7 Technologies to Streamline Clean Energy Development, Construction, and Management

Thermax, a leading energy and environment solutions provider and a trusted partner in energy transition, has announced a strategic collaboration with Ceres Power Holdings plc (CWR.L), a leading developer of clean energy technology. The two companies have entered a non-exclusive, global license agreement for Thermax to manufacture, sell and service stack array modules (SAM) based on Ceres' advanced solid oxide electrolysis (SOEC) technology. Thermax will also develop, commercialise and sell SAM balance of modules (SBM) and multi-megawatt SOEC electrolyser modules. The partnership marks a significant step towards accelerating the deployment of SOEC technology in India and worldwide that will enable cost-effective green hydrogen production.

Under this partnership, Thermax will leverage its extensive experience in heat integration and waste heat recovery to manufacture a first-of-its-kind pressurised SAM and design, engineer, and develop SAM balance of module (SBM), a building block for further development of a multi-MW SOEC electrolyser module.

The collaboration is set to revolutionise the hydrogen production landscape by delivering systems that are up to 25% more efficient than incumbent low-temperature electrolysis technologies and effectively utilise steam generated from industrial process heat/waste recovery. This makes it an optimal solution for decarbonising hard-to-abate industries such as ammonia/fertiliser, steel, refineries and chemical production.

As a step towards commercialisation, Thermax plans to establish a manufacturing facility for the electrolysers, develop the supply chain, and localise critical components.

This collaboration positions Thermax among the few companies globally to provide large-scale SOEC systems for commercial applications.

Commenting on this partnership, Ashish Bhandari, Managing Director & CEO, Thermax: “In India, significant strides are being made towards embracing renewable energy sources, particularly green hydrogen, as the country targets to produce 5 million metric tonnes of green hydrogen by 2030. We are excited to partner with Ceres to bring advanced solid oxide electrolysis (SOEC) technology to India. By leveraging our expertise in thermal management, we aim to offer a highly efficient and cost-effective hydrogen production solution that will accelerate the energy transition in India and globally. This collaboration aligns with our commitment to driving sustainable solutions for accelerating decarbonisation for hard to abate industries.”

Phil Caldwell, CEO of Ceres, commented: “I am pleased to announce our SOEC systems partnership with Thermax, an engineering leader in the energy and environment space operating across India, Europe and Southeast Asia. This latest system licence agreement will take Ceres into the Indian market which is rapidly becoming one of the most dynamic and increasingly important markets for green hydrogen, green steel and green ammonia.

This is a strategically important agreement for Ceres as we continue to build our global eco-system of world-class partners. Our technology enables Thermax to develop next-generation hydrogen solutions for its customers in the hard-to-abate industrial sectors, stimulating market demand pull for our manufacturing licensees. Our entry into this new region marks an exciting opportunity for Ceres as we help enable the path to industrial decarbonisation in this rapidly developing market.”

Thermax Limited | www.thermaxglobal.com

Ceres | www.ceres.tech 

Polar Racking, a leading North American supplier and manufacturer of solar mounting solutions, is excited to announce the unveiling of their groundbreaking enhancement to the SOL-X single-axis tracker system –– the new Hail Protection feature. This innovative addition to the tracker control and monitoring platform, mitigates the risk of hail damage to PV panels.

The hail protection feature is designed to automatically position solar trackers to an optimal angle in anticipation of hailstorms, eliminating the need for manual intervention. This automated system is adding a crucial layer of protection to SOL-X, already robust racking solutions, which is designed for undulating terrain, heavy winds, snow and frost uploads.

Key Advantages of the Hail Protection Feature

• The automatic hail protection function transitions trackers to a secure position, minimizing the risk of oversight during critical weather events based on hail nowcasting.
• The system features a bi-directional high-tilt hail position angle (+/- 63°) to minimize the risk during hail events.
• During a hail event tracker positions itself in the same direction of the wind.
• Using various real-time meteorological data sources on Polar Racking's Monitoring Platform, the feature activates based on real-time weather forecasts.

“Polar Racking is excited to offer this new Hail Protection feature as part of our True-Terrain Following SOL-X Tracker Solution, which also includes 3D Backtracking, Overcast Strategy and iStow,” stated Vishal Lala, Founding Partner & Chief Executive Officer of Polar Racking. “We view this as a testament to our unwavering commitment to delivering the highest quality solutions that meet the challenging needs of our customers.”

