The Solar Product Registry Set to Boost Solar Deployment

Rural economic development comes in many forms, however, in Iowa wind energy is a dominant presence and Adair County is a great example of that. Adair County contributes to Iowa’s status as the second highest producing state of wind energy, hosting more than 500 turbines, or 8% of all turbines in the state. 

The Center for Rural Affairs’ new report, “Wind Impact Case Study: Adair County,” examines the economic impact of this development, detailing how tax revenue has been used by the county to support public services, such as schools and infrastructure projects. The report includes perspectives from local public officials, landowners, and a local co-op. 

“With an increasing demand for energy generation, wind energy will continue to provide new rural development opportunities,” said Alex Delworth, senior policy associate with the Center for Rural Affairs. “While not new to Iowa, wind energy can be new to many counties, and they may look to counties like Adair to better understand the public financial impact.” 

In 2024, wind projects provided more than $5.5 million in tax revenue to Adair County, or 25% of total revenues. Since 2015, through a special financing method, the county has been able to distribute more than $26 million worth of funds for roads and bridges, with additional funds being sent to normal taxing bodies.

“A former supervisor related it to having 500, $1 million homes with far fewer needs,” said Delworth. “Once operational, turbines provide consistent tax revenue for local services without requiring much from them in return.”

Local farmers can also benefit from consistent revenues through land-lease payments; however, many took a step further through the creation of a local wind energy co-op, which has over 200 predominantly farmer investors and has developed 13 turbines throughout the county. 

“Adair County is a great example of what wind development can look like in Iowa at its highest level,” said Delworth.

Center for Rural Affairs | cfra.org/publications

Xcel Energy has announced new generation resource additions as part of an overall portfolio to meet the rapidly rising energy needs of its Texas and New Mexico service area. The portfolio includes extensions of 521 megawatts of existing generation as well as the addition of 17 new power projects that will add 5,168 megawatts of new nameplate capacity to the region’s generation fleet by 2030. Technologies selected include 3,200 megawatts of dispatchable generation and energy storage and 1,968 megawatts of wind and solar facilities, establishing the foundation for long-term system reliability, economic development and a resilient energy supply.

“This portfolio is about more than just adding power. We are working to increase speed to market with a stronger, modern and more resilient energy system that our customers can count on,” said Adrian Rodriguez, president, Xcel Energy – Texas, New Mexico. “We’re investing in the right mix of resources to benefit customers by keeping electricity reliable and supporting economic growth so we can meet our region’s energy needs today and in the future.”

The region’s electricity demand is expected to grow by more than 40% by 2030, driven by population growth, industrial expansion and increased electrification. New planning reserve margin requirements from the Southwest Power Pool further raise the bar, with utilities now required to have more capacity to meet increasing seasonal demand.

In 2024, Xcel Energy invited developers to submit proposals for new power projects using any type of technology. This open and competitive process resulted in a diverse mix of energy solutions, including wind, solar, battery storage and gas power sources. The projects will be developed through a variety of ownership structures. Some will be built and owned by Xcel Energy, others built by developers and then sold to the company, and some operated under long-term agreements to purchase the power they produce. The portfolio also includes extending the lives of existing natural gas units at Nichols, Maddox, and Plant X, which supports reliability and lowers overall costs of the portfolio.

The portfolio supports Xcel Energy’s broader five-year investment plan for Texas and New Mexico, announced in October 2024, which will modernize and expand the region’s energy infrastructure. Many of the proposed projects will be built at existing power plant sites, reducing development timelines and leveraging existing infrastructure to interconnect new generation to the grid. This approach reinvests in host communities, saves customers money and helps shorten development timelines, allowing new power plants to come online more quickly.

The projects are also expected to deliver significant economic benefits across both states. In New Mexico, a third-party analysis projects up to $5 billion in economic impact over five years, driven by oil and gas industry expansion and increased electrification. In Texas, the projects will help meet growing demand in the Panhandle and other high-growth areas, while supporting job creation, tax revenue and infrastructure investment in rural and urban communities alike.

To help meet New Mexico’s 50% renewable energy requirement by 2030, two solar projects are also included as additions to the portfolio and will be dedicated to New Mexico customers.

Xcel Energy will seek approval of the portfolio from state regulators in the second half of 2025. Encouraged by developer response to this recent solicitation and to increase speed to market for new customers and those seeking to expand their regional operations, the company plans to issue another all-source request for proposals to secure additional resources to be operational by 2032.

Xcel Energy | xcelenergy.com 

SolarKal, the leading solar advisory partner for commercial real estate clients, has achieved exceptional success in two of the country’s most competitive community solar markets, securing acceptance for nearly 18 MW of projects in New Jersey and Illinois - enough renewable capacity to power approximately 4,000 homes each year.

