Protect Your Yield

A major step in energy storage development hummed to life this month as researchers flipped on a new battery production line at the Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. Watch the full video

The production line, made up of 16 pieces of equipment that fill an entire 1400-square-foot laboratory space, will create a cutting-edge type of battery cell called a prismatic cell. A first for the national laboratories, the prismatic cell line will allow researchers to test emerging energy storage technology that may become vital to supporting grid operations.

And because even the tiniest amount of water can damage battery materials, the prismatic line is housed in a dry lab where the humidity is lower than the driest places on Earth.

“With the new prismatic line, we can create, test and demonstrate real-world prismatic cells at an industrially relevant scale. This helps our researchers bridge the gap between science and industry,” said Adam Jivelekas, operations manager of DOE’s Grid Storage Launchpad, which is operated by PNNL on its campus in Richland and funded by DOE’s Office of Electricity. “We can help external researchers or industry partners test and validate their prismatic cell designs.”

A new look for batteries

Batteries come in many different shapes and sizes. Coin cells are small and can be found in things like wristwatches. Pouch cells, meanwhile, are bigger and might fit into a power tool like an electric drill. Then there are standard cylindrical batteries like double- and triple-As, or larger cylindrical batteries that fit in electric vehicles.

While these other battery formats continue to have applications, prismatic cells are gaining popularity for grid-scale applications. They’re rectangular, shaped more like a classic 9-volt battery, but larger. They’re also built with a heavier metal casing that makes them less prone to overheating. Metal conducts heat better than other materials, meaning heat can escape the battery more easily, said Mark Weller, a materials scientist at PNNL who is principal investigator on the project.

The prismatic cell shape allows them to be stacked efficiently, fitting more cells into a smaller space compared to other cell types like cylindrical cells. At the pack level, efficient packing confers better energy density (more energy available in a smaller package) and makes prismatic cells attractive for grid applications.

“If you have better heat transport, if the cells are more mechanically uniform, if they’re packed more efficiently, all those things can translate to not just higher safety, but lower cost,” Weller continued.

First steps for the prismatic line

The prismatic line completed testing in February, and the researchers are currently finalizing operating procedures before putting it to work with a major project intended to validate its efficacy.

“It’s one thing to have this capability, it’s another to show our partners that we can use it to consistently make high-quality prismatic cells for different applications,” Weller said. “Making a coin cell takes a few milligrams of material; making a prismatic cell takes at least a kilogram. When you scale up like that, you can’t assume that a chemistry that worked well in a coin cell will work just as well in a prismatic cell.”

To prove that point, PNNL researchers picked two different battery chemistries to use in prismatic cells: sodium-ion and lithium-iron-phosphate. Sodium is seen as a potential replacement for lithium in energy storage systems for the grid because it’s much more abundant on Earth than lithium. Lithium-iron-phosphate also relies on more abundant materials (e.g., iron, whereas traditional battery materials nickel and cobalt are both rare) and tends to be safer.

The team will produce those two prismatic cell types and then submit them to a number of tests to validate the performance and safety of the cell under varying conditions, said Weller.

“These tests will establish a baseline that we can take to potential collaborators and say ‘Here are our results for these chemistries, here’s our process and here’s what we can do for your chemistry,’” Weller continued. “Because of the benefits of the prismatic cell design and the categorically larger scale of cell fabrication and testing, we see PNNL’s prismatic line as a unique way to bridge the gap between new battery concepts and prospective industry partners. With this capability, we can do the research and development and pilot-scale testing that is difficult for companies to justify and help facilitate a smoother handoff to get advanced battery concepts to market.”

Now that the prismatic line is up and running, the team at the Grid Storage Launchpad hopes to start working with private battery companies who want to test their own chemistries in a prismatic cell format. 

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory | https://www.pnnl.gov/

FlexGen Power Systems, LLC. ("FlexGen"), a leading battery energy storage solution and energy management software provider, announced expanded capabilities through its acquisition of Clean Energy Services (CES), completed in April. By integrating CES into its portfolio, FlexGen now offers a higher level of operational and maintenance abilities, stronger field services through a domestic servicing team and a more complete solar offering for co-located sites.

