Drafting vs. Engineering: Choosing the right partner for commercial projects

Boviet Solar Technology Co., Ltd. (the "Company" or "Boviet Solar"), a leading solar energy technology company specializing in monocrystalline PV cells and its premium Gamma Series Monofacial and Vega Series Bifacial PV modules, announced the successful addition of its third PV module manufacturing production line at the company's Greenville, North Carolina factory. This expansion increases the facility's annual PV module production capacity from 2.0 GW to 3.0 GW.

The Greenville PV Module Factory (Phase I) began operations in April 2025 and produces Boviet Solar's top-performing Gamma Series Monofacial and Vega Series Bifacial PV modules. The addition of the third line strengthens the company's ability to meet the growing demand for domestically produced solar products while supporting the United States' clean energy transition.

In late August 2025, Boviet Solar also announced the completion of exterior construction for its Phase II PV Cell Manufacturing Facility in Greenville, which is on track to commence mass production in 2026. Importantly, the facility's planned 3.0 GW annual PV cell capacity will align with the Greenville PV Module factory's expanded 3.0 GW PV module capacity, ensuring fully integrated U.S. solar manufacturing.

"The addition of a third production line marks another important milestone in our Greenville journey. It further enhances our ability to serve our customers with reliable, U.S.-made PV modules while creating high-quality local jobs," said Marco Marquez, General Manager of Boviet Solar's Greenville Factory.

"Boviet Solar is deeply committed to the U.S. solar market. With 3.0 GW of PV module capacity and the upcoming PV cell factory, we are delivering on our promise to expand domestic manufacturing, drive investment into local communities, and accelerate the nation's renewable energy goals," added Sienna Cen, President of Boviet Solar USA.

With both factories combined, Boviet Solar will contribute a total of 3.0 GW of PV cell production capacity and 3.0 GW of PV module production capacity in the United States. The Greenville investment represents more than $400 million in total capital investment and will create more than 1,300 skilled local jobs once both phases are fully operational.

With this milestone, Boviet Solar reaffirms its role as a reliable, trusted, and long-term partner in the global solar industry, dedicated to delivering top-performing products, supporting domestic manufacturing, and driving the clean energy transition.

Boviet Solar | www.bovietsolar.com

Soltage, a leading independent power producer (IPP) specializing in the development, financing, and operation of distributed utility-scale solar and energy storage assets, announced the closing of a $525 million tax credit investment agreement.

This innovative financing structure includes the purchase of investment tax credits over two years, providing Soltage with stable, long-term capital to continue the development, construction, and operation of its 2+ GW pipeline of photovoltaic and battery energy storage projects.

Specifically, this transaction is expected to fund the next 260 MWs of Soltage's energy asset deployment. The agreement also includes a commitment from a Fortune 500 company to purchase tax credits generated through the partnership through 2026.

"We are pleased to announce this investment vehicle, accelerating our ability to deliver mission-critical generation resources to our customers across the U.S.," said Mihir Mehta, Chief Investment Officer of Soltage. "This transaction supports the continued growth of domestic clean energy infrastructure and helps create high-quality local employment opportunities."

Following Soltage's $260 million debt raise in June 2025, this transaction further solidifies the company's position as a leader in US energy development—delivering reliable, sustainable power to communities and businesses across the country.

Soltage | www.soltage.com

Lightstar Renewables LLC celebrated a major milestone in sustainable agriculture and renewable energy with the successful ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Plains Road agrivoltaics project. The groundbreaking initiative, launched at the DiMartino Farm in Montgomery, New York, drew significant attention from state officials, agricultural leaders, and local media, and other local faming families marking a new chapter in dual-purpose land use that benefits both farming and clean energy production.

Representing Assembly Member Brian Maher, whose legislative support was instrumental in the project's development, was his Chief of Staff, Meghan Hurlburt. She stood alongside representatives from American Farmland Trust (AFT) and Iain Ward, Farmer, Founder, and CEO of Solar Agricultural Services, Inc. (SolAg).Together, they joined local farmers, community members, and regional media outlets who had gathered to witness the commissioning of New York's first agrivoltaics installation.

