Recent export restrictions by China on key rare earth elements such as dysprosium and terbium have brought renewed attention to the global importance of these materials. As China implements new licensing requirements, particularly for elements used in high-performance magnets, manufacturers worldwide are confronting the reality that access to certain critical inputs can no longer be taken for granted. These restrictions ....
According to a recent report from the US Energy Information Administration, though 2024 saw record-setting levels of energy consumption, demand isn’t slowing down anytime soon. This comes less than six months after a separate reportestimated the US grid would need to increase its capacity to generate and deliver electricity by 16 percent in the next four years to keep pace with growing energy needs. Simply put, the count....
In an era marked by increasingly severe weather from Mother Nature, utilities face mounting pressure to enhance the resiliency and reliability of their power delivery systems. While icing of the wind turbine blades has been discussed extensively, the physical means of distributing that energy has been addressed far less. Just as wind farms components are adopting the latest technologies to modernize their fleets and extend life expectan....
Ensuring the reliability and efficiency of wind turbines requires a deep understanding of the fluids that keep them running smoothly. To that end, compatibility testing plays a critical role in preventing costly issues that arise from mixing incompatible lubricants. This article explores the significance of fluid compatibility testing in industries such as power generation, highlighting its ability to enhance equipment reliability, reduce mainten....
Energy Storage
Craig Tropea
Solar
Jonathan Lwowski
Solar
Steve Macshane, CESSWI
The Global Wind Energy Council have appointed Michael Hannibal as new chair following a board meeting in London. Hannibal, who is a Partner at Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners and Chief Commercial Officer at Stiesdal Offshore, will take over for two years following the end of Jonathan Cole’s tenure leading the Council.
Michael Hannibal, GWEC Chair, said: "It is an honour to take on the role of Chairman of the Global Wind Energy Council at this key time for the wind industry. The industry has been delivering record years of growth and is forecast to keep doing so. Our focus at GWEC will continue to be on accelerating that growth in new markets all over the world.
"GWEC has been representing this pioneering and innovative industry for 20 years, and I am excited to work with the Council's global team and diverse membership to continue scaling up wind capacity. New markets are taking shape on every continent, both onshore and offshore, and I am excited about ensuring GWEC's vital work ensuring wind energy forms the foundation of the new global energy system continues.
"Wind energy delivers clean and secure energy and is critical to avoiding a climate catastrophe. It is an honour to support GWEC on its mission, and to advocate for the wind industry on the global stage."
"I would also like to congratulate my predecessor Jonathan Cole for his excellent leadership through the previous two years. Jonathan was an outstanding advocate for the sector and oversaw growing reach for GWEC's work, while helping the organisation deftly navigate a number of challenges. I am enormously thankful for the offer of support Jonathan, and former chair Morten Dyrholm, have offered me, it echoes the collaborative approach that GWEC champions."
Ben Backwell, GWEC CEO, said: ‘We are delighted to welcome Michael Hannibal as the new Chair of the Global Wind Energy Council. It is an exciting time for the wind industry, with emerging markets in APAC, Latin America, Middle East and Africa rapidly developing, and mature markets tackling bottlenecks and accelerating deployment.
“The development of offshore wind in the next two years will continue at pace, while floating offshore wind is also moving out of the commercialisation phase; Michael’s expertise in all these areas will help steer GWEC and the global wind industry through the next period of growth.
“I’d like to thank Jonathan Cole for his support for the GWEC team throughout his chairmanship. He has helped navigate a complex period for the sector, but one which also helped deliver record growth across the world. His leadership has been an enormous asset to the organisation, and we look forward to continuing working with him as he supports GWEC in an ambassadorial and advisory role.
“GWEC also extends its thanks to Girish Tanti, who will continue as Vice Chair and Chair of GWEC India, and Elbia Gannoum who will continue as Vice Chair (Associations).
Michael Hannibal joined Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners as Partner in 2017 as head of CIP’s Offshore Platform. In April, he joined Stiesdal Offshore as Chief Commercial Officer, with a key aim on accelerating the group’s floating wind technology. That followed CIP and Stiesdal Offshore announcing a partnership focused on developing floating wind projects.