Acquiring CES reinforces batteries as critical infrastructure

“Battery storage projects are becoming larger, more complex, and increasingly critical to grid stability,” said Hugh Scott, Chief Technology Officer at FlexGen. “By combining CES’s field services with FlexGen’s HybridOS platform, customers can get projects online faster, operate them more reliably, and maximize performance over the life of the asset.”

“Joining the FlexGen umbrella has allowed us to combine our strengths to maintain high system availability and long-term asset reliability for customers,” said Constantine Triantafyllides, Chief Operating Officer of CES, a FlexGen company. “The pairing of FlexGen and CES provides a full-stack, FEOC-compliant value offering for OEMs who are in need of a partner. Improving operational resilience and enhancing system performance to batteries, solar, and other hybrid projects ensures these assets can continue to meet growing electricity needs.”

FEOC-compliant authorized service team can work across many battery storage OEMs

By adding CES to the FlexGen portfolio, FlexGen’s software-focused, OEM partner program will now include additional domestic authorized service provider (ASP) capabilities, a highly skilled domestic servicing team spread across multiple markets that can work with many different hardware OEMs. This breadth of domestically sourced experience means customers have access to FEOC-compliant servicing options.

Added solar services builds on FlexGen’s offering for co-located sites

FlexGen has expanded the multi-asset orchestration capabilities of HybridOS®, its advanced energy management system (EMS), with new Power Plant Controller functionality designed to optimize solar and hybrid energy sites for utilities, developers, and data center customers. Backed by CES’s experience servicing more than 1 GW of solar assets, the enhanced platform delivers a more seamless customer experience spanning development, commissioning, operations, and long-term service.

Additional personnel increases field execution, service depth for customers

FlexGen continues to grow its operational and maintenance capabilities with the addition of CES’s talented team members. The team expands FlexGen’s reach with broader regional coverage and more granular service offerings. This coverage enables FlexGen to match services to situational needs more efficiently and scale quickly, ensuring customers achieve faster deployment and higher availability.

The enhanced end-to-end support positions FlexGen to deliver a more resilient, secure, and fully integrated battery solution across development, supply, commissioning, operations, and long-term asset management.

For more information about FlexGen and CES, visit both teams at Booth #2709 at ACP CLEANPOWER in Houston from June 1-4.

FlexGen Power Systems | https://www.flexgen.com/

AirPlus Renewables, a new wind technology pioneer, is preparing to launch XEVA, its unique “EDGEWIND Tech” turbine, designed to generate electricity closer to the point of use. The patented technology, invented by husband-and-wife team Jimish and Krupali Patel, has been created for decentralised energy generation and will be formally introduced at a planned launch event later this year, where the company will present real-time data from selected deployments around the world.

Designed for decentralised deployment close to where energy is used, XEVA has been developed to operate in all environments, including those where airflow is often more complex than in open spaces. The XEVA system is designed to capture both turbulent and non-turbulent wind, making it suitable for commercial settings such as hospitals, data centres, colleges and council buildings, including installations on rooftops and at the edges of buildings.

Deployments are already planned for multiple locations in the UK, US, Canada, the Maldives, Saudi Arabia and Ukraine. These sites have been selected not only to demonstrate the technology in real-world settings, but also to test its performance in a range of demanding conditions, from dense urban environments to coastal locations, desert expanses for sand and heat exposure and mountainous terrain for snow and cold exposure.

“We started AirPlus with a very simple idea,” said Jimish Patel, founder of AirPlus Renewables. “Energy should be cost-effective and accessible for anyone and everyone. For us, energy is a necessity, not a luxury.

“XEVA has been developed to bring power production closer to where it’s needed most. It gives organisations a practical way to generate power on site, reduce dependence on the grid and make better use of the spaces they already have.”

While micro wind turbines are often scaled-down versions of conventional wind systems,EDGEWIND Tech is different.  It is intended for all environments, but also operates extremely effectively in built up environments, where airflow is shaped by nearby structures, allowing energy generation on site, where it is actually needed.