As the leading North American supplier of solar mounting solutions with a future pipeline of 7 gigawatts (GW), Polar Racking’s new bi-directional hail positioning feature exemplifies the company's dedication to innovative solutions that address the most pressing challenges faced by solar asset owners and operators. By integrating advanced automation with real-time weather forecasting, Polar Racking continues to set the standard for reliability and protection in the solar industry.

Polar Racking | https://www.polarracking.com/

Top local solar installer All Energy Solar has once again been voted among the best in the solar energy industry. The company received a Gold award in the category of Solar Provider in the premier Readers' Choice Award program, Minnesota's Best.

The Star Tribune Readers' Choice Minnesota's Best program is an annual event that began in 2021 to honor businesses that make the state a great place to live and work. Organizations were nominated and evaluated by local residents who knew them best. This year, 725 businesses were recognized across various industries for their remarkable services. In total, more than 1 million votes were cast across the 375 categories. When the voting ended,  All Energy Solar was awarded the Gold in the Solar Energy Provider category under the Home and Garden section. This makes it the company's third year of receiving the award overall.

All Energy Solar has been operating since 2009, with headquarters in Minnesota for the majority of that time. They are among the longest-operating solar installers in the state, with over 250 employees in five other states, including Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts. The enduring trust they have built within the community and their commitment to clean energy are part of why residents voted for All Energy Solar as one of Minnesota's Best solar installers.

Ryan Buege, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at All Energy Solar reveled in this accomplishment, commenting, "It's an honor to be named the top provider for our category in Minnsota's Best. With dependability as our core value, we strive to be our neighborhood's experienced and reliable solar installers. We're thrilled to have the Twin Cities' support and vote of confidence."

The solar provider has also reached several milestones this year, including celebrating its 15th anniversary. What started as a dream on paper, driven by a passion for a sustainable energy future, has evolved into a reliable and dedicated organization comprised of solar experts. They have also successfully completed nearly 10,000 projects and have been voted a 2024 Top Solar Contractor.

With many accomplished milestones this year and more to come, there is a lot of excitement among the people at All Energy Solar, with Buege saying "We hope to continue empowering others with the benefits of solar energy for many years to come."

All Energy Solar | www.allenergysolar.com

FCET, Inc. was issued U.S. Patent No. 12,071,697 on August 27, 2024, for "Low Temperature Electrolytes for Solid Oxide Cells Having High Ionic Conductivity".

This U.S. patent is the ninth granted to FCET for its groundbreaking work in hydrogen fuel cells, particularly in the sub-category of solid oxide fuel cells. 
FCET's Co-Applicant is UT-Battelle, LLC (the manager of Oak Ridge National Laboratory, part of the U.S. Department of Energy).

FCET expects a European patent to be granted on September 11, 2024. A separate press release will follow. (FCET also holds two Canada patents.)

FCET | www.fcet-inc.com

Enteligent Inc., developer of solar power optimization and electric vehicle (EV) solar charging technologies, demonstrated its highly anticipated DC-powered EV charger at the RE+ clean energy conference at the Anaheim Convention Center. The demonstration paired the 25kW DC-coupled electric vehicle service equipment (EVSE) to a high-voltage DC bus to highlight the charger’s benefits for long dwell-time (more than 6 hours charging) EV fleet charging. 

“The adoption of EVs for commercial fleets is growing, but a significant limiting factor is the lack of fleet-ready EV charging infrastructure solutions,” said Enteligent CEO Sean Burke. “Enteligent’s approach is the first that focuses on the inherent efficiency and reliability advantages of DC technology, avoiding the energy conversion losses and equipment costs associated with charging EVs directly from AC power sources. This reduces overall expenses, making clean energy more effective and affordable and expediting its widespread adoption.”

The traditional EV charging infrastructure uses AC Level 2 chargers that require significant engineering planning, long permitting wait times, and high costs.  AC charging relies on the vehicle’s onboard AC/DC converter to charge its DC battery, which wastes 10-20% of the energy through conversion losses and is often limited to low (<9.6 kW) charge rates. With up to 25 kW of fast DC charging—three times as fast as many AC Level 2 chargers—Enteligent DC chargers eliminate unnecessary AC-to-DC conversion losses, resulting in up to 20% energy savings. 

