Neglected PV Maintenance Fuels Fire Risk

A collaborative team of engineering, construction, and technology leaders is delivering one of the largest dual-purpose solar hail protection canopy projects in the United States, designed to protect vehicles at Kia’s West Point, Georgia, assembly plant — while also generating clean, renewable power.  

Initiated after a hailstorm in March 2023 that damaged more than 13,000 vehicles at the plant, and caused millions in damage, the creative and eco-friendly solution has been confirmed by Georgia Power to be the largest Behind-The-Meter system in the state of Georgia.

The project brings together Vehicle Protection Structures (VPS), SolMotiv, Ancora Systems, and ARaymond Energies, who have partnered with Kia to address a critical need for vehicle protection following a severe hailstorm in 2023. The new carport system combines fixed-tilt solar arrays with a fabric canopy, covering more than 3.2 million square feet of parking area and generating approximately 10 megawatts of solar power when complete.

“This project is a true team effort,” said Keith Busam, Vice President of Business Development and Sustainability for VPS. “By integrating VPS’s proven hail protection systems with solar expertise from SolMotiv and Ancora, and fastening solutions from ARaymond, Kia is not only protecting its vehicles but also advancing its sustainability goals.”

Dual-purpose innovation

The solar carport delivers two essential benefits for Kia: 

• Vehicle protection from hail and other severe weather events, ensuring uninterrupted operations and compliance with insurance requirements.
• Clean energy generation through bifacial solar modules strategically oriented over VPS’s reflective fabric, capturing sunlight from both sides to boost performance.

Engineering collaboration played a critical role in making the design possible. SolMotiv provided solar sales & engineering support and early feasibility analysis, while Ancora Systems designed and delivered its Patent Pending DuoRail™ racking system. DuoRail was engineered specifically to work with ARaymond’s PowAR® Cinch fastener, allowing solar modules to be mounted parallel to their long sides, keeping the rear glass unobstructed to maximize bifacial performance.

“ARaymond’s fastening technology was a key enabler of this project,” said Jonathan Fenoll, Director of Solar Utility-Scale Business Line for ARaymond Energies. “Our PowAR Cinch allows modules to be installed quickly, securely, and from below the array, which reduced installation time and improved safety on site. The collaboration with Ancora ensured the racking system and fasteners worked seamlessly together.”

Looking ahead

The Kia installation demonstrates how automakers and suppliers can collaborate to build dual-use infrastructure that reduces risk and advances sustainability. With completion expected in early 2026, the system will offset an estimated 10 percent of the plant’s annual energy consumption.

“Projects like this point to the future of automotive manufacturing,” said Christopher Klinga, SolMotiv’s Principal Engineer. “Protecting vehicles, reducing emissions, and using space more efficiently are priorities across the industry, and this installation shows how those goals can align.”

• Kia’s West Point facility manufactures Kia’s most popular models, including the Telluride, Sorento, and EV9, with annual capacity of 350,000 vehicles.
• Vehicle Protection Structures (VPS) is a leader in hail protection and solar-integrated canopy systems for automotive OEMs.
• SolMotiv is a solar engineering consultancy supporting the country’s most innovative commercial & industrial renewable projects.
• Ancora Systems develops innovative solar racking solutions, including the Patent Pending DuoRail™ system.
• ARaymond provides innovative fastening technologies that simplify solar installations and optimize system performance, and employs more than 8,000 people in 25 countries.

KIA | https://www.kiageorgia.com/about-kia-georgia/the-plant/

Ancora Systems | www.ancorasys.com

SolMotiv | www.solmotiv.com

Vehicle Protection Structures | www.vpslp.com

ARaymond | https://www.araymond-energies.com/en

A research team in Mexico has created a battery that can still function after being punctured and submerged in water – conditions that would likely ignite the lithium-ion batteries currently used in cell phones and electric vehicles.

The ultra-durable prototype was developed by Noé Arjona and colleagues at the Center for Advanced Materials Research in Chihuahua, Mexico.

“We are not using lithium-ion batteries because of the many safety concerns regarding the flammability of the electrolytes that are used in that kind of technology,” says Arjona. Instead, the team made a metal-air battery, combining metal and oxygen from the air in place of a flammable liquid.

“Many metals also create safety concerns when they are used in batteries. Many of the most active materials are in the list of critical materials. So, we wanted to use as little metal as possible,” explains Arjona. Instead of bulk metal inside the battery, they set out to create a carbon sheet dotted with individual atoms of nickel.

The scientists used the intensely bright light of the Canadian Light Source (CLS) at the University of Saskatchewan to analyze their prototype at the molecular level. They confirmed their design had single atoms of nickel, which – when combined with novel gel polymer electrolytes and Zinc – eliminated the safety risks associated with a battery containing a larger amount of metal and flammable electrolytes. Their findings were published in the journal ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces.

