3 GW solar module fab: Hounen Solar Americas has revealed plans for a new 3 GW solar PV module manufacturing facility in South Carolina, US. The company has picked Summerville as the site for the factory on 1,019,200 sq. ft. of space. The fab is scheduled to begin operations in 2026. It currently operates a 1 GW module assembly fab in Orangeburg, also in South Carolina.
Financial close for solar facility: Renewable energy developer and independent power producer (IPP), Cypress Creek Renewables, has achieved financial close on the 505 MW DC/396 MW AC Hanson Solar Facility. This includes debt facilities from MUFG and SMBC, while the preferred equity commitment came from funds managed by a premier, but undisclosed, global credit asset manager. The project, located in Coleman County, Texas, will connect to the ERCOT grid on completion, under a PPA with Meta. Construction is already underway by EPC company TIC-The Industrial Company. Commercial operation is expected in mid-2027.
900 MW changes hands: Clean energy company rPlus Energies has acquired 2 solar and storage projects for a combined capacity of 900 MW in Ada County, Idaho. It acquired the 400 MW Blacks Creek Energy Center solar and 200 MW storage project from Qcells. The Bluebird Solar Project, with 200 MW of solar and 100 MW of storage, was sold to the company by Mission Clean Energy. Both these projects are slated to come online in 2027 and 2028, respectively.
Avantus signs PPAs: KKR-backed utility-scale solar and storage company Avantus has secured 15-year power purchase agreements (PPAs) with Southern California Edison (SCE) for its Aratina 2 project in Kern County, California. It says the project will provide 184 MW DC/150 MW AC solar generation and 452 MWh of battery storage capacity to the grid. It will begin supplying electricity to SCE in 2026, upon entering operations.
Google’s solar PPA in Ohio: Google has entered a 15-year PPA with France’s TotalEnergies to procure 1.5 TWh of certified renewable electricity from the latter’s Montpelier Solar Farm in Ohio. On completion, the 49 MW solar facility will be grid-connected to the PJM system and support Google’s data center operations in Ohio. The project is nearing completion, according to TotalEnergies.
Nelnet now part of MARS: US-based commercial and utility-scale solar PV EPC company MARS Energy Group has acquired commercial and community solar EPC firm Nelnet Renewable Energy (NRE). As part of MARS, Nelnet says it is expanding services, reach, and support for its customers. Nelnet will continue to support its legacy offerings for existing customers.