“The term draws on the idea of edge computing, where processing happens closer to where it is needed and reflects the fact that the turbines can also be strategically positioned at the rooftop edge of buildings to harness accelerated wind flows created by natural building-edge aerodynamics, maximising energy generation efficiency from wind resources that otherwise wouldn’t be used”, explained Patel. 

For most installations, the unit is supplied fully assembled, so it can be lifted into place and connected using a setup like solar installations. The company expects installation of the main product to take around 90 minutes.

“XEVA has been designed to improve the way smaller wind systems capture usable airflow. By designing and arranging XEVA blades to reduce “wind blind spots” and by operating in locations where conventional systems are often less effective, the technology will make fuller use of the wind available in built up environments,” Patel explained.

“The most important thing for us now is the data. We have chosen these deployment sites very carefully because they will allow us to see how the technology performs in very different real-world conditions.

“The launch event later this year will be an important milestone for us because it will give people the chance to see XEVA and the data and understand what our “Edge Wind Tech” innovation will deliver in different locations.”

To register your interest, email [email protected]

AirPlus Renewables | https://airplusrenewables.com/

Demand for reliable, affordable electricity is driving wind and solar energy development across Wisconsin. As more projects are proposed and built, local communities have an opportunity to proactively plan for what happens when those facilities reach the end of their operational life.

A fact sheet released today by the Center for Rural Affairs outlines key considerations for Wisconsin county and local officials as they develop siting and zoning standards for decommissioning wind and solar energy systems. 

“Planning for decommissioning is one of the most important steps communities can take when considering wind and solar development,” said Cora Hoffer, senior policy associate. “Clear, local policies can help ensure project owners, not local governments, remain responsible for removing equipment, restoring sites, and covering the costs at the end of a project’s life.”

Wisconsin was an early leader in renewable energy policy, adopting a renewable portfolio standard in 1999 and later setting a goal of 100% carbon-free electricity by 2050. 

“With that growth comes the need for thoughtful local planning that helps communities capture the benefits of renewable energy while protecting taxpayers and landowners over the long term,” Hoffer said.

Wind projects generally have an operation life of 25 to 40 years, while solar projects often operate for 25 to 35 years before repowering, reuse, or full decommissioning is considered. In Wisconsin, wind projects are subject to statewide siting standards, which includes decommissioning requirements. 

“Solar, however, does not have comparable statewide siting rules, making it especially important for local governments to clearly spell out expectations for decommissioning, site restoration, recycling, and financial assurance,” Hoffer said.

The fact sheet highlights tools such as joint development agreements and financial assurance mechanisms—including bonds, escrow accounts, deposits, and letters of credit—to help ensure decommissioning costs are fully covered and do not fall on counties or residents.

The new decommissioning resource is intended to be short, digestible, and easy to use.

Center for Rural Affairs | cfra.org/publications

Vesper Energy announced the closing of $236 million in financing for its 201-megawatt Nazareth Solar project in Swisher County, TX. The project will support grid stability and deliver reliable, affordable power to ERCOT.

"Closing financing on Nazareth Solar is Vesper Energy’s next exciting step in Swisher County,” said Juan Suarez, Co-CEO of Vesper Energy. “Our experience developing projects in the region reinforces the value that well-executed energy infrastructure can provide. Nazareth Solar will support reliable power generation for the Texas grid while contributing durable economic activity and stable income opportunities for local landowners.”

Spanning over 2,400 acres of private land, the project will generate enough electricity to power approximately 53,000 homes annually. Building on the success of the adjacent Hornet Solarproject, Nazareth Solar continues Vesper Energy’s commitment to long-term investment and partnership in the region. 

Once operational, Nazareth Solar will contribute new tax revenue to local schools, infrastructure, and emergency services, while creating construction jobs and long-term operations roles. The project will also provide stable, predictable income for participating landowners and continued economic activity for local businesses.