The team has put their battery to the test by hammering a nail through it, placing it in flames, and submerging it in water. Their prototype continued to work through each of these extreme conditions.

In addition to being safer, their battery design isn’t impacted by temperature extremes.

“In Canada, you have a huge problem with recharging batteries in very cold temperatures, such as with electric vehicles,” Arjona points out. “Our kind of technology doesn’t have the same issues with very low or very high temperatures.” 

Since his team is focused on using metals such as nickel -- which are more abundant and affordable than lithium and cobalt -- their work could lead to cheaper batteries.

Arjona and his team are also exploring ways to make their battery eco-friendlier, including integrating components that are biodegradable. Once the battery reaches the end of its life, these materials could help to enrich soil and grow plants. In subsequent studies, the researchers plan to incorporate bioplastics in their design and to use iron – commonly found in soil – instead of nickel.

While the team is excited about the promise their new design holds, Arjona says more research is needed before this technology is ready to replace current batteries. 

“If we want to have highly safe batteries, we need to design them with single-atom catalysts,” he says. “This is the future of energy storage.”

Canadian Light Source | https://www.lightsource.ca

Rentricity Inc., a leader in recovering clean energy from water infrastructure, proudly announces the issuance of U.S. Patent No. 12,454,761 B1, titled "Systems and Methods for Producing Hydrogen Gas from a Water Distribution System." This groundbreaking innovation expands Rentricity's suite of clean energy technologies by enabling point-of-use hydrogen generation, directly within pressurized water distribution networks — marking a new frontier in sustainable energy recovery and water management under the brand name: HydroCosm.

The patent represents more than a decade of research and development led by Frank Zammataro, President and Founder of Rentricity. It builds upon the company's 13-year commercial mission to harness "Flow-to-Wire" in-conduit hydropower systems — turning excess water pressure into clean, renewable electricity. With this new capability, Rentricity moves beyond electricity generation to decentralized hydrogen production, supporting the nation's transition to carbon-free energy and resilient utility infrastructure.

From Pressure to Power — and Now Hydrogen

Traditional water systems dissipate pressure through valves, wasting valuable energy potential. Rentricity's patented systems convert that wasted pressure into electricity using compact turbines and generators — a technology already deployed in water utilities across the U.S.

With the issuance of this new patent, Rentricity can now leverage that same pressure to produce hydrogen gas onsite through integrated electrolysis. The patented system combines a turbine-generator with an electrolyzer to extract hydrogen and oxygen from water under controlled flow and pressure conditions. The hydrogen can then be stored, used for on-site energy needs, or distributed for broader use in fuel cells, water treatment processes, or emerging hydrogen vehicles and networks.

"This patent represents the next evolution of water-energy integration," said Frank Zammataro, inventor and CEO of Rentricity. "For over a decade, our focus has been on energy recovery within the nation's water systems. Now, with this hydrogen innovation, we can help utilities participate directly in the clean energy economy — producing renewable energy where it's most needed."

A Decade of Innovation Driving Water-Energy Synergy

Since its founding, Rentricity has pioneered methods to convert pressure drop into electricity, helping utilities offset operating costs and improve sustainability. This latest patent expands that legacy to support future "Water-to-Hydrogen" applications.

The company also credits the Colorado Cleantech Industry Association (CCIA) and its 2019 Energy Fellows Institute program for sparking this next step in innovation. During the fellowship, Zammataro had the opportunity to visit and engage with scientists at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) — specifically, the Hydrogen Technologies & Systems Center — where he gained firsthand insight into the latest advancements in hydrogen generation, storage, and utilization.

"That fellowship experience helped crystalize how Rentricity's in-pipe pressure recovery systems could one day drive hydrogen production," said Zammataro. "Standing inside NREL's Hydrogen Laboratory and seeing their work up close inspired the idea that clean water and clean energy could intersect at the same valve — quite literally."

According to the patent's detailed description, Rentricity's hydrogen system is designed for flexibility — adaptable to both small-scale municipal and industrial sites and larger, grid-integrated installations. The system operates autonomously using smart sensors and controllers, enabling safe and efficient hydrogen production while maintaining optimal water flow for water operations.

This innovation could transform water utilities into distributed energy producers, helping meet growing hydrogen demand for decarbonization while improving the resilience of public infrastructure.

Powering the Future of Water and Energy

Rentricity's new patent reinforces the company's vision of turning water infrastructure into a dual-purpose network — delivering both water and clean energy. By enabling utilities to generate hydrogen at the point of use, Rentricity bridges the gap between the water, energy, and environmental sectors, offering a new model for sustainable urban and regional systems.

"Hydrogen is a vital piece of our clean energy future," added Zammataro. "And water systems — with their constant pressure and flow — are an untapped opportunity to produce it cleanly and locally."

