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

Eolian, L.P. ("Eolian") announced the closing of a $463 million financing package, arranged by Natixis Corporate & Investment Banking ("Natixis CIB"), to support the continued construction of Padua 2 and Padua 3 — two large-scale battery energy storage systems (BESS) totaling 350 MW / 1.7 GWh in Bexar County, Texas. This financing enables the completion of the final phases of the Padua Complex, which will be the largest battery energy storage development in Texas and one of the largest ever constructed globally.

Upon completion in the Spring of 2026, all three phases of the Padua Complex will provide 400 MW / 1.8 GWh of instant-ramping capacity that is strategically sited at a substation adjacent to the retiring J.K. Spruce coal plant units and the aging V.H. Braunig natural gas power plant, and at a critical location that governs south-to-north transmission flows in Texas. The first phase, Padua 1, a 50 MW, approximately 2-hour phase, is now in commercial operation.  Construction began earlier this summer on Padua 2 at 150 MW and Padua 3 at 200 MW, both with approximately 5-hour discharge durations. All three projects utilize battery energy storage equipment supplied by Tesla.

"Under Governor Abbott's leadership, Texas is showing the nation how to build energy infrastructure today that ensures sustained economic expansion for the future. By calling for and then passing into law new reliability products for the Texas grid, the Governor and the Legislature sent a clear market signal expressing the need and desire for the deployment of battery energy storage systems designed with four-hour or longer duration that directly led to our substantial investment in this project," said Aaron Zubaty CEO of Eolian. "Texas and the Padua Complex demonstrate how building battery energy storage at this speed and scale to meet urgent market needs and to better use the existing transmission network will act as a vital bridge between now and 2030, buying time to allow other technologies to scale and ramp up production and deployment while enabling continued load growth."

Eolian developed, constructed and will operate all three phases of the Padua complex with its in-house asset and optimization teams, building on the experience gained from being a first-mover in the deployment of grid-scale battery energy storage and more than four years of operating its existing 300 MW ERCOT BESS fleet. Padua's location at a confluence of major transmission lines in San Antonio was identified by the Eolian team in 2018 as a looming pinch point for power flows and highlighted in 2023 by ERCOT as a location needing significant additional generating resources, including the recent addition of mobile generating units. The Padua Complex, with more than $700 million of total private investment, dramatically increases the efficient use of the region's existing transmission lines until 2030 when approved regional 345 kV transmission upgrades are completed. 

The Padua Complex is also built to highlight the capabilities of current BESS technology.  Padua Phase 2 and Phase 3 will enable approximately 5-hour discharge operations and will be the two longest-duration BESS projects ever built in ERCOT.  Specifically constructed with greater than 4-hour duration to meet clear technical requirements studied by ERCOT and approved in legislation, Padua answers the call led by Governor Abbott and the Texas Legislature for longer duration reliability products. ERCOT CEO Pablo Vegas has hailed the deployment of battery energy storage as making a significant difference in stabilizing the Texas grid, especially during hours of scarcity caused by high load.

"The Padua Complex is one of Tesla's largest global Megapack deployments to date. The 1.8 GWh project demonstrates the role batteries play in improving grid utilization and enabling more efficient operation of all power generation connected to the grid," said Mike Snyder, Vice President of Energy and Charging at Tesla.  "Tesla has invested billions of dollars in the Texas economy and employs thousands of local employees who design and produce the technologies that enable Texas and the US to meet growing electricity demand while keeping rates affordable for consumers."  

The $463 million financing package, arranged by Natixis CIB, includes construction, term loan, and letter of credit facilities. By fully funding Padua 2 and 3 in a single closing, the financing ensures the projects continue their construction without delay to reach the planned operations dates in the Winter and Spring of 2026.

"We're proud to support Eolian in advancing the Padua Complex, which represents the future of reliable, affordable energy," said Yan Meunier, Executive Director, Natixis CIB. "The Complex demonstrates how innovative financing and infrastructure investment can deliver meaningful stability to the grid at scale."

