• October 29, 2024

As the deployment of solar panels becomes increasingly common, commercial lending institutions will increasingly encounter buildings, fields, and parking lots covered by photovoltaic systems. When calculating mortgage loans for commercial real estate, lenders will be in one of the following three situations: the owner owns solar panels; Owners rent out their roofs, premises, or parking lots to third parties for the installation of solar panels; Alternatively, the owner can lease the solar panel array through a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA), but does not own the panels or system. Each situation has different impacts on lenders, and understanding this is crucial for guiding solar related financing. The owner also owns solar panels When the owner also owns solar panels, the lender should treat the solar panels as if they were any other assets or fixtures owned by the owner. The lender should submit a Uniform Commercial Code 1 (UCC-1) fixture on the solar cell array, which allows the lender to seize relevant property in the event of customer default on payment. But it should be pointed out that if the solar array is financed separately, the lenders may not be the first batch of lenders in this situation. In addition, the lender should submit UCC-9 (Framework for Transactions Involving Personal Property) and ensure that the loan documents include provisions to safeguard the interests of the owner in investment tax credits (ITC) related to solar panels. For lenders, refinancing existing solar panels may also be advantageous. This ensures priority in UCC-1 and UCC-9 applications and benefits the lender with a 30% ITC. Renting out the property to a third party If the property owner of a building rents out the roof, site, or parking lot to a third-party owner (TPO) of a solar array and only receives rental income, then this arrangement should be treated like any other lease. Lenders can capture it through standard allocation of leases and rent, ensuring regular payments. Amphetamine When building owners lease solar cell arrays from TPO, this arrangement typically involves the retention of PPA and UCC-1 fixtures for solar panels and ITC. PPA is a contract between the owners of solar energy systems, in which the construction of solar cell arrays does not require any upfront fees from the owners. TPO typically submits UCC-1 to protect its interests in solar properties in the event of borrower default. Many long-term solar leases are sold on installment payments, and owners acquire ownership of the array over time. Lenders can determine whether the lease is closer to sale by checking if the landlord can purchase the array at a symbolic cost at the end of the lease term and seeing who benefits from ITC. If the structure of the lease is similar to installment sales, the lender should carefully submit UCC-1 and UCC-9 to ensure their interests in the group and ITC, even if they may not occupy the primary position of financing.

• October 28, 2024

On Thursday, a 5-megawatt solar array was completed in Middlebury, Vermont, providing power to a nearby university. With the help of Encore Renewable Energy and Greenbacker Renewable Energy, 40% of Midbury College's electricity is provided by solar energy. This solar cell array is one of the largest solar cell arrays in the state, with 15348 solar panels installed on a single axis tracker. Lauri L. Patton, Dean of Middlebury College, said, "This is a true collaborative effort to fully electrify the solar array and provide renewable clean energy to the college." He pointed out that Middlebury College students have helped the project achieve results through collaboration. Support climate justice. Middlebury College will retain the renewable energy credits generated by the array, bringing it closer to achieving the climate goal of using 100% renewable electricity by 2028. Middlebury College, Encore, and utility Green Mountain Power (GMP) have arranged for the college to purchase renewable energy credits. The remaining 60% of Middlebury College's electricity comes from its biomass power plants, other local solar sites, and GMP grid, which is 100% carbon free and 68% renewable. Encore founder and co CEO Chad Farrell stated that this project is the first of its kind in Vermont, "bringing a customer-oriented, low-cost clean energy new model that will not have a negative economic impact on other taxpayers The solar cell array is located approximately two miles from the Middlebury campus, developed and built by Encore, and now owned and operated by Greenbacker, an independent power producer and investment management company focused on energy transition. This solar power plant is one of the first in Vermont to truly track the sun from east to west, allowing us to generate 15% to 20% more electricity, which provides lower electricity costs for Middlebury, "said Matt Murphy, the company's Chief Operating Officer. Green backed customer. As part of the project, South Street Storage - a battery system built next to a solar array - will store excess energy that could otherwise be lost during low electricity demand and peak sunlight at noon.