Rentricity | www.rentricity.com

Headwater Energy (Headwater), a leading utility-scale solar and energy storage development firm, announced it has closed construction financing on a 112.5MWdc solar project in North Carolina arranged by BridgePeak Energy Capital, LLC (BridgePeak) and funded in part by Pathward, N.A. (Pathward). The Gum Swamp solar project is projected to generate clean energy to power the equivalent of 17,000 North Carolina households annually, marking a significant expansion of solar energy capacity in the state.

The financing will allow Headwater to accelerate its growth in the Southeast, which already includes 177MWdc of operational assets and a 2.8GWdc development pipeline.

“This financing marks an important milestone in Headwater’s continued growth and expansion as a long-term owner and operator of clean-energy assets,” said Michael Cohen, CEO of Headwater. “BridgePeak and Pathward have been exceptional partners whose support reflects the strength of our platform and our shared commitment to building reliable, scalable clean-energy infrastructure across the Southeast.”

“We’re proud to support Headwater’s mission and to partner with BridgePeak on this important transaction,” said Christopher Soupal, Division President and Revenue Lending Officer at Pathward. “BridgePeak’s deep expertise and collaborative approach were instrumental to this closing.”

“BridgePeak is excited to support Headwater’s pipeline of energy projects that will generate low-cost electrons to power AI now and in the immediate future. Gum Swamp will be placed in service in just 18 months, illustrating the value of an ‘all of the above’ energy policy,” said David Thigpen, President of BridgePeak.

The loan was originated under Pathward’s energy lending program and a lender syndicate, with BridgePeak serving as lender service provider. The transaction is part of BridgePeak’s broader initiative to facilitate over $2 billion in energy project financing in 2025.

BridgePeak Energy | https://bridgepeak.com/

Headwater Energy | https://www.headwaterenergy.com/

Pathward | https://www.pathward.com/

Smackover Lithium, a 55:45 owned Joint Venture (“JV”) between Standard Lithium Ltd. (“Standard Lithium” or the “Company”) (TSXV: SLI) (NYSE.A: SLI) and Equinor (“Equinor”), announced that it has filed its Maiden Inferred Resource report (the “Report”) for the Franklin Project (the “Project”) in the northeast region of Texas.

All terms not otherwise defined have the meaning given to them under the CIM Definition Standards for mineral resources and mineral reserves.

The Franklin Project is highlighted by 2,159,000 metric tonnes of lithium carbonate equivalent at an average lithium concentration of 668 mg/L, 15,414,000 tonnes of potash (as potassium chloride) - a newly added mineral to the U.S. Geological Survey 2025 Draft Critical Mineral List - and 2,638,000 tonnes of bromide (ionized form of the commercial product bromine), contained within 0.61 km³ of brine volume.

The Report for the JV’s first project in the East Texas region of the Smackover highlights the size and quality of its brine position. Brine mineral leasing has been ongoing since 2022 in the approximate 80,000-acre Project area, with over 46,000 acres leased to support the inferred resource. The Project also contains the highest reported lithium-in-brine grades in North America, including a previously measured 806 mg/L at the Pine Forest 1 well (see news release dated 25^th October 2023).

This initial Project definition marks a key step towards the ultimate goal of reaching production of over 100,000 tonnes of lithium chemicals per year in Texas through multiple phases. This goal is further supported by two additional projects the JV is planning to develop in East Texas that are anticipated to roughly triple the size of the JV’s portfolio area in the state.

The principal recommendation for next steps is to further refine the characteristics of the Upper and Middle Smackover Formation aquifers, brine chemistry and to assess reserve forecasts. This will be accomplished by drilling additional appraisal wells and re-entering three shut-in wells to facilitate the definition of a Preliminary Feasibility Study.

The JV will also conduct direct lithium extraction (“DLE”) testing of the Project brine, leveraging insights gained from Standard Lithium’s Demonstration Plant located in El Dorado, Arkansas, as well as the JV’s South West Arkansas project.

Smackover Lithium | https://www.smackoverlithium.com/

Sanjay Shrestha, who recently served as president of Plug Power, Inc., a global hydrogen ecosystem company, has formed Shrestha Global EPG Advisory. 

The new firm will advise project developers, corporates, governments and capital providers navigating the complexities of the global energy and power landscape. They will assist clients in addressing some of the major challenges on the global energy and power industry: massive demand growth for power driven by AI and data centers, an antiquated grid, limited energy storage to manage intermittency of renewable electricity and the growth of electrification and liquid energy fuels to meet energy transition, all of which require innovative solutions and significant capital investment. 