As a fleet charging solution, Enteligent EVSEs couple to a high voltage (+700 V) DC bus, supplied by the commercial-scale inverter, which efficiently converts grid-level AC electricity to a DC microgrid for the site while incorporating native DC PV solar generation and battery energy storage. A DC microgrid is substantially less expensive than AC-based infrastructure. It maintains the PV solar generation as DC when stored in batteries, which saves more than 10% in AC/DC conversion losses. Because the fleet vehicles operate during the day and return to the depot in the evening, they charge overnight and do not require expensive ultrafast chargers.  Online analytics further optimize cost and usage tracking.

While the Enteligent DC-to-DC EV charger is perfect for long dwell-time charging for EV fleet operations and public and commercial charging, employers and retailers can implement a similar DC microgrid setup with solar canopies to deliver efficient and cost-effective charging solutions to employees and customers. 

Initial volumes of the Enteligent DC EV Charger launched in June of 2024 with future models planned for the end of the year and into 2025. Enteligent has also been accepting orders for its unique TLCEV solar canopy-powered DC EVSE which charges EVs directly from solar arrays.  

Enteligent | https://enteligent.com/

BHE Montana broke ground on the Glacier Battery System, a new 75-megawatt battery with two hours of energy storage located in Cut Bank, Montana. “Today is an important milestone for BHE Montana as we continue to power growth in Montana and throughout the region,” said Nancy Murray, president, BHE Montana. “The Glacier Battery System will add an additional layer of stability to the energy grid of the West and increased support to our portfolio of renewable generation assets.”

BHE Montana was joined by Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte and members of the Great Falls Development Alliance for the groundbreaking ceremony.

“Thanks to our pro-business, pro-jobs policies, Montana’s economy is on the move,” said Gov. Greg Gianforte. “I’d like to thank BHE Montana for its continued investment in our communities, and for its commitment to improving grid reliability in our region.”

“This investment launches a new era for electricity in Montana, opening the door for significant new opportunities for energy production, transmission and use across Montana,” said Brett Doney, president and CEO, Great Falls Development Alliance. “We applaud BHE Montana’s continued investment in renewable 24/7 energy and look forward to partnering with them to create greater economic opportunity in the Great Falls Montana Region.”

BHE Montana’s Glacier Battery System is a stand-alone facility that will be used to support real-time scheduling of intermittent, renewable generation from BHE Montana’s wind and solar generation assets, adding an additional layer of resiliency to Montana’s energy grid. The Glacier Battery System will be interconnected to the Montana-Alberta Tie Line and is expected to be in operation by the end of 2025.

BHE Montana operates the 189-megawatt Rim Rock windfarm near Kevin, Montana, as well as the 105-megawatt Glacier I and 103.5-megawatt Glacier II windfarms that span southeast Glacier County and southwest Toole County in northern Montana. In June 2024, BHE Montana also announced plans to develop Glacier Solar Park, a new 100-megawatt solar generation project.

BHE Montana | https://www.bhemontana.com/

Pattern Energy Group LP (Pattern Energy), a leader in renewable energy and transmission infrastructure, announced Matthew (Matt) Rhodes has been appointed as Chief Financial Officer, effective October 7, 2024, reporting to the CEO, Hunter Armistead.

Rhodes brings more than two decades of financial management and executive leadership to Pattern Energy, including a wealth of experience in corporate development, acquisitions and operations in both regulated and market-based businesses, most recently as Executive Vice President, Strategy and Corporate Development at Essential Utilities, Inc. Previously, Rhodes served as managing director in Goldman Sachs’ natural resources investment banking group leading coverage for more than 25 electric and gas utility companies. Rhodes has also held positions with Bank of America and Duke Capital Partners.

“We welcome Matt to Pattern’s executive leadership team, where he will play a pivotal role in achieving our financial goals,” said Hunter Armistead, CEO at Pattern Energy. “Matt will enhance the company’s relationships with key financial institutions and his strong track record of enterprise scaling and financial discipline will be instrumental in realizing Pattern’s vision to Power the Future.”

“I am excited to join the talented team at Pattern as they transform the energy markets and lead the industry across North America,” shared Rhodes. “Building on more than 15 years of success, the company is well-positioned to achieve its financial goals, and I look forward to helping achieve its mission to transition the world to renewable energy.”

Pattern Energy is focused on growing and executing its pipeline of renewable energy and transmission projects in North America, including SunZia Wind and Transmission, the largest clean energy infrastructure project in US history that will generate enough clean, reliable electricity to power more than 3 million American homes.

Pattern Energy | www.patternenergy.com