Acceptance of the dozen commercial solar projects which range in size from 500 kW to 3.5 MW adds a total of 9 MW of renewable solar energy to benefit New Jersey citizens who cannot otherwise access solar savings, and 8.5 MW to the Illinois program. Community solar subscribers will receive a discount on their utility bill for the duration of their subscriptions, while participating property owners receive steady, dependable roof lease revenue.

In the latest round of New Jersey’s Permanent Community Solar Energy Program, developers submitted over 650 MW of projects competing for just 241 MW in available capacity—a highly competitive process with an industry-wide success rate of only 37%. SolarKal’s clients achieved a 90% acceptance rate, demonstrating our expertise in navigating program requirements and securing critical early approvals, including interconnection.

SolarKal began the application process early in Illinois as well, and achieved acceptance for all of its community solar projects (8.5 MW total), including sites for a publicly traded REIT and other industrial and logistics facilities across the state.

“Our approach is all about early preparation—choosing the right vendors and securing the interconnection approvals required for program acceptance. These exceptional success rates show our strategy truly works, even in highly competitive markets,” Yaniv Kalish, CEO of SolarKal said.  

With New Jersey planning its next community solar round this fall and Illinois preparing for its next annual procurement cycle, early preparation is more important than ever.  SolarKal’s proactive approach—from vendor selection to interconnection readiness—positions clients to secure approvals and dependable roof lease revenue in these highly competitive programs.

Our advice is to start early and seek expert guidance,” Mr. Kalish said. “These programs are highly competitive and require advance planning, analysis, and careful preparation.” 

SolarKal | https://www.solarkal.com/

Building on the momentum of its successful strategic partnership and production scale up with Dürr Systems AG, LiCAP Technologies, a leader in advanced battery materials and dry electrode technology, is proud to announce the successful development, installation and Site Acceptance Test (SAT) of its 300MWh roll-to-roll cathode production line (LRPL).

This achievement marks a critical milestone in the transition from breakthrough innovation to large-scale manufacturing, a stage that often poses a bottleneck in battery technology commercialization. The LRPL project, supported by funding from the California Energy Commission (CEC), represents a major advancement in strengthening U.S.-based clean energy manufacturing capabilities.

On July 10, 2025, LiCAP successfully produced its first roll of free-standing cathode film, measuring over 500 meters in length, on the LRPL using its proprietary Activated Dry Electrode® technology. This toxic solvent free process is engineered to deliver higher energy density, significantly lower manufacturing costs, and a dramatically reduced environmental footprint compared to conventional electrode manufacturing methods.

"This milestone represents not just technical progress, but a clear demonstration of how public-private collaboration can accelerate the commercialization of breakthrough clean energy technologies," said Dr. Linda Zhong, Founder and CEO of LiCAP Technologies. "We are deeply grateful for the CEC's support and shared commitment to building a resilient, U.S.-based battery supply chain."

Developed under a CEC-funded initiative to drive innovation in energy storage, the LRPL showcases the scalability and versatility of LiCAP's dry electrode process, which is applicable to lithium-ion, solid-state, and sodium-ion battery production. By eliminating toxic solvents and costly drying processes, LiCAP's technology directly supports California's sustainability and emissions-reduction goals.

"The CEC is proud to support pioneering projects like LiCAP's LRPL that contribute to California's clean energy goals while advancing sustainable manufacturing practices," said Cammy Peterson, Deputy Director of Energy Systems, Innovation, and Strategy from the CEC's Energy Research and Development Division. "Milestones like this underscore the importance of investing in homegrown technologies that strengthen our economy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions."

LiCAP expects to begin delivering customer samples from the LRPL starting in August 2025, as it ramps up production to meet rapidly growing demand for next-generation battery materials.

LiCAP Technologies | https://www.licaptech.com/

California Energy Commission | https://www.energy.ca.gov/

Enphase Energy, Inc. (NASDAQ: ENPH), a global energy technology company and the world's leading supplier of microinverter-based solar and battery systems, announced initial shipments of the IQ Battery 5P supplied from manufacturing facilities in the United States with higher domestic content than previous models. The higher domestic content batteries comply with the new requirement in the U.S. federal budget law, signed on July 4, 2025, which retroactively enforces a 45% U.S.-sourced materials threshold for solar and battery products starting June 16, 2025.

To remain eligible for key federal tax incentives, products must meet this threshold, which will increase to 50% in 2026 and 55% in 2027, where it will remain in effect at that level thereafter. The new IQ Battery 5P units with “DOM” SKUs (IQBATTERY-5P-1P-NA-DOM) are being built now to meet these higher standards — not just for today’s 45% requirement, but also for all expected future thresholds — thanks to the substantial use of U.S.-sourced materials. These batteries are helping support American jobs and manufacturing, and a more resilient domestic supply chain.

“Our customers consistently want Enphase for the seamless integration between their solar and storage systems,” said Joel McClure CEO of NexGen Solar, an installer of Enphase products in California. “The IQ Battery 5P's modular design allows us to right-size each installation, and the increased domestic content helps customers comply with evolving federal requirements.”