Tim Cortes will serve as Senior Partner and Chief Operating Officer/Chief Technology Officer. With a proven track record of driving innovation and growth in the power and clean energy sector, Tim combines technical expertise with business acumen to deliver exceptional value as a leader in technology and product strategy. Bhagawan Sahu, Ph.D. will be Senior Vice President-Business Development and Technology and will lead the growth of the energy transition portfolio at the firm and provide technology advisory to fit client needs. Prior to joining the advisory both men were with Plug Power, Inc., Tim as Chief Technology and Chief Product Officer and Bhagawan as a team member in the Chief Technology and Chief Strategy Offices. 

Sanjay said, “The world faces unprecedented energy challenges that demand innovative solutions and strategic transformation which will require major capital formation. Our team includes some of the foremost experts in the field bringing technical, operational, execution and capital markets experience. I am super excited to launch this venture with trusted friends and colleagues to help various constituents in their efforts to execute their plans to adapt to new energy realities on a global basis.” 

Senior Advisors to the firm include Sameer Maskey, founder & CEO of Fusemachines, an enterprise AI products and services company at the forefront of AI-enabled transformation; Dave Mindnich, a veteran operations executive with over two decades of experience who has held senior leadership roles at Tesla and Plug Power, Inc.; Julia Qian, a co-founder of Health In Tech, an insurance technology platform company, and serves as chief financial officer and as a member of the board of directors; Ken Rawley, former chief marketing officer at several firms, top-ranked national speaker, consultant, columnist for a national business newspaper chain and adviser to several CEOs; Chris Suriano, most recently General Manager of Plug Power, Inc.’s Hydrogen Generation and Services Business Unit, responsible for the hydrogen production and distribution network; Surendra V Thapa, Esq., an expert in the banking and financial regulatory industry who has consulted for and advised major banks and financial institutions on regulatory enforcements and compliance risks in international banking and financial transactions. 

Shrestha Global EPG Advisory | https://sepgglobal.com/

Prysmian, a world leader in the energy transition and digital transformation, recently held a ribbon cutting ceremony to officially unveil the company’s $63.8 million expansion project, which has added 100,000 square feet and 80 new jobs to the existing Du Quoin, Illinois plant. The ceremony also commemorated the facility’s 60th anniversary, underscoring Prysmian’s longstanding commitment to Southern Illinois and the greater Perry County community.

Prysmian’s investment has paved the way for increased renewable cable production in Illinois, meeting the growing demand for high-performance cables used for renewable energy projects and electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure. The expansion has also helped modernize the existing infrastructure and implement an Energy Management System within the facility.

The expansion project also includes a new solar farm, which generates approximately 50 percent of the power the Du Quoin plant needs to produce product, significantly reducing the amount of power required to make cables that help make much-needed improvements to the power grid.

“This investment in our Du Quoin facility reaffirms our longstanding commitment to innovation, sustainability, and the Southern Illinois community that has supported us for six decades,” said Andrea Pirondini, CEO of Prysmian North America. “These brand new lines position us to meet the urgent needs of utilities, grid-hardening initiatives, and the rapidly growing AI and data-center economy.”

In partnership with the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO), this expansion was supported through the state’s Reimagining Energy and Vehicles in Illinois (REV Illinois) initiative. REV Illinois was designed to strengthen the state’s leadership in advanced manufacturing, clean energy and electric vehicle innovation.

Local and state officials, industry partners, and community leaders joined Prysmian executives and employees to commemorate the unveiling with a ceremonial ribbon cutting, guided facility tours, and remarks highlighting the company’s continued leadership in advancing domestic energy infrastructure.

“Delivering some of the nation’s most reliable service to over 9 million people across northern Illinois reflects our ongoing investments in infrastructure and our strong partnerships with local manufacturers like Prysmian,” said David Perez, EVP and COO of ComEd. “We’re proud to collaborate with Prysmian to deploy state-of-the-art equipment that strengthens the grid, supports Illinois’ clean energy transition, and meets the evolving needs of our customers. We congratulate them on their expansion in DuQuoin and look forward to continued progress together.”

"Prysmian is on the front lines of the clean energy evolution and Ameren Illinois is proud to see the company's high performance cabling systems being put to work on modern and reliable energy grids," said Patrick Smith, Sr. Vice President, and President-elect of Ameren Illinois. "This expansion, and the innovative use of solar energy to help power it, demonstrates southern Illinois' momentum as a clean energy manufacturing hub. We thank the company leaders for their commitment to the region and their confidence in our team to power continued growth in Du Quoin."

Prysmian’s Du Quoin facility was established in 1965 and currently produces custom CL Advantage medium voltage collection cables, used to conserve energy by reducing line loss during transmission. The cables are used for wind and solar energy applications and are a key component of underground substation and distribution systems. Prysmian’s Illinois plant also manufactures key components for a variety of solar energy systems, as well as specialized cables that deliver electricity to EV charging stations and modernized homes designed for enhanced energy and grid efficiency.

Prysmian | na.prysmian.com