In a message crafted especially for the event, Assembly Member Brian Maher said, "Today marks a turning point for sustainable development in New York. The Plains Road project demonstrates how we can honor our agricultural heritage while meeting our clean energy goals. This is the kind of innovative thinking we need to build a resilient future for rural communities." 

Linda Garrett, New York & New Jersey Regional Director at American Farmland Trust, praised the project's alignment with AFT's Smart Solar principles. "Lightstar has created a model that truly puts farmers first. This project shows how solar development can strengthen rather than compromise agricultural operations," she said. 

The ceremony highlighted the unique design features that allow hay planting and harvesting equipment to operate seamlessly around the solar installation. The project will also add two acres of vegetable production, providing opportunities for new entry farmers while generating enough clean energy to power 466 homes annually. 

Local farmer participants expressed enthusiasm about the project's potential to enhance farm viability. Iain Ward of SolAg emphasized the agricultural benefits: "This project proves that agrivoltaics can deliver real value to working farms. We're not just installing solar panels – we're creating new opportunities for agricultural innovation." 

Lucy Bullock-Sieger, Chief Strategy Officer at Lightstar, called on other communities to explore similar initiatives. "Plains Road is just the beginning. We encourage municipalities and farmers across New York and beyond to consider how agrivoltaics can serve their unique needs and contribute to a more sustainable future." 

Lightstar Renewables | https://www.lightstar.com/

While upfront costs for battery electric trucks are trending downward, Greenlane, a leader in public charging infrastructure for commercial vehicles, is launching its “Charge On Us” dealer program to help further reduce costs and ease the path to electrification for fleet customers. The program includes $500 in charging credits and six months of complimentary Greenlane Edge subscription access for every qualifying light-, medium-, and heavy-duty electric truck sold. Velocity Truck Centers, a major North American dealer for top commercial vehicle brands, is the first partner to sign up for the program.

“One of the biggest challenges our customers face when considering electric trucks is figuring out charging—where to charge, how to support it, and how to pay for it all," said Scott Zeppenfeldt, COO of Velocity. "Greenlane's ‘Charge On Us’ program removes those hurdles by letting our customers rely on public infrastructure instead of investing time and money in their own charging setup. We're excited to run pilot programs out of their flagship Colton facility and utilize other sites on their network, which gives us a real-world proving ground to show customers how straightforward electric can be when the charging piece is handled.”

Dealers participating in the program benefit from a turnkey solution that includes sales enablement support, marketing resources, and customer service, all backed by Greenlane’s growing public charging network and technology suite. For signing up, dealerships also receive a number of subscriptions to the network, which enables them to run pilots out of Greenlane facilities, simplifying customer billing and eliminating the need for expensive and complicated infrastructure. The Greenlane Edge™ subscription ensures access to discounted charging rates, advanced reservation tools, and a robust software ecosystem to help reduce total cost of ownership (TCO) and streamline billing and electric freight operations. Members benefit from real-time charging data, flexible technology integrations, and consolidated billing. Greenlane Edge can enhance route planning and reduce downtime.

“As more heavy-duty fleets shift to electric, we need to address the real concerns holding them back: where to charge, cost, and how to deploy charging infrastructure day one,” said Patrick Macdonald-King, CEO of Greenlane. “Our program tackles these issues by providing immediate charging credits, access to high-speed chargers and our technology ecosystem that delivers a seamless charging solution. Partnering with Velocity helps us scale that impact and make electrification easier for more companies by lowering the cost of entry and complexity of procuring power and deploying infrastructure.” 

