The Solar Product Registry Set to Boost Solar Deployment

Stryten Energy LLC, a U.S.-based energy storage solutions provider, announced a significant new release of its inCOMMAND advanced energy monitoring IoT platform. This update delivers major performance improvements, a refreshed user experience, and new tools designed to help customers and dealers manage their energy assets more efficiently than ever before.

The latest version of inCOMMAND introduces a completely redesigned frontend architecture, resulting in faster loading speeds across the platform. These performance gains ensure that users can access critical data and insights with minimal delay, improving responsiveness and productivity.

“Our customers rely on inCOMMAND to manage complex motive power systems across multiple sites,” said Matt Gould, Vice President of Sales and Service, Industrial, at Stryten Energy. “This update is all about speed, flexibility and visibility—giving users the tools they need to make smarter decisions, faster.”

Key enhancements include:

• Customizable Dashboard – Customers can now tailor their dashboard to display the data that is most relevant to their operation, streamlining workflows and improving productivity.
• Modern Visual Identity – The platform now features refined user interface components for a more personalized and engaging user experience.
• Optimized Performance – Redesigned frontend architecture ensures faster data access to reports and data.

These updates build on the powerful enterprise capabilities in the Monitor module, which enables remote management of motive power systems at scale. With features like real-time battery health monitoring, energy usage tracking, and smart asset location updates, inCOMMAND continues to set the standard for motive power performance management.

Stryten Energy | stryten.com

Accordion, an AI and data-powered financial consulting firm focused on private-capital-backed companies, announced that Scott Pinsonnault and John Shepherd have joined the firm as Senior Managing Directors in its Turnaround & Restructuring (T&R) Practice. Both Pinsonnault and Shepherd bring deep T&R experience with a specific focus on the energy sector including power generation and distribution, transition energy, renewables, hydrocarbons, midstream, oilfield services, and oilfield manufacturing. These strategic additions to Accordion’s already-robust team of industry experts come amid surging demand for T&R services and a wave of investment in transition energy and renewables.

“In a landscape of volatility, regulatory shifts, and capital intensity, the energy and renewables sector sits at an inflection point that demands Turnaround & Restructuring services that don’t just preserve value, but unlock it,” said Andrew Hede, Senior Managing Director and Head of Accordion’s Turnaround & Restructuring Practice. “Scott and John will be invaluable in ensuring complexity never escalates into crisis. Together with our broader team, they will help clients and their stakeholders stabilize operations, unlock value, and position companies for sustainable success even in the most uncertain markets.”

Based in Dallas, Pinsonnault has nearly three decades of experience with large and complex turnarounds and expertise in energy, upstream oil and gas, and oilfield services sectors. He also has extensive leadership experience in complex financial and legal restructuring situations, including serving in C-Suite interim management roles such as CEO, CFO, and CRO. Previously, Pinsonnault worked at GE Structured Finance Energy, where he underwrote and managed reserve-based LP investments and other credit opportunities in oil and gas. He began his career as a practicing oil and gas geoscientist.

“Energy and renewable markets today require more than operational fixes, they demand a strategic rethinking of capital deployment, cost structure, and asset performance,” said Pinsonnault. “I’m excited to join Accordion’s industry-leading Turnaround & Restructuring team, not only to help grow our suite of services to the sector, but to help our clients navigate volatility while protecting and enhancing value.”

Shepherd brings over 30 years of experience in corporate restructuring and turnarounds, private equity, corporate finance, and M&A advisory. His experience as an advisor and an investor spans the full spectrum of conventional and renewable energy. Prior to his restructuring and interim management roles in recent years, Shepherd spent 15 years in energy private equity, largely with GE Capital, and 11 years as an investment banker with Morgan Stanley.

“Private-capital-backed energy and renewables companies face unique challenges with the rapid growth and diversification of energy sources and constantly changing global demand,” said Shepherd. “By combining Accordion’s data-driven approach with deep sector expertise, we can deliver solutions that not only solve immediate problems, but also unlock future opportunities for our clients.”

Pinsonnault and Shepherd join a rapidly expanding team of Turnaround & Restructuring professionals with deep expertise in the energy and renewables sector, alongside recent Houston-based senior director hires Anju Joseph and William Walker, and Accordion’s existing industry veterans. Collectively, the team’s unmatched sector knowledge positions Accordion as the go-to partner for private-capital-backed energy companies seeking to protect and unlock value in a volatile market.

Accordion | https://www.accordion.com/

Zenith Volts Corp. (ZVC), a leader in innovative energy infrastructure, announces that the Chaves County Commission has granted county approval for a state-of-the-art 300-acre data center project located 20 miles south of Roswell, New Mexico. Designed to support 1.25 gigawatts (GW) or more of power capacity with expandable land resources, this facility will deliver cutting-edge, reliable infrastructure for AI, cloud computing, and high-performance workloads, with a target to be fully operational by November 2027.