Michael Hannibal has a track record of more than 20 years with renewable energy business, including more than 7 years as CEO Siemens Offshore Wind. Mr. Hannibal played a key role in the remarkable growth of the wind sector and been a major driver of the constant development of offshore wind, the industrialization of the offshore wind sector and making offshore wind real, and part of the energy mix in many countries. He was also a key player in getting the world’s first floating offshore wind turbine established in 2009 and getting floating wind matured.
One of the new chair’s first roles will be to lead the celebrations of GWEC’s 20th anniversary in Lisbon next week. More than a hundred industry pioneers, key political figures and renewable energy titans will attend a gala dinner in Portugal’s capital to celebrate two decades of driving international collaboration and continued wind growth and looking ahead to the exciting future of the sector. The gala is happening alongside the inaugural Global Associations Summit, which will see almost 40 wind associations from across the world come together to align on topics such as grids, permitting, social acceptance, misinformation and finance.
Global Wind Energy Council | https://www.gwec.net/
sonnen, a global leader in energy storage and virtual power plant (VPP) technology, launched its first VPP in Canada at Blatchford Lands, a master planned community designed for net-zero living and a reduced environmental footprint. Landmark Homes, a recognized leader in sustainable and innovative home construction and the builder behind Blatchford Lands, collaborated with sonnen, along with utility provider EPCOR, electric retail provider Solartility and the University of Alberta. Together, these energy leaders developed the VPP that can be considered the vanguard of a newly decentralized and digitalized clean energy system for the future of Canada.
With this inaugural VPP launch into Canada, sonnen once again sets the standard for innovation in solar powered battery storage systems deployed across master planned communities as a virtual power plant. The Blatchford Lands VPP is the first of its kind on scope and scale for Canada. As a primer for broad adoption throughout the EPCOR service territory, this project constitutes the beginning of renewable energy and grid coordination’s evolution. sonnen, with its partners, is providing the community and its residents with emergency back-up power, daily management of peak energy use and demand response, among other grid services, for the overall management of the electric grid.
As a prototype, the Blatchford Lands VPP begins with 100 sonnen batteries deployed throughout the master planned community, representing nearly a half a megawatt (MW) of power and over two megawatt hours (MWh) of storage capacity that will support the Canadian energy grid. Following this initial deployment, sonnen plans to launch VPPs throughout Alberta and into other Canadian regions, with potential to reach over 3,000 individual sites, providing more than18 MW of energy and 60 MWHs of grid support over the next 3 years.
“What has been achieved at Blatchford Lands is extremely special, and even beyond many of the VPP market designs in America,” said Blake Richetta, Chairman and CEO of sonnen Inc. USA. “sonnen proudly stands behind our Canadian colleagues and customers, as our sister market, and as the closest of friends to the American people.”
sonnen, Solartility and the University of Alberta envision this highly innovative master planned community VPP project to become a replicable model for communities across the province and throughout Canada. This model can also be replicated in select U.S. markets, like Texas, where sonnen recently announced a Virtual Power Plant Power Purchase Agreement (VPA) and launched behind-the-meter, battery-enabled VPPs.
“Canada has developed into a rich and innovative VPP market thanks to the pioneering efforts and support from great partners,” said Geoff Ferrell, Senior Vice President – Global C&I and VPP Project Business of sonnen Inc. USA. “The coming together of builders like Landmark Homes, the utility EPCOR, retail providers like Solartility, and academics like those at the University of Alberta, are working together to build this innovative VPP program at Blatchford Lands and beyond.”
With awards from Emissions Reduction Alberta (ERA), the Canadian Home Builders' Association (CHBA), the Federation of Consulting Engineers (FIDIC), among others, Blatchford Lands has been recognized for its commitment to sustainability and innovative community planning. Residents can enjoy diverse housing options equipped with renewable energy sources for heating and cooling—all in a centrally located neighborhood that once served as Edmonton's municipal airport, now reimagined as a model for sustainable urban development.
Blatchford Lands is the latest sonnen VPP to launch at a master planned community, following wildly successful deployments at Soleil Lofts and Soleil Tech Park in Utah, Pearl Homes’ nationally renowned Hunters Point in Cortez Florida, and Mandalay Homes in Arizona, among other projects.
sonnen | https://sonnenusa.com
Scanifly, the solar industry's leader in PV design and field operations software, announced a strategic partnership with EnergySage, the nation's largest online solar marketplace. The initial integration enhances EnergySage's Autoquote product with Scanifly's AI design technology, enabling homeowners to receive quotes with array layouts and more accurate production estimates, while allowing installers to fully customize their project and quote parameters.