In April, the company opened its flagship Greenlane Center in Colton, California, featuring more than 40 high-speed chargers, including 12 pull-through and 29 bobtail lanes for medium- and heavy-duty electric vehicles, amenities such as restrooms and wifi, carports, 24/7 security, and additional offerings like office space and parking. The Colton site, located at the intersection of I-215 and I-10, is part of Greenlane’s I-15 charging corridor from Los Angeles to Las Vegas and I-10 corridor which will include new sites to be developed in Blythe, California, and Greater Phoenix, Arizona. 

Greenlane | www.drivegreenlane.com

Velocity Truck Centers | https://www.velocitytruckcenters.com/

OCI Energy is proud to announce the successful closing of construction financing for its Project Alamo City, a flagship battery energy storage system (BESS) currently under development in Bexar County, Texas. With a planned capacity of 120 MW and with a 4-hour duration, Project Alamo City will be a significant standalone battery storage installation in Texas, designed to strengthen grid reliability and support the region’s energy future.

OCI Energy selected ING to underwrite the construction financing package which includes a construction-to-term loan, a tax equity bridge loan, and letters of credit. ING served as sole coordinating lead arranger, sole bookrunner, and sole green loan coordinator, and will also act as administrative agent. The relationship between ING and OCI Energy has proven instrumental in advancing the project from concept to construction.

“Project Alamo City represents a bold step forward in our commitment to enhancing grid stability and ensuring long-term energy reliability,” said Sabah Bayatli, President of OCI Energy. “It also marks OCI Energy’s return as a developer-owner-operator in the project finance space, and partnering with a financial institution like ING has been instrumental in bringing this transformative project to fruition.”

“The successful financing of Project Alamo City is a testament to the strength of the partnership between OCI Energy and ING Capital LLC. This project not only advances the deployment of cutting-edge battery storage technology in Texas, but also demonstrates the power of collaborative, innovative financing to accelerate the energy transition. We are proud to support OCI Energy and CPS Energy in delivering a project that will provide lasting benefits to the community and the broader energy market” said Sven Wellock, Head of Renewables and Power, Americas, ING.

OCI Energy had previously announced the execution of a 20-year Storage Capacity Agreement with CPS Energy, the largest municipally-owned electric and natural gas utility in the United States. Under that agreement, OCI Energy is responsible for the development, financing, construction, and ownership of Project Alamo City, and CPS Energy will have operational control.

The project brings together a powerhouse team for collaboration, including:

• LG Energy Solution Vertech will supply the advanced battery technology.
• Elgin Power Solutions will serve as the EPC contractor.
• Black & Veatch is acting as the technical advisor.
• Renewable Guard is providing property and casualty insurance brokerage services.
• Foley & Lardner LLP provided legal counsel to OCI Energy on the transaction.
• Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP represented ING.

Project Alamo City is expected to enter commercial operation in Q3 2027.

OCI Energy | https://www.ocienergy.com/

ING Capital LLC | https://www.ing.com/Home.htm

North America’s fastest growing electric vehicle DC charging manufacturer, Kempower, is excited to announce a strategic partnership with the Future Renewable Electric Energy Delivery and Management (FREEDM) Systems Center, one of two National Science Foundation Engineering Research Centers led by North Carolina State University. With three active university partnerships in Europe, the FREEDM Center at NC State will be Kempower’s first university partnership in North America.

Through this collaboration, Kempower and FREEDM will conduct research in electric system reliability, energy management, and charging energy systems to expand market and industry knowledge. This partnership will inform Kempower about the next generation’s DC charging technologies and how Kempower solutions can meet those needs. The collaboration will especiallyfocus on multi-megawatt charging station technology for heavy-duty and off-highway vehicles. 

“We’re excited to embark on this partnership with the strong research talent at the FREEDM Systems Center and NC State to continue innovating groundbreaking technology,” said Kempower North America President Monil Malhotra. “As the need for power continues to grow and evolve in the DC charging market, research partnerships with top universities are essential to develop new, state-of-the-art solutions that support our customers' needs.”