“Enphase continues to lead with reliable, high-performance energy storage solutions,” said Orlando Diaz, CEO of Planet Solar, an installer of Enphase products in Puerto Rico. “With the IQ Battery 5P now meeting the new federal domestic content requirements, our customers can benefit from lower costs on our offering with a product that’s built for resilience and long-term value.”

The IQ Battery 5P is a modular design with a 5 kWh capacity and can be paired with Enphase IQ8™ Microinverters to provide homeowners with reliable electricity to use whenever they need it. Homeowners can also use the Enphase® App to monitor performance and intelligently manage their battery systems, including the self-consumption feature to reduce the use of electricity from the grid.

“We’re pleased to begin U.S. shipments of the IQ Battery 5P with increased domestic content,” said Ken Fong, senior vice president and general manager of the Americas and APAC at Enphase Energy. “The IQ Battery 5P delivers top-tier performance, and now, with domestic content that meets the latest federal requirements, our installer partners are better positioned to enjoy the value of federal tax incentives, grow their businesses, and bring energy storage to more homes across the country.”

Enphase Energy | https://enphase.com/

rPlus Energies announced the appointment of Jason Espersen as the company’s General Counsel. Espersen brings several years of commercial and legal expertise in energy projects and infrastructure transactions, both domestically and internationally, with specialties in utility scale power plant development, construction, M&A, as well as with associated renewables supply chain, tariffs and trade compliance.

“rPlus Energies’ demonstrated track-record and continued growth in the Intermountain West as well as the company’s transition from developer and construction manager to independent power producer provides an exciting opportunity,” said Jason Espersen. “I am thrilled to join their team of execution-oriented, community-minded experts.”

Espersen’s career includes high-level legal and commercial roles in different segments of the renewable energy industry. Prior to joining rPlus Energies, Espersen spent 10 years at SunPower Corporation and Maxeon Solar Technologies, the NASDAQ-listed spin-off from SunPower Corporation. Espersen began his legal career in energy at Vinson & Elkins LLP in Houston, TX.

“I’m pleased to welcome Jason to rPlus Energies,” said Luigi Resta, President and CEO. “While he has big shoes to fill, Jason’s depth of experience and expertise in utility scale transactions and policy will be a valuable asset as we continue to grow. In addition to his legal expertise, Jason’s commitment to pro bono work supporting underserved communities aligns closely with the values we uphold at the company.”

Espersen will transition into the role over the coming months as current General Counsel John Spilman begins his planned succession toward retirement. Through this transition period and beyond, Mr. Spilman will assume the role of General Counsel Emeritus for rPlus Energies.

After a significant platform investment of up to $460 million from Sandbrook Capital last year, rPlus Energies secured over $1 billion in construction debt financing and over $500 million in tax equity financing for its Utah-based 800-megawatt (MW) Green River Energy Center. The company boasts a diversified portfolio of more than 15 gigawatts (GW) under development, including over 1 GW currently under construction and more than 600 megawatts of operating assets.

rPlus Energies | https://www.rplusenergies.com/

A new report from Guidehouse Research evaluates the market for Megawatt Charging Systems (MCS) globally.

Efforts to electrify medium- and heavy-duty vehicles (MHDVs) have focused on those with predictable routes and enough downtime to return to a depot for charging. However, long-haul trucks, multi-shift vehicles, and those without access to private charging are harder to electrify. Solving this challenge requires new charging solutions. The MCS—a new standard in development—will provide up to 3.75 megawatts (MW) of continuous power, enabling ultra-fast charging for these vehicles. According to a new report from Guidehouse Research, as standardization occurs and the number of BE-MHDVs on the road grows, MCS sales and revenue are expected to increase. By 2033, the revenue from MCS is expected to reach $18.9 billion globally.

“For long-haul trucking, vehicles that are used for multiple shifts in a day, and vehicles without access to depot or private charging to have a successful transition to becoming battery electric (BE)-MHDVs, they must have both fast charging and an adequate public charging network,” says Jason Pandich, research analyst with Guidehouse Research. “BE-MHDVs and MCS have a symbiotic relationship, so increasing one enables the other to grow.”

Driving BE-MHDVs are government policies to reduce emissions from the transportation sector, government incentives, and the lower total cost of ownership (TCO) of a BE-MHDV compared to an internal combustion engine vehicle. Increasing the number of BE-MHDVs will encourage more deployments of MCS to serve the growing population, according to the report.

The report, Megawatt Charging System, provides an overview of the market for MCS by examining the technology, its recent standardization process, and the use cases it is best suited for. It also analyzes the drivers and barriers having an impact on the technology’s growth. An executive summary of the report is available for free download on the Guidehouse Research website.

Guidehouse Research | guidehouseresearch.com