"The Padua Complex is a model for the nation on how battery energy storage systems make baseload better and positively transform the grid. By utilizing existing transmission lines more efficiently and adding highly flexible, fast-ramping capabilities to the market during peak hours, battery energy storage enhances grid reliability and extends the lifespan of existing baseload power plants; all of which is the type of investment intended by President Trump's OBBB," added Aaron Zubaty, CEO of Eolian.

Eolian | www.eolianenergy.com

Generate Capital, PBC ("Generate"), a leading infrastructure investment firm, announced the closing of an $85 million tax equity commitment with SOLCAP, KeyState's tax equity investment platform, for Fund X, supporting a portfolio of eight community solar projects across New York and Illinois totaling 38 MWdc. The projects are scheduled to achieve commercial operation between Q4 2025 and Q1 2026.

This marks Generate's 10th community solar tax equity fund overall and its 5th fund with KeyState since 2021, underscoring the company's track record as one of the sector's most active and reliable tax equity providers. To date in 2025, Generate has raised over $807 million in project debt and over $608 million in tax equity — over $1.4 billion in total — including this latest close.

"Community solar continues to be one of the most effective ways to expand access to clean energy while delivering tangible local benefits," said Peggy Flannery, Managing Director, Investments, at Generate Capital. "Since 2017, we've been proud to support the development of community solar, working alongside long-term partners like KeyState to bring reliable, cost-effective clean power to households, businesses, and communities across the country."

Josh Miller, CEO of KeyState, which manages the SOLCAP platform, added, "Generate sets the standard in sustainable infrastructure investing, and our partnership has directed meaningful capital into projects that drive both returns and real-world impact. We value our partnership and look forward to continuing to grow together."

Since entering the community solar market in 2017, Generate has built one of the most experienced community solar platforms in the industry, owning and operating more than 430 MW of community solar across multiple states. Its long-standing relationships with leading sponsors, developers, and institutional investors have enabled Generate to scale the sector, expanding access to clean energy while supporting grid resilience and community economic development.

Counsel for the transaction included Orrick (sponsor counsel) and Kutak Rock (investor counsel).

Generate Capital | www.generatecapital.com

SOLCAP | www.sol-cap.com

Retail Energy Supply Association (RESA), the nation’s leading trade association representing competitive retail energy suppliers, has released its 2024 energy trend report based on the latest U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) data.

The report highlights that more than 16.5 million residential customers received power from competitive retail suppliers in the previous year. This represents 47.1% of the residential load in the 14 energy choice states and jurisdictions where consumers have a choice in their retail energy supplier.

EIA data also shows that 87% of power supplied to commercial and industrial customers in competitive markets came from retail suppliers. Additionally, since 2008, the average power price for all customers (residential, commercial and industrial) in competitive markets increased by 14.3%, compared to a much steeper 46.5% increase for customers in monopoly states.

“Year after year, the numbers tell a consistent story: competition works,” said Tracy McCormick, executive director of RESA. “When consumers have the freedom to choose, they gain access to innovation, competitive pricing and renewable options that meet their needs. Monopoly markets cannot offer that level of consumer empowerment.”

The EIA data further confirms that customers in monopoly states may have missed out on more than $776 billion in potential savings over the past 16 years had their price trajectory followed that of competitive states. These unrealized savings include $250.7 billion for residential customers, $322.8 billion for commercial customers, and $189.4 billion for industrial customers. By contrast, consumers in 14 competitive states and jurisdictions saved an estimated $530.6 billion between 2008 and 2024, compared to the pricing trends in monopoly states.

“Energy choice is not just about economics, it’s also about progress,” said RESA’s president, Edwin Dearman. “Competitive suppliers are leading the way in delivering sustainable energy solutions, helping states meet ambitious clean energy targets. Without competition, those goals become harder—and in many cases, impossible—to achieve.”

RESA | https://www.resausa.org

SiteCapture has partnered with Palmetto LightReach to remove the friction from this process. With a new direct integration, all required photos and data captured with SiteCapture sync seamlessly to Palmetto LightReach, ensuring lender-ready documentation is complete, accurate, and ready for rapid review.

The SiteCapture and Palmetto LightReach integration enables significant efficiency gains for solar EPCs:

Seamless Photo and Data Transfer — Photos, videos, and documentation captured in the SiteCapture mobile app sync directly to Palmetto LightReach for financing milestone review.