Vesper Energy secured a $236 million debt financing package for Nazareth Solar, consisting of a construction-to-term loan and a letter of credit facility. The bank group includes MUFG as the Sole Coordinating Lead Arranger, Bookrunner, and Administrative Agent, and Associated Bank and Bayern LB as the Joint Lead Arrangers.

“We are pleased to support Vesper Energy in the financing of Nazareth Solar,” said Matt Curtin, Managing Director at MUFG Bank Ltd. “This transaction reflects our confidence in Vesper’s ability to deliver high-quality energy infrastructure and underscores our commitment to supporting projects that enhance grid reliability and expand domestic energy supply.” 

Funds managed by GCM Grosvenor are expected to provide the majority of the project’s equity capital. Development Bank of Japan Inc. (“DBJ”) also participated in the investment.

“Nazareth Solar represents another important milestone in our partnership with Vesper Energy and reflects the growing need for scalable and reliable power infrastructure across the U.S.,” said Matthew Rinklin, Managing Director at GCM Grosvenor. “Vesper’s execution capabilities and established development platform position us well to invest in infrastructure serving what we believe is a sustained step-change in U.S. electricity demand.”

"We are pleased to support the Nazareth Solar alongside our partners. This investment aligns with our mission to advance essential infrastructure and contribute to long-term sustainability," said Shunsuke Motai, General Manager at DBJ.

Construction on Nazareth Solar is expected to begin in June 2026, with commercial operation targeted for Fall 2027.

Vesper Energy | www.vesperenergy.com

GCM Grosvenor | gcmgrosvenor.com

Hemlock Semiconductor, the nation’s leading manufacturer of hyper-pure polysilicon for the semiconductor and solar industries, announced the appointment of Drew Laney as vice president of manufacturing. 

Laney comes to HSC from Dow’s Performance Materials & Coatings business, where he served as global manufacturing director. Previously, he was site director at Dow’s Barry, Wales silicones site. He brings more than 18 years of experience in safety performance and business transformation across a wide range of manufacturing technologies and global operations. 

"Drew's extensive background in global manufacturing operations and his proven track record of driving safety and process optimization make him an outstanding addition to our leadership team,” said AB Ghosh, HSC chairman and chief executive officer and Corning senior vice president and general manager of Solar.  “As we continue to grow our role in strengthening America's solar and semiconductor supply chains, having an executive of Drew's caliber leading our manufacturing function is a tremendous asset."

In his new role, Laney will lead HSC’s manufacturing operations and the safe, high-quality, and efficient production of polysilicon. Laney succeeds Andy Ault, HSC’s current senior vice president of manufacturing, who recently announced his retirement.  

"Hemlock Semiconductor plays a critical role in the industries that power modern life, and I'm honored to join a team that holds itself to such a high standard of quality and operational excellence,” said Laney. “I look forward to working alongside the talented people here to continue delivering the hyper-pure polysilicon our customers and the nation depend on."

Hemlock Semiconductor | https://www.hscpoly.com/

DWT Inc., the largest independent service provider for wind energy in the U.S., announced the successful initiation of its new Operations and Maintenance (O&M) agreement for a large, investor-owned utility in the Pacific Northwest. Together, the projects total more than 700 megawatts (MW) of capacity, representing one of the largest independent service agreements in the region. 

DWT will provide full-scope O&M services, including all minor and major component replacement responsibilities. With the addition of this portfolio, Siemens 2.3 MW turbines now represent DWT’s largest technology platform under long-term service agreements in the U.S., totalling more than 1.1 GW. 

“The utility’s decision to partner with DWT underscores the importance of independent service in the U.S. market,” said Melf Lorenzen, CEO of DWT USA. “Our focus is on extending the life of existing fleets, improving reliability, and ensuring turbines deliver maximum megawatts back to the grid. Together, we’re helping turn challenges into opportunities for customers, communities, and the clean energy transition.”

The partnership also emphasizes job creation, safety, and community engagement, including STEM events to highlight the role of wind energy in the region’s economy. 

DWT I https://www.dwtglobal.com/us/company/dwt-usa/