The approved 8,500-acre site will integrate advanced power solutions, including on-site solar, natural gas generators for dependable backup, modular solar-thermal hybrid systems for 24/7 thermal storage, a 250-acre battery energy storage system, and geothermal cooling for optimal efficiency. The project's expandable design ensures scalability to meet the growing demands of technology innovators, addressing national power shortages with off-grid, government-aligned energy solutions.

Project Highlights

• Rapid Deployment: Fully operational by November 2027, leveraging county approval and modular systems for swift construction.
• Scalable Infrastructure: 300-acre data center supporting over 600 server racks or computing modules, with 1.25 GW or more capacity and expandable land for future growth.
• Hybrid Power Solutions: On-site solar, solar-thermal hybrids, natural gas generators, and battery storage ensure reliable, grid-independent power.
• Geothermal Cooling: Advanced systems reduce energy use, optimizing performance for high-density computing.
• Economic Impact: Creates 140 full-time, high-tech jobs, positioning Chaves County as a technology and energy hub.

ZVC is now engaging with technology companies, cloud service providers, and AI innovators to join as anchor partners, shaping the facility's design to meet next-generation computing needs. The project aligns with federal priorities for data center growth and reliable energy, offering a resilient solution to power constraints.

Zenith Volts | www.zenithvolts.com

The American Solar Energy Society (ASES) hosted SOLAR 2025, the 54th annual National Solar Conference on August 4-6, 2025, at the University of Colorado Boulder. The conference brought together thought leaders, innovators, policymakers, researchers, and advocates from across the renewable energy community to share ideas, inspire innovation, and build momentum for the clean energy transformation.

This year's theme, "Innovation for Universal Renewable Energy Access," set the stage for conversations on climate resilience, energy justice, and the technologies driving us toward a more sustainable future. Attendees arrived curious at the state of the industry given recent federal changes, and went away feeling that solar is here to stay. The industry is strong enough to persist without federal subsidies and still requires support at the local and state levels. Attendees engaged in dynamic sessions, expanded interactive poster sessions, hands-on workshops, ASES' first-ever career fair, and networking opportunities that fostered collaboration across sectors.

Throughout the conference, several recurring themes emerged, underscoring the breadth and urgency of today's renewable energy transformation. Presentations and discussions highlighted the growing importance of policies that ensure equitable access to energy, particularly for low-income families and communities. Innovations in agrivoltaics, including approaches that integrate solar with crops, livestock, and natural habitats, showed how solar can enhance rather than compete with agricultural and ecological systems. Building-integrated solar and grid advancements demonstrated how renewable energy is shaping both our infrastructure and our daily lives. Sessions also explored tipping points for solar, wind, and batteries, as well as the global forces driving the transition--policy and geopolitics, climate and sustainability risks, artificial intelligence, energy transition financing, critical minerals competition, and the rapid growth of cleantech industries.

The conference concluded with a call to action: governments, companies, and the general public must work together to embed transparency, inclusiveness, and good governance into every level of the renewable energy sector. This includes policy frameworks, procurement processes, investment practices, and community advocacy.

Thank You to Our Community
SOLAR 2025 was made possible by the dedication of our participants, speakers, and volunteers, as well as the generous support of our sponsors and partners: Nextracker, Solar Design Associates, Ampacity, Clevercoat Renewable Roofing, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Canvas Cloud, Boulder County Sustainability Climate Action & Resilience, Solar Wave Energy, Inc., ProjectLeapFrog.org, REpowering Schools, Vote Solar, Blacks in Performance Marketing, University of Colorado Boulder's Master of the Environment, New Energy Colorado, and the International Solar Energy Society. ASES extends its deepest gratitude to everyone who joined in Boulder and helped create an inspiring and sustainable event.

What's Next: The 30th Anniversary of the National Solar Tour, Showcase Weekend October 3-5, 2025 & SOLAR 2026 in Austin, TX
Building on the momentum of SOLAR 2025, ASES invites individuals, families, and communities nationwide to participate in the 30th Annual National Solar Tour showcase weekend, taking place October 3-5, 2025, and virtually throughout the year. With tours in all 50 states, the National Solar Tour is the largest grassroots renewable energy event in the nation, giving the public the chance to see solar installations and sustainable solutions firsthand. Find a tour near you at map.nationalsolartour.org

American Solar Energy Society | ases.org/conference

GameChange Solar, a leading global provider of solar tracker and fixed-tilt racking systems, is providing solutions for customers seeking to qualify projects for the federal Investment Tax Credit (ITC) under newly issued IRS Notice 2025-42 (“IRS Guidance”). The IRS Guidance eliminated the so-called 5% Safe Harbor and now requires developers to satisfy the Physical Work Test (as defined in the IRS Guidance) to establish the “start of construction.”