Prebuilt Mobile Form Templates — Prebuilt forms tailored for TPO project requirements make it easy for field crews to ensure every milestone is documented completely and correctly the first time.

Faster Milestone Funding Approvals — Error-free milestone reports that are easily submitted in a click increase first-time approval rates and slash time from milestone completion to payment.

“In a landscape where TPO financing has become essential, our partnership with Palmetto LightReach simplifies and accelerates the funding process for solar installers”, said Kamal Shah, Founder & CEO of SiteCapture. “Our integrated solution empowers installers to optimize field operations, improve quality, and get paid faster so they can be well-positioned for a post-tax credit market in 2026 and beyond.”

Case Study: EMPWR Solar

EMPWR Solar, a fast-growing solar EPC headquartered in South Carolina, has already seen dramatic results. By implementing SiteCapture and the Palmetto LightReach integration, they: 

• Cut QA/QC review time by 66%
• Doubled their first time approval rate for milestone reports
• Slashed average milestone funding time from 22 days to just 9

Read EMPWR Solar’s full case study here.

“At Palmetto, our mission is to make clean energy more accessible by removing friction from the financing process,” said Paul Platt, VP, Quality Programs, Operations. “This partnership with SiteCapture helps ensure that the documentation required for TPO projects is complete, accurate, and ready for rapid approval. Together, we’re giving installers a powerful advantage in today’s evolving solar market.”

Getting Started 

To learn more about streamlining solar field operations and TPO financing with SiteCapture’s Palmetto LightReach integration, contact [email protected].

SiteCapture | https://sitecapture.com/

Palmetto LightReach | https://palmetto.com/products/lightreach

Intertek, a leading Total Quality Assurance provider to industries worldwide, is pleased to announce that Clean Energy Associates (CEA) is now Intertek CEA, providing seamless end-to-end quality assurance solutions for its global customers as part of Intertek’s integrated portfolio. 

As the global clean energy industry continues to grow rapidly, the vast range of emerging technologies, companies, factories, markets and business models brings new challenges, risks and opportunities. 

Buyers and manufacturers are facing increasing difficulty when it comes to understanding industry trends and market dynamics, managing supply chains, negotiating contracts, ensuring high quality production, testing equipment, and performing technical and acquisition due diligence – all factors which influence large investment decisions. ​At the same time, the pace of decarbonization is intensifying and the regulatory environment is becoming more complex. This means that clean energy buyers need specialized expertise to ensure the quality of the products they count on for project success.​

Intertek CEA delivers industry-leading technical and advisory services across the solar and energy storage sectors. Its experts are uniquely positioned to help customers navigate the complex and ever-changing clean energy landscape, as well as mitigate quality, safety and investment risks by addressing dynamics in supply chains, factories, diverse markets and job sites. Having supported in projects in over 85 countries, Intertek CEA is a trusted partner to some of the world’s leading clean energy developers, owners and financiers.  

Intertek CEA’s end-to-end solutions cover the entire product lifecycle of solar, energy storage, and key balance of system components, supporting risk mitigation and improved performance. ​From product testing and certification, inline production monitoring and quality assurance, project design and in-field inspection; to supply chain management and traceability, market intelligence and technical support; Intertek CEA provides the services, expertise and in-depth industry knowledge that businesses need to advance their decarbonization and energy sustainability initiatives. ​

Sunny Rai, President, Intertek Electrical, Connected World & Transportation Technology, commented: “As soon as Clean Energy Associates joined Intertek in 2022, we began to combine our complementary services and solutions and, more importantly, identify how they can better support the global solar and energy storage sectors. We've built a solid integrated team that is actively pursuing hundreds of projects, concentrating on how we can best support our global customers with the trusted expertise they’ve come to expect. It is exciting to reach this next chapter in CEA’s history.”

Learn more about Intertek CEA’s end-to-end services.

Intertek CEA | https://www.intertekcea.com/

Geronimo Power (Geronimo) hosted a ribbon-cutting event for its 125-megawatt (MW) Jackson County Solar (Jackson County) project, bringing together project partners, landowners, and community members. The event celebrated the significant efforts made to bring the project to fruition and highlighted the substantial benefits it will bring to the local community.

