on this project and excited to start construction," said Mat Elmore, Senior Vice President of Strategic Accounts at Pivot Energy. "This is a win-win for both Colorado's largest university and Pivot - helping CU Boulder reach its renewable energy goals, and Pivot accelerate the shift to solar energy throughout the nation."

Pivot Energy | pivotenergy.net

University of Colorado Boulder | https://www.colorado.edu/

Twentytwo & brand, a leading full-service cleantech marketing firm, has been named in the Inc. 5000 list of Fastest-Growing Companies by Inc. Business Media, a premier multimedia brand and business publication for entrepreneurs. The prestigious list honors the fastest-growing private companies by revenue, providing a data-driven look at the most successful entrepreneurial brands in America.

This is the second consecutive year that twentytwo & brand has achieved recognition in the Inc. 5000 list, with 298% growth over the past three years. The agency was also named among the Inc. 5000's top 150 fastest-growing companies in two categories: Florida-based Companies and Advertising, Marketing, and PR Companies.

"We're honored to be named for the second year in a row, especially to make the Top 150 in the advertising, marketing, and PR industry," says Nathan Rosenstein, Founder and CEO of twentytwo & brand. "These are turbulent times for clean energy, and we're committed to being a strategic partner for our clients, guiding them safely through policy changes and other challenges. As a leading full-service renewable energy marketing agency, we're proud to support our clients' important work building energy independence, grid resilience, and clean, reliable power."

This recognition follows twentytwo & brand's announcement earlier this month as one of Orlando's 50 Fastest-Growing Private Companies of 2025 by the Orlando Business Journal. Serving as the agency of record for over 100 brands in cleantech and renewable energy, the firm also serves companies across other climate and sustainability sectors, such as smart grid, electric vehicles, zero-carbon chemicals, and biofuels.

"From launching international brands into the North American market, to helping companies strategically reposition themselves forward into the next chapter in their story, we're a hands-on partner for the long-term," says Rosenstein. "Our full-service marketing integration delivers a powerful PR program and the highest quality art direction to drive results for our clients - boosting their market perception and brand equity in the clean tech sector."

Twentytwo & brand will attend RE+, North America's largest clean energy event, Sept. 8-11 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Reach out to schedule a meeting, or explore twentytwo & brand online to learn about our award-winning renewable energy marketing partnerships.

Twentytwo & brand | twentytwoandbrand.com

Oklo Inc. (NYSE: OKLO), an advanced nuclear technology company, and its subsidiary, Atomic Alchemy Inc., have been selected for three of the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) reactor pilot projects under the newly established Reactor Pilot Program. Oklo was selected for two projects, and Atomic Alchemy was selected for one.

The Reactor Pilot Program aims to demonstrate criticality in at least three test reactors by America’s 250th birthday on July 4, 2026. The selections are expected to accelerate deployment timelines while providing operational insights that can support long-term commercial licensing and readiness. The program is part of a broader federal initiative to modernize and streamline nuclear licensing and demonstration, made possible through the executive orders signed in May 2025.

“We’re proud to be selected by the DOE for these three projects,” said Jacob DeWitte, co-founder and CEO of Oklo. “This shows that the DOE is ushering in a new era of building new nuclear in America by unleashing its unique capabilities to enable American nuclear innovators to build. The DOE is opening the door to the market so new ideas, new approaches, and new designs can be built more quickly and efficiently. American innovation is one of our strategic advantages, and the DOE’s selection of a number of projects provides a sweeping injection of urgency to meet the moment and unleash American nuclear innovation.”

These selections reflect growing national momentum behind energy innovation and the role of public-private collaboration in delivering bold solutions to America’s energy needs.

Oklo I https://oklo.com/overview/default.aspx

Best known for their applications in consumer electronics and electric vehicles, batteries power far more than our daily tools. Innovations in energy storage — the capture of energy produced at one time for later use — can protect against supply chain disruptions, reinforce the grid and foster U.S. manufacturing competitiveness.

At the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory, researchers are advancing breakthroughs at every stage in the energy storage lifecycle. From discovering substitutes for scarce, critical materials to pioneering new, real-world applications to making end-of-life recycling more cost effective.

Energy storage offers many benefits, but it also is complicated by supply chain challenges that affect how technologies are developed and used. Over the last few decades, scientists have dramatically improved lithium-ion batteries in terms of how much energy they can store and how long they last.

As a result, they are now widely used in appliances, vehicles and on the grid. They enable the grid to be more dependable in the face of rising electricity demand and natural disasters. Lithium-ion batteries, however, rely heavily on critical elements like lithium, cobalt and nickel, which are predominantly found abroad. Consequently, battery supply chains are often vulnerable to disruption.

DOE and the national laboratories are working to protect energy infrastructure from potential supply shocks — whether from market fluctuations or national security threats. This requires safe and low-cost energy storage solutions that utilize domestic materials. To meet this need, researchers are working to improve the performance and lifespan of sodium-ion and water-based battery alternatives.

Argonne has long served as a global leader in battery science. Most notably, Argonne researchers played a key role in the development of the nickel-manganese-cobalt oxide cathode, which is in many electric vehicles today.

Currently, the laboratory is deploying artificial intelligence (AI) for materials discovery, testing cutting-edge chemistries and supporting U.S. innovation ecosystems to ensure that Argonne innovations match what the market demands.

“Batteries are a foundation for American energy abundance, and Argonne researchers can help ensure that tomorrow’s energy storage technologies are safe, efficient, long-lasting and domestically produced,” said Venkat Srinivasan, director of the Argonne Collaborative Center for Energy Storage Science and the Low-cost Earth-abundant Na-ion Storage Consortium. “Rooted in fundamental science, our approach supports the U.S. energy storage landscape through practical innovations that use a wide array of battery materials. We’re also harnessing the power of AI to accelerate the pace of discovery and leapfrog current energy storage paradigms.”

To support early-stage energy storage research, Argonne leads the Energy Storage Research Alliance, a DOE Energy Innovation Hub that includes Lawrence Berkeley and Pacific Northwest national laboratories and eleven universities across the U.S.

Argonne National Laboratory | https://www.anl.gov/

ESS Tech, Inc. (“ESS” or the “Company”) (NYSE:GWH), a leading manufacturer of iron flow long-duration energy storage (LDES) systems for commercial- and utility-scale applications, announced a significant addition to the executive leadership team with the appointment of Jigish Trivedi as Chief Operating Officer. Jigish brings over 30 years of executive experience in scaling global operations for high-growth technology companies.

“We are thrilled to welcome Jigish to the ESS executive team,” said Kelly Goodman, Interim Chief Executive Officer. “His extensive experience in the energy and semiconductor sectors, combined with a proven ability to build world-class, scalable operations, is precisely what ESS needs as we execute on our strategic pivot to the Energy Base. Jigish’s leadership will be invaluable in driving operational excellence across the organization.”

Mr. Trivedi joins ESS from Electric Hydrogen, where as Senior Vice President of Operations and Global Supply Chain, he helped scale the company from 10 to over 350 employees and was instrumental to its rise to “unicorn” status. His career also includes senior leadership roles at First Solar and Micron Technology, where he led initiatives across operations, product development, and global supply chain management.

“I am excited to join ESS at such a pivotal moment in its journey,” said Jigish. “The company’s mission to enable the clean energy transition with innovative long-duration storage solutions is incredibly compelling. I look forward to working with the entire team to build a robust operational foundation and product that will support our rapid growth and deliver for our customers worldwide.”

ESS Tech | www.essinc.com