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Plug-in Solar Bill Clears New York Legislature
The New York State Legislature has passed the SUNNY (Solar Up Now New York) bill, sending it to Governor Kathy Hochul for final approval. The bill A.9111C/S.8512C would legalize plug-in (balcony) solar panels, allowing households to generate small-scale solar power by connecting approved systems directly to standard outlets.
Introduced by Assembly member Emily Gallagher and Senator Liz Krueger in September 2025, the act aims to reduce electricity bills and expand access to renewable energy, especially for renters and homes unable to install rooftop solar. The legislation also removes certain interconnection and net metering requirements for these systems. If signed into law, New York would join several US states that have recently adopted similar rules for plug-in solar devices, including Utah, Connecticut, Maryland, Maine, Virginia, Colorado, and New Hampshire.
The bills have been signed into law in the 5 US states of Utah, Maine, Maryland, Colorado, and Virginia so far (see Plug-In Solar Legalized In 5 US States).
New York has finalized its FY2027 state budget, allocating $200 million to expand rooftop and community solar through the NY-Sun program. According to the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), the funding is expected to support around 1 GW of additional distributed solar capacity, attract an estimated $1.5 billion in private investment, and create thousands of jobs. The budget directs the New York State Public Service Commission to modernize and streamline grid connections for solar and energy storage.
The budget also directs utilities to modernize interconnection processes, including developing flexible interconnection programs aimed at reducing costs, accelerating project deployment, and increasing grid capacity for renewable energy. The state administration encourages focus on distributed energy resources in proactive planning proceedings.
Sabanci Renewables, the US-based renewables platform of Türkiye’s Sabanci Group, has secured $533 million in financing for 2 solar projects in Texas, including $382 million in project financing and $151 million in tax equity funding. The Pepper Solar Power Plant (156 MW DC) in McLennan County and the Lucky 7 Solar Power Plant (130 MW DC) in Hopkins County have a combined capacity of 286 MW DC and are expected to begin commercial operations by H2 2027.
The financing package was supported by a group of international banks, while Advantage Capital provided the tax equity investment. Once completed, the projects will increase Sabanci Renewables’ Texas solar portfolio to 790 MW DC, helping it advance towards the goal of achieving 3 GW DC of capacity in the US, said the company.
US-based utility-scale solar and storage projects developer Vesper Energy has secured $236 million in financing for its 201 MW Nazareth Solar Project in Swisher County, Texas. The funding package includes a construction-to-term loan and a letter of credit facility, with MUFG leading the banking group.
The project is expected to generate enough electricity to power around 53,000 homes annually and support grid reliability within the ERCOT market. Construction is scheduled to begin in June 2026 on over 2,400 acres of private land, with commercial operations targeted for fall 2027. The company expects a majority of the project’s equity funding to be led by funds managed by GCM Grosvenor, with participation from the Development Bank of Japan. Vesper said the project will complement and build on the success of the adjacent 600 MW Hornet Solar Project (see North America Solar PV News Snippets).
North America-focused solar and storage projects developer and operator PowerBank Corporation has announced plans to expand its business into AI compute infrastructure and modular data center development. It aims to capitalize on the growing demand for power from artificial intelligence (AI), cloud computing, and high-performance computing applications.
The company said it will explore opportunities in modular data centers, AI compute infrastructure, behind-the-meter (BTM) power generation, battery-supported operations, and co-location projects alongside its solar and battery energy storage assets. It believes its experience in renewable energy development and grid-connected infrastructure, and an over 1 GW development pipeline across Canada and the US, positions it to support the rising energy needs of the digital economy.
As part of the strategy, the company is advancing a previously announced Letter of Intent with Nodiac Corp. to evaluate modular data center deployments at selected PowerBank energy sites across North America. PowerBank also announced that its stock ticker will change from ‘SUUN’ to ‘PBK’ on Nasdaq and Cboe Canada, effective June 3, 2026.
HDM Renewable Finance has rebranded as Maxwell Power, unveiling a new consumer-focused identity as it expands its solar and battery storage business. The company said the new brand reflects its evolution beyond financing into a full-service energy provider, having supported more than 20,000 homes with solar and storage systems over the past 8 years.
Alongside the rebranding, Maxwell announced the closing of a $750 million investment commitment from Fairtide Partners to finance battery storage and solar power projects. This brings Fairtide’s total commitment to more than $1 billion for Maxwell-developed projects. The company said the funding will support its expansion into US markets with high and rising electricity costs while strengthening its partnerships with solar sales and installation companies.
EDF power solutions North America has signed a 30-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with the Southern California Public Power Authority (SCPPA) for the output of its Utah Solar 1 project. The 400 MW DC/300 MW AC solar facility, located in Millard County, Utah, will supply electricity to the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) and is expected to begin operations in mid-2027.
The project is expected to generate around 766,000 MWh of clean electricity annually, enough to power approximately 126,800 California homes. During peak construction, about 400 workers will be employed. Utah Solar 1 is also projected to contribute more than $40 million in local tax revenue and $27 million in lease revenue to Utah Trust Lands Administration over the term of the agreement.
Matrix Renewables and SOLV Energy have begun construction on the 457 MW DC Tormes Solar Project in Navarro County, Texas. The solar PV facility is located near Barry and Corsicana. It represents more than $750 million in renewable energy investment, according to the duo.
The project is expected to support around 450 jobs during construction and, once operational, will supply clean electricity to the Texas grid while generating long-term tax revenue and income for local landowners. Tormes Solar expands Matrix Renewables' US portfolio and continues its collaboration with SOLV Energy, which is serving as the EPC contractor.