"I'm thrilled to be welcoming everyone who helped us bring the Jackson County Solar project to life," said David Reamer, Chief Development Officer at Geronimo. "Every successful project starts with people – from our landowners and project partners to the local community leaders. When industry and community come together, we're boosting rural economies that are at the heart of America, and delivering dependable, reliable energy that people can count on for years to come."

Event attendees participated in a guided behind-the-scenes tour of the project, providing an up-close view of the construction process. Stops on the tour included the Callahan Substation - which will connect the project to the electric grid – as well as a tour through the panel area to learn more about the technology. The event concluded with a formal ribbon-cutting with project partners and landowners to commemorate the project nearing completion.

"Consumers Energy is excited to partner with Geronimo Power to celebrate a project that will serve our customers in Jackson County and across Michigan," said Sri Maddipati, Consumers Energy's president of electric supply. "It's important that we can develop and support new sources of Michigan-made energy that will continue meeting the needs of our growing state."

"Huge credit to Geronimo for their vision and success on the Jackson County Solar project, Barnhart for their execution, and Consumers Energy for ensuring clean, reliable power to Michigan homes," said Nextracker founder and CEO Dan Shugar. "We're especially proud that critical steel components for Nextracker's solar tracker systems were built with U.S.-sourced steel from Ohio and Indiana and manufactured locally supporting American jobs and strengthening the Midwest supply chain. This project is proof that solar power is driving U.S. economic growth and building energy security for the region." 

Once operational, Jackson County is expected to contribute over $71 million in direct economic impact to the local area. This includes $28 million in new tax revenue which will be distributed to local counties, townships and school districts. Additionally, the project is expected to generate enough clean, renewable energy to provide the equivalent electrical usage of an estimated 33,600 homes each year. Using the United States Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) greenhouse gas equivalencies calculator, the project is estimated to offset carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 161,300 metric tons annually – the equivalent of removing an estimated 37,600 cars off the road for one year.

Geronimo Power | www.geronimopower.com 

Leading solar energy solutions provider All Energy Solar Inc. has achieved another honor for outstanding work. For the fourth year in a row, the company earned the distinction of being named Installer of the Year for the Midwest region by Renewable Energy Corporation (REC). Leaders for All Energy Solar received the award at the RE+ national renewable energy conference in Las Vegas in September.

With over 16 years of experience in the solar industry, All Energy Solar is one of the most well-established solar providers in the Midwest. Demonstrating a consistent history of proven customer satisfaction and operational excellence, All Energy Solar continues to build on its track record of outstanding achievements.

"We're honored to be recognized as this year's REC Installer of the Year for 2025 in the Midwest for the fourth consecutive year," said Michael Thalhimer, Director of Business Development at All Energy Solar. "Our team puts in hard work and thoughtful collaboration on every project, and has been a proud installer of REC products for many years. This acknowledgement affirms our dedication and commitment to offering high-quality products to our thousands of customers, year after year."

The RE+ conference is North America's largest clean energy event, attracting over 37,000 professionals and featuring 1,325 exhibits. The event highlights the vital role of clean energy in meeting the increasing power demands across the United States and worldwide. It also serves as a valuable platform for learning and sharing knowledge about solar energy, energy storage, wind energy, electric vehicles and their infrastructure, microgrids, and fuel cells.

"Being surrounded by like-minded, innovative professionals is truly inspiring. Our industry continues to evolve, delivering cutting-edge, efficient technology to communities while protecting our environment with clean energy solutions like solar and energy storage," said Thalhimer. "At All Energy Solar, we remain committed to our core values, even in the face of challenges, and strive to bring top-tier solutions to everyone we serve. In many ways, the products we choose to offer and install, like REC's line of solar panels, set the foundation for the kind of long-term growth and customer satisfaction we strive for every day."

All Energy Solar offers a variety of services, including residential solar, commercial solar, energy storage, electric vehicle chargers, smart electric panels, and roofing in limited locations. The company installs residentially in Illinois, Iowa, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin, and performs commercial installations nationally and internationally.

All Energy Solar | allenergysolar.com