• October 25, 2024

Melink Solar has completed the construction of a solar array at the Cincinnati Zoo and Botanical Garden in Ohio. The 2.8 MW solar powered parking shed project utilizes the Terrasmart shelving system, with assistance from Gibraltar Industries for mechanical installation. Seth Parker, CEO of Melink Solar, said, "Executing this project for Cincinnati Zoo is highly aligned with our mission to create sustainable development for our customers. We are honored to support the zoo's commitment to environmental management and proud to collaborate with all of our partners on this project The system integrates nearly 5000 double-sided components connected through string inverter technology. The new garage will provide shade for approximately 800 cars. According to zoo officials, the zoo currently has 4.55 megawatts of on-site solar energy, and by 2030-2032, the collective investment portfolio will reduce the facility's annual electricity bill from $1.6 million in 2005 to around $300000. Mark Fisher, Vice President of Facilities, Planning, and Sustainability at Cincinnati Zoo and Sustainable Development Department, said, "Since we installed the first solar array in the zoo's educational building in 2006, solar technology and our understanding of how to use it have made tremendous progress. This new array is a great example. It takes up less physical space, but generates almost twice as much electricity as the current array. Now, two-thirds of the zoo's electricity demand will come from our parking lot To help alleviate energy poverty in nearby areas, the zoo also funds an additional 165 kW of solar panels through its Community Solar Resilience Program to support small facilities in local churches, community centers, and schools. Completing this milestone project for the Cincinnati Zoo is a significant achievement for everyone at Terrasmart, "said Yuri Reznikov, Chief Sales Officer of Terrasmart." Not only did we deliver the canopy solution on time and within budget, but we are also excited about the meaningful impact this project will have on the zoo and its neighboring communities

• October 24, 2024

Buckhorn Children and Family Services Center Rogers Lodge Rehabilitation Center is a 12 bedroom inpatient rehabilitation facility for adult women in Perry County, Kentucky, taking a significant step towards environmental sustainability by doubling the size of its solar panels. After adding a new 26.9 kW array, the total power of the system is now 47.4 kW. This expansion is achieved through a collaboration between Everyone Solar, HOMES, and the Mountain Association, which will generate an additional 36724 kilowatt hours of clean electricity annually, resulting in a significant impact on the environment. The initial project was led by Everyone Solar a few years ago and was initially allowed to use larger sizes. With Buckhorn receiving initial funding, Everyone Solar has provided crucial support in narrowing the financial gap, making this expansion a reality. The funds saved from expanding solar installations will be strategically reinvested in the basic services and projects of Rogers Lodge. These saved costs will support various impactful outcomes, including maintaining daily operations and providing key resources for participants in recovery plans, such as transportation for outdoor activities, interview preparation, life skills training, professional development, and mental health support. Billy Smith, CEO of Buckhorn Children&Family Services, which operates Rogers Cottage, said, "Our partnership with Everyday Solar is fully aligned with our mission of providing healing and hope shelters." "Doubling solar power capacity not only reduces our environmental footprint, but also allows us to reinvest the saved funds into improving the lives of the people we serve

• October 23, 2024

On October 8th, Trina Solar filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Atos Solar Power in the Delaware District Court, accusing Atos Solar Power of infringing on two patents related to TOPCon technology used in Trina Solar's solar panel manufacturing. The above two patents (No. 9722104 and No. 10230009) are the same as the patents that Trina Solar accuses Runergy of infringing. Canadian Solar Power has now responded to patent infringement complaints and pledged to continue providing solar products to the United States and the world. Canadian Solar respects and values its own and third-party intellectual property rights. We believe this is a boring lawsuit, and we hope the court will rule that our proprietary TOPCon technology does not infringe on the patents claimed by Trina Solar, "said Adam Walters, General Counsel for the Americas for Canadian Solar's Power Components and System Solutions business. Earlier this month, Trina Solar escalated its lawsuit against Runergy, demanding that the US International Trade Commission complete an investigation under Section 337 of the 1930 Tariff Act, which would instruct US Customs to prevent infringing imported products from entering the United States. Tianhe Solar also listed Adani Green Energy as the infringing party. 337 Investigation Request. Runergy responded by requesting the US Patent and Trademark Office to "cancel" these two patents, stating that they are "not patentable". Runergy stated that these two patents are not the result of Trina Solar's own efforts, but were purchased by Trina Solar in 2024. The Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Systems published detailed information on TOPCon solar cells in 2013, and the two patents obtained by Trina Solar were submitted within a year. Runergy stated that the technology could not be patented after Fraunhofer published the paper. Suspected infringement of TOPCon patents has been a hot topic in the solar energy market this year. After Solaria sold its intellectual property portfolio last year, Maxeon acquired a batch of TOPCon patents from Solaria. Afterwards, Maxeon filed patent infringement complaints related to TOPCon technology against Atos Sunshine Power, REC, and Hanwha Qcells. Although First Solar is a thin-film panel manufacturer, it also holds patents related to TOPCon technology. The company stated that it will begin investigating possible infringement this summer and file any necessary complaints.