The partnership addresses a critical challenge for homeowners and contractors alike: creating high-fidelity array layouts and production estimates quickly and easily, without the need for a site visit. Often, solar projects at this stage in the process are modeled using Google's Project Sunroof data without panel placement, which can lead to unrealistic expectations and costly change orders during installation.
"The solar industry has been waiting for marketplace technology that matches the accuracy of the leading PV design tools," said Jason Steinberg, CEO of Scanifly. "Our AI technology simulates thousands of panel layouts in seconds to calculate what's actually achievable on each roof. By partnering with EnergySage, we're bringing that level of precision to their marketplace, giving installers confidence in their quotes and homeowners realistic expectations from day one."
The Scanifly-powered Autoquote delivers immediate benefits:
The integration leverages Scanifly's unique approach of combining state-of-the-art AI with classical computational methods developed through years of drone-based photogrammetry work. Unlike competing AI tools that rely solely on 2D processing, Scanifly's technology processes satellite data into the 3D space for superior roof segmentation and obstruction detection.
"EnergySage has always been committed to transparency and accuracy in the solar shopping process," said Charlie Hadlow, President and COO of EnergySage. "Partnering with Scanifly allows us to delight shoppers with fast, accurate quotes while simultaneously helping our contractors to streamline their operations. Removing friction for both homeowners and installer partners makes the entire process simpler and contributes to keeping costs down."
The collaboration represents the first phase of a broader partnership between the two companies. Future enhancements will allow installers even more control to customize quoting parameters based on factors such as regional requirements, TSRF and ASA limits, and panel placement and orientation preferences.
Contractors and homeowners can access the enhanced Autoquote experience starting today across EnergySage's marketplace. The initial rollout targets select states with plans for nationwide expansion throughout summer 2025.
Scanifly | https://scanifly.com/
EnergySage | https://www.energysage.com/
In its third transaction, MCE, in partnership with the California Community Choice Financing Authority (CCCFA), issued over $1 billion in green bonds on June 18, 2025. The bonds will finance 775,000 megawatt-hours of renewable energy annually, enough to power 105,000 homes each year for the next 10 years.
“With this effective financing tool, we’ll provide about $65 million in gross savings to MCE customers over the next ten years,” said Maíra Strauss, MCE’s Vice President of Finance. “By paying for energy upfront, we reduce costs for our customers by about 11%. It means more renewable electricity at stable and competitive rates, reduced pollution, and healthier communities.”
These tax-exempt green bonds will:
• Prepay four of MCE’s long-term renewable energy power purchase agreements
• Save 11% on prepaid energy for the first 10 years, with future savings subject to market conditions
• Provide nearly $7 million in upfront savings in the 2025/2026 fiscal year and approximately $6.4 million annually for the next nine years
• Support competitive rates for MCE customers and reinvestment in local clean energy projects
Since 2021, MCE has completed three prepay transactions to purchase renewable energy at lower costs, all of which have realized at least 10% in cost savings for its customers. As a not-for-profit, MCE partners with CCCFA to issue tax-exempt bonds to prepay for energy from diverse renewable sources, including solar, wind, and geothermal. The creative funding approach for clean energy projects uses financing tools previously used primarily for polluting fossil fuel projects.
With this latest transaction, MCE and CCCFA continue to lead the way with innovative financing to fast-track California’s clean energy transition.
MCE | https://mcecleanenergy.org/
California Community Choice Financing Authority | www.cccfa.org
Itron, Inc. (NASDAQ: ITRI), which is innovating new ways for utilities and cities to manage energy and water, signed a contract on May 28, 2025 with Hellenic Electricity Distribution Network Operator S.A. (HEDNO), the sole electricity Distribution System Operator in Greece and one of the largest in Europe, to lay the foundation for grid edge intelligence. Itron’s Grid Edge Intelligence portfolio will enable HEDNO to improve its customers’ experience with enhanced energy consumption insights and modernize its electric grid to advance its long-term goals, which include integrating more distributed energy resources and achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.