As stated in the IRS Guidance, physical work of a significant nature may be performed either on-site or off-site by the taxpayer. Off-site physical work generally includes manufacturing of solar mounting equipment such as torque tubes, purlins, and posts, provided they are manufactured pursuant to a binding written contract that pre-dates the construction of the solar project, are customized for the project, and not drawn from inventory (or normally held in inventory).  On-site physical work generally includes the installation of solar mounting equipment that affixes solar modules to the project site.

“Notice 2025-42 is clear that the IRS continues to view trackers and mounting equipment as property integral to energy projects that may satisfy the Physical Work Test,” said Phillip Vyhanek, President and COO at GameChange Solar. “But the emphasis on customization and the removal of the 5% Safe Harbor mean that careful planning is essential. Generic components or raw materials will not count, so developers need to show fabrication of custom project-specific parts.”

For project owners and developers, the IRS Guidance’s shift highlights the importance of working with partners who provide custom-fabricated, project-specific mounting components and are able to assist with establishing the start of construction. GameChange Solar’s advanced tracker designs and flexible fabrication capabilities place it in a unique position to help developers qualify under the Physical Work Test while maintaining module and design flexibility.

“Our ability to deliver job-specific fabricated tubes and structural components will be useful for customers as they seek to comply with the new rules under Notice 2025-42,” added Vyhanek. “We’re committed to helping developers capture the value of the credit and move projects forward in a timely way.”

GameChange Solar | https://www.gamechangesolar.com/

S-5!, the industry leader in solar mounting solutions for metal roofs, will introduce its latest innovations at Electricity Transformation Canada in Toronto from Oct. 6-8. Additionally, S-5! technical experts will deliver an educational presentation offering insights into solarization strategies for metal roofing—along with continuing education credits for attendees.

On Oct. 7, at 11.30 a.m., S-5! experts Mark Gies and Brandon Kilpatrick will co-present, "Boost Efficiency, Cut Costs & Save Time by Solarizing Metal Roofs with Direct-Attach". This session explores how to unlock the full financial and environmental potential of solar on metal roofs. 

Attendees will learn how metal roofs provide a highly cost-effective and sustainable platform for solar installations. The session will cover the advantages of using direct-attach, rail-less solar mounting systems—which eliminate the need for traditional rails, significantly reducing material, labor and shipping costs. Presenters will also explain how metal roofs offer longer service life and built-in features that streamline solar attachment. In addition, the session will explore available incentives and demonstrate how integrating the roof and PV system as a single asset can maximize long-term value. The environmental benefits of steel’s high recyclability will also be discussed in the context of supporting Canada’s net-zero goals.

Attendees are invited to stop by S-5!’s booth #321 to discover the PVKIT—the world’s first and most recognized rail-less solar mounting system (first edition invented in 2007). S-5!’s dedicated team of solar experts will be on-site to discuss the features and benefits of this technology. To schedule a one-on-one meeting in advance, email: [email protected].

S-5! | www.s-5.com

Tigo Energy, Inc. (NASDAQ: TYGO) (“Tigo” or “Company”), a leading provider of intelligent solar and energy software solutions, announced a manufacturing and marketing partnership with EG4 Electronics, a leading American provider of innovative solar solutions, to produce Tigo optimized inverters and Module Level Power Electronics (MLPE) together with EG4 solar inverters in the United States of America. Solar installers in the U.S. currently already pair inverters from EG4 with Tigo MLPE devices, which have been certified as compatible. 

The manufacturing partnership between Tigo and EG4 will build momentum to help bring critical energy manufacturing back to the United States and power reliable, homegrown solar solutions. In March 2025, EG4 Electronics' parent company, Energy Access Innovations (EAI), announced the acquisition of a state-of-the-art 310,000 sq. ft. manufacturing facility in Commerce, Texas. The facility is a further milestone for American energy independence and economic prosperity, creating more than 1,000 new American jobs and helping to advance the nation’s energy security. 

“We believe in energy autonomy for our customers just as much as we believe in manufacturing autonomy for American innovators, and this partnership with Tigo allows us to make significant progress on both of those fronts,” said James Showalter, founder at EG4 Electronics. “This partnership with Tigo is exactly the kind of arrangement we had in mind when we announced our new manufacturing facility earlier this year. We look forward to building American-made energy infrastructure together with Tigo.”

“EG4 is at the forefront of re-shoring manufacturing for American solar innovations, and we are delighted to work in partnership with James and his team,” said Zvi Alon, chairman and CEO at Tigo Energy. “Tigo and EG4 are in alignment on some of the most critical success factors in solar, which include innovation and quality. This makes for a strong foundation for success, and I expect great things for American energy independence from this important collaboration.”

To find out when EG4 and Tigo executives will host a Q&A session for solar installers at the 2025 RE+ tradeshow in Las Vegas, Nevada, check the Tigo event page, here. 

Tigo Energy | www.tigoenergy.com

EG4 Electronics | https://eg4electronics.com/