The location of Kempower’s North American headquarters in Durham, North Carolina, was selected due to the Triangle’s robust talent pipeline and partnership opportunities with local universities. By establishing its presence and collaborating with the FREEDM Center at NC State, Kempower is able to tap into a large pool of emerging talent and advance the next generation of industry leaders. 

“The FREEDM Center collaboration with Kempower is the beginning of an innovative and strategic relationship,” said FREEDM Systems Center Executive Director, Dr. Iqbal Husain. “As one of the few US universities with a Medium Voltage lab, our research will support Kempower as they continue to build impactful solutions for high power charging. We are excited to leverage our expertise with all of our industry partners to advance electrification technologies."

Kempower’s university research partnerships in both Europe and North America are essential to identifying technology and energy needs as well as supporting the workforce pipeline. As the industry continues to expand, it will require more researchers, engineers, and solutions to power and energize the EV movement around the globe.

Kempower | kempower.com

FREEDM | freedm.ncsu.edu

Avaada Group, a leading diversified energy conglomerate, marked a significant milestone in its journey towards sustainable energy transformation with the inauguration of its 280 MW solar power project at Surendranagar, Gujarat. The project was formally inaugurated by the Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi Ji, underscoring the government's commitment to accelerating India’s clean energy transition and strengthening the vision of an Aatmanirbhar Bharat.

Developed under the Gujarat State Solar Policy, the project spans over 1,170 acres in the villages of Tavi and Varsani in Surendranagar district and entails a total investment of ₹1,500 crore. It is equipped with Avaada Electro’s ALMM-certified, Make in India TOPCon N-Type bifacial solar PV modules, reflecting a strong emphasis on domestic manufacturing and technological innovation. The electricity generated will be supplied to GUVNL (Gujarat Urja Vikas Nigam Limited), contributing significantly to the state’s renewable energy mix and ensuring cleaner and more affordable power for the region’s citizens, particularly farmers.

On the same occasion, the Hon’ble Prime Minister laid the foundation stone for Avaada’s 100 MW solar power project in Vadodara district. Spread across 350 acres and with a planned investment of ₹400 crore, the project is being implemented by Avaada GJ Solar and is expected to be commissioned by April 2026. 

The Vadodara project is designed to reduce approximately 212,806 tons of CO₂ emissions annually and will conserve nearly 40 lakh liters of water every year through the deployment of advanced robotic module cleaning technology — a step forward in integrating sustainability at all levels of project execution.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Vineet Mittal, Chairman of Avaada Group, said, “At Avaada, our mission goes beyond generating energy—it is about contributing to India’s growth story and empowering communities. The inauguration of this project by the Hon’ble Prime Minister is a proud moment for us and reinforces our commitment to delivering clean, affordable, and sustainable energy solutions to every Indian.”

The Surendranagar project is expected to significantly enhance energy access and agricultural productivity in the region by providing reliable, daytime power for irrigation. This will reduce farmers’ dependence on nighttime power supply, which is often affected by load shedding, and will improve operational efficiency. The project also plays a crucial role in grid stabilization, reducing the subsidy burden on the state and cutting reliance on costlier conventional power sources during peak demand hours.

From an environmental perspective, the Surendranagar project is expected to offset around 595,857 tons of CO₂ emissions annually and conserve approximately 112 lakh liters of water per year using robotic module cleaning systems, thereby minimizing the project’s ecological footprint.

In line with its commitment to community development, Avaada has initiated several CSR programs as part of the project, including free tuition classes for local students, establishment of computer labs, cybersecurity awareness workshops, healthcare camps, and skill development initiatives aimed at empowering women in the region.

Avaada Group continues to lead India’s clean energy transition through its integrated approach across the energy value chain. With a robust portfolio covering renewable power generation, solar PV manufacturing, green hydrogen and derivatives, green data centers, battery storage, and pumped hydro projects, Avaada remains committed to creating a sustainable and self-reliant energy ecosystem for India.

Avaada Group | www.avaada.com