• October 22, 2024

Solis USA recently announced with its new battery partner Pytes that the S6 hybrid energy storage inverter has passed UL9540 certification. UL 9540 is a safety standard for energy storage systems (ESS) and equipment that can be connected to local utility grids or used as standalone applications. UL 9540 also specifies the dimensions and installation requirements for ESS design and construction. It defines electrical, mechanical, fluid sealing, environmental performance testing, and system safety testing. Solis' technology and quality enable us to meet the standards and requirements of battery suppliers. This will continue to develop an open ecosystem for customers, allowing them to freely choose their ideal flexible solutions while utilizing high-quality hybrid inverters to build their ideal solutions, "said James Qiao, General Manager of Solis USA. The Pytes HV series is a distributed energy storage system that integrates battery packs, high-voltage control boxes, and battery management systems. It can be widely used in charging stations, homes, buildings, factories and other scenarios to achieve peak shaving, emergency backup power, photovoltaic energy storage and other functions. Solis has also passed UL9540 certification, and its battery models include HomeGrid, LG, Soluna, Pylontech, Fortress Power, BYD, and Goldenmate. News report from Solis

• October 21, 2024

Aspen Power held a ceremony this week to celebrate the completion of two community solar power plants in Collins and Prospect, Maine, which together provide 8.5 megawatts of renewable energy capacity. These projects are not just milestones in the construction of Aspen Power Company - they are tangible steps towards a cleaner and more sustainable future for Maine, "said Jorge Vargas, CEO of Aspen Power Company. We are proud to work with our dedicated partners to make these projects possible, and we appreciate the cooperation of local landowners to help create new sources of income while contributing to the state's renewable energy goals. This is an exciting moment for Aspen, Maine, and our progress towards a cleaner and more sustainable world The Corinth and Prospect solar power plants are part of Maine's net energy billing program, which enables subscribers to benefit from clean energy while contributing to the state's ambitious goal of 80% of electricity coming from renewable sources by 2030. The subscribers of these community solar projects will enjoy lower electricity savings than those offered by local utility companies, helping to make renewable energy not only cleaner but also cheaper for Maine residents. The Maine Prospect Town Planning Committee specifically supports this project, working closely with Aspen Power to ensure that wildlife from bears to ducks can still enjoy the area located on the picturesque Maine pond. Similarly, in the Collins project, pollinator friendly vegetation was planted to encourage the return of local wildlife such as bees and butterflies, while also improving the surrounding ecosystem and promoting sustainable land use. News report from Aspen Electric

• October 18, 2024

New Energy Equity has completed 14 public energy storage solar projects in Minnesota. Public Storage has committed to installing solar energy in over 1300 of its properties by 2025. We are pleased to collaborate with public storage companies on these important projects, "said Nick Kerwin, Senior Vice President of Commercial and Industrial Division of New Energy Equity. Our team works hard to ensure that every installation is completed within the expected time while keeping customers informed of the high-quality results our team delivers. These solar projects not only help establish a cleaner grid, but also provide long-term economic benefits for public storage The total installed capacity of these 14 projects is 2.28 megawatts, including a 350 kilowatt solar cell array that has been put into commercial operation at the Como Saint Paul facility for public storage. The Como S ã o Paulo solar array is the second largest rooftop solar array in the national solar energy portfolio for public storage. Gareth Thomas, Vice President of Asset Management at Public Storage, said, "We are pleased to see the results of these solar projects." "As we continue to seek opportunities to expand our solar power generation cluster, New Energy Equity proves that we can deploy solar energy in enough locations in Minnesota to make a meaningful contribution to achieving our solar installation goals

• October 17, 2024

Today, the Eastern Cotton Tail Solar Energy Project announced the implementation of sheep grazing to assist in vegetation management at the project site, thereby helping to maintain the agricultural use of the land. The commitment to implementing herd grazing has been added as a supplement to the permit application submitted by Eastern Cottontail Solar to the Ohio Power Site Selection Commission. The project will seek to collaborate with local shepherds to provide and manage sheep herds. Our commitment to shepherding sheep is a major initiative for Eastern Cottontail Solar, as its goal is to become the first American project by developer EDF Renewables to implement agricultural photovoltaics, where land is used for dual purposes of clean energy generation and agricultural operations, "said Nick Lucania, chief developer of the Eastern Cottontail solar project. The dual use of solar powered agricultural land will support local agriculture and help protect the agricultural heritage of Fairfield County, while increasing the land use of our project Lucania continued, "Over the past four years, one characteristic of our project has been substantial engagement with local communities to listen to concerns and incorporate feedback, thereby building trust and establishing strong partnerships." "The most common concern we hear is that although solar energy utilizes private land, it may replace active farmland. In response, we recommend incorporating grazing sheep into the community, providing a solution to help land improve energy production and agricultural productivity. This is a win-win situation for everyone in Fairfield County and meaningful for the entire community Eastern Cottontail Solar, developed by EDF Renewables, is a proposed utility scale solar facility with a capacity of up to 220 MW that will generate approximately enough electricity to power 42000 ordinary households in the United States.