HEDNO will deploy Itron’s Enterprise Edition (IEE) Meter Data Management (MDM) system, which will manage 7.7 million meters, and Itron’s Utility IQ headend system to manage nearly 1 million new intelligent narrowband-IoT (NB-IoT) cellular smart meters designed and manufactured by Itron technology partner ZIV Automation, a provider of advanced digital solutions for power grids. These solutions will enable HEDNO to improve operational efficiency while enhancing customer service through increased visibility into energy consumption, faster resolution of issues and flexible billing options.
Once deployed, HEDNO will gain immediate access to entire meter datasets, enabling more accurate detection and measurement of technical and non-technical losses, improved revenue collection, powerful asset management, secure data sharing and predictive maintenance capabilities. Itron’s IEE MDM system will connect with HEDNO’s multiple headend and customer information systems, allowing the utility to collect, process, store and analyze smart device data, device events and alarms. As a hosted software-as-a-service (SaaS) solution, Itron’s system ensures reliable availability, allowing HEDNO to focus on business operations while realizing operational and cost-saving benefits more quickly.
The future-proof solution will enable HEDNO to easily adopt new grid edge use cases over time. IEE MDM is pre-integrated with Itron’s Intelligent Edge Operating System (IEOS), a platform-as-a-service that simplifies integration and establishes a strong foundation for advanced grid capabilities like distributed intelligence, energy forecasting, distributed energy resource management, advanced analytics and more. HEDNO, already utilizing the Azure cloud, can also benefit from Itron’s strategic collaboration with Microsoft to integrate generative AI technologies – starting with Microsoft Azure OpenAI, part of Azure AI Foundry – into Itron’s IEOS, further future proofing Itron’s solution.
“Smart Metering is the most important project for the modernisation of the Greek electricity market. For the scope of this project, Itron has been assigned the supply of the Meter Data Management System, which will serve as the central system for the collection, storage, processing and advanced analysis of data from all meters. This system, the most widely used globally for meter data management, will enable us to offer significantly enhanced digital service capabilities to electricity suppliers, consumers and prosumers. At HEDNO, we remain committed to our promise of modernizing the Greek electricity energy market.” said Anastasios Manos, HEDNO CEO.
“Itron is proud to be a part of this project to enable a modernized electric grid in Greece with our proven MDM and headend systems, which each manage more than 50 million endpoints globally. Together with HEDNO and ZIV, we’re creating a scalable foundation to meet HEDNO’s evolving operational needs,” said Don Reeves, senior vice president of Outcomes at Itron. “With Itron’s pre-integrated solution and deep industry expertise, we’ll help reduce project complexity, accelerate deployment and lower total cost of ownership. We’re excited to support HEDNO in realizing the benefits of a smart, reliable and future-ready grid.”
Itron | www.itron.com
Gradiant, a global leader in advanced water and resource recovery, announced that its lithium business, alkaLi, will design, build, own, and operate a commercial lithium production facility in the Marcellus Shale Formation of Pennsylvania. This site is the world’s first to Extract, Concentrate, and Convert (EC²) lithium in a fully integrated, end-to-end process from oilfield produced water. This announcement builds on last year’s launch of alkaLi’s EC² platform, which guarantees a minimum 95% lithium recovery at customer sites—empowering producers to deliver battery-grade lithium carbonate faster, cheaper, and more sustainably.
Gradiant’s alkaLi owns and operates the Pennsylvania facility—including equipment, land, water and mineral rights, and permits. This vertically integrated model secures long-term U.S. lithium supply while avoiding the permitting and ownership delays that often stall critical mineral projects.
Currently in testing, the system has already proven key benchmarks: 97% lithium recovery from produced water and 99.5% purity for battery-grade lithium carbonate. Full commercial operations are on track for early 2026.
In a major commercial achievement, alkaLi has signed a multi-year offtake agreement to supply up to 5,000 metric tonnes annually of battery-grade lithium carbonate to a U.S. lithium-ion battery manufacturer for electric vehicles (EVs) and energy storage systems (ESS). The deal affirms strong market demand and the commercial readiness of alkaLi’s solution.
alkaLi offers multiple models for partners and customers:
“We now have a fully operational lithium production asset in the U.S. that proves what EC² can deliver,” said Anurag Bajpayee, CEO of Gradiant. “This isn’t a concept—it’s a live facility demonstrating that clean, domestic lithium production is both viable and scalable. Our goal isn’t to compete with customers, but to empower them—and the broader industry—to meet surging demand for battery-grade lithium and accelerate the clean energy transition. This strategic investment in the Marcellus Shale, which could supply 50% of U.S. lithium demand, validates the maturity of alkaLi’s technology and secures a long-term domestic supply.”
alkaLi’s patented EC² process combines Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE), concentration, and final conversion into a single streamlined system. Compared to conventional methods, EC² offers:
Gradiant invites prospective customers, partners, and investors to connect with alkaLi to explore how this breakthrough platform can accelerate the global transition to clean energy.
alkaLi | alkaLi3.com
Gradiant | gradiant.com
An overwhelming 91% of combined homeowners polled in California, Texas and Florida worry about the impacts of extreme weather, rising energy costs and power grid instability, and majorities are interested in power backup solutions and reducing grid reliance, according to a new Horowitz Research survey.
A majority also expressed dissatisfaction with current home solar energy solutions from entrenched players on the market. While Tesla Powerwall remains the most recognized name in the space, nearly 24% of those familiar with the brand say they would not consider it. According to the poll, they cited shifting public sentiment and a desire for a less polarizing and more trustworthy solution.
The survey, commissioned by EcoFlow, found 60% of respondents wish to become less dependent on grid power and 70% said having a power backup solution is important. It also found 70% currently own or are interested in owning a solar battery solution in the future.
Solar and home backup batteries can offset utility costs and provide a source of household backup power during blackouts caused by natural disasters or other grid issues. Energy concerns have become top of mind in the U.S. due to an increasing number of natural disasters, rising electricity costs and more frequent power outages. These issues can be particularly acute for residents of California, Texas and Florida, who are often disproportionately impacted.
“America's energy landscape is rapidly changing. In states hit hardest by climate volatility and aging infrastructure, homeowners are done waiting for outdated systems and overhyped solutions to catch up,” said Jenny Zhang, President of North America Residential Energy Business at EcoFlow. “With the U.S. solar battery market primed for explosive growth — especially in key Sunbelt states — EcoFlow is stepping in as the challenger brand the industry needs, offering a better path forward. No gimmicks, no grid anxiety — just powerful, intelligent, 24/7 whole-home backup that makes true home energy freedom a reality.”
Additional survey findings include:
California leads the way, with 79% of homeowners expressing strong interest in battery storage.
60% of homeowners think their electric bill is too high, while 74% anticipate electricity costs will increase in the near future, and 75% are always looking for ways to lower it.
46% of homeowners anticipate increased power outages in the coming years.
These insights come as EcoFlow, a leading provider of eco-friendly energy solutions, prepares to enter the solar battery market this summer with its first-ever grid-tied energy storage solution designed for U.S. homes. EcoFlow OCEAN Pro is a fully integrated home energy offering unlimited backup power, AI-driven energy savings and engineering that outperforms traditional systems like Tesla Powerwall on performance and reliability. OCEAN Pro is compatible with existing home rooftop solar installations and as a grid-tied system, homeowners can feed electricity back to utility providers for additional savings.
The system builds upon EcoFlow’s proven success in Europe, where its PowerOcean series has already seen over 17,000 installations and adoption by 1,150 installers. Over 5,300 units were installed in this year's first quarter — a 720% year-over-year increase versus Q1 2024.
“The data from this study clearly shows that American consumers are not taking the challenges of climate change, grid instability and rising energy prices lightly. They are ready for a more competitive market for solar battery systems with more choice from trustworthy players in the space," said Adriana Waterston, Insights and Strategy Lead EVP at Horowitz Research.
Methodology
The online survey was conducted in April among 1,000 homeowners aged 18 and older in California, Florida and Texas. Approximately 330 respondents were surveyed in each state. The sample was designed to reflect a broad mix of demographic and household characteristics representative of each region.
Horowitz Research | www.horowitzresearch.com
EcoFlow | https://www.ecoflow.com/us
Energy Storage Jun 18, 2025
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