This week on Projects Weekly, Canada’s most populous province has a battery storage project for the first time ever, courtesy of PowerBank. In Arkansas, EDP Renewables and Mark Zuckerberg-led tech giant Meta have signed a power purchase agreement. On the east coast, Aspen Power has acquired a rooftop solar portfolio in New Jersey, and out west, ESS Tech is installing batteries for a solar-over-canal project in California’s Central Valley. Nearby that, MN8 is expanding its EV charging footprint in San Jose, and Longroad Energy’s latest solar and storage project in Arizona is officially online. Finally, Solar Landscape has secured a $600 million debt warehouse facility for to accelerate energy deployment across four different states. As always, keep reading for all the details!

EDP Renewables signs power purchase agreement with Meta for Arkansas project

EDP Renewables North America and tech giant Meta have signed a long-term power purchase agreement (PPA) for Cypress Knee Solar, a new solar project coming to Arkansas.

Set to come online in 2028, the 250 MW project represents Meta’s third PPA with EDPR’s North American division. The total procured energy between the two companies now reaching 545 MW, with Cypress Knee set to deliver nearly half of that as it matches Meta’s energy usage with renewable power.

“Cypress Knee Solar and our broader portfolio of projects with Meta are helping power a reliable, modern U.S. electric grid—the backbone of American innovation and long-term economic growth,” says Sandhya Ganapathy, CEO of EDPR NA. “These investments strengthen local communities, create durable economic value, and ensure that progress is built on a resilient, sustainable foundation.”

Bright spot: In addition to strengthening the Land of Opportunity’s state grid, the new project will generate an expected $25 million in new revenue for Chicot County, representatives say. Additionally, the project will help fund the county’s services and infrastructure improvements.

“Through our partnership with EDPR, Cypress Knee Solar will bring new generation to the Arkansas grid, creating local jobs and delivering economic benefits to the community,” says Amanda Yang, head of clean and renewable energy at Meta.

Aspen Power acquires New Jersey rooftop solar portfolio

Distributed power generation firm Aspen Power has acquired two rooftop solar projects in New Jersey, totaling 6.44 MWdc, from previous owner The Avidan Group.

The deal comes as part of a growth strategy for Aspen Power, which continues to focus on purchasing “legacy solar assets” like these rooftop projects. The company aims to bring experienced ownership and asset management to existing solar projects, helping to ensure continued performance in older projects.

“At Aspen Power, we help real estate owners transition out of solar ownership while ensuring their systems continue to perform,” says Jeff Martin, VP of acquisitions and structuring for Aspen Power. “We specialize in stepping in as long-term owners so our partners can stay focused on their core business while unlocking additional value.”

Bright spot: Built entirely with American-made materials, the projects currently provide the majority of electrical generation needs for the buildings they sit on top of. Located in PSE&G utility territory, the projects produce more than 7 million kWh annually, about enough to power 1,000 homes, or charge 400 million smartphones every year.

“We’re proud of the role these systems have played in helping reduce energy costs and improve building performance over the past decade plus,” says Josh Avidan, managing member at The Avidan Group. “Aspen Power brings the scale, operational depth, and long-term investment horizon needed to steward these projects into their next phase while we continue to focus on growing and managing our real estate portfolio.”

PowerBank energizes first BESS project in Ontario (PHOTO)

Canadian energy company PowerBank Corp. has energized its 4.99 MW battery energy storage system (BESS) project in Cramahe, Ontario.

Dubbed “BESS SFF 06,” the project is about 90 miles due east of the Toronto metropolitan area. Now, it joins more than 100 MW worth of completed projects in the PowerBank portfolio, as well as a 1 GW pipeline currently in the works. Dr. Richard Lu, PowerBank’s CEO, called the project a “meaningful milestone” for the firm.

“Battery energy storage is a critical pillar of a resilient, renewable grid — and this project proves that the technology, the contracts, and the partnerships are in place to deliver,” Lu says. “We look forward to bringing more of our pipeline online as we continue building the clean energy infrastructure North America needs.”

Bright spot: The project is attached to an existing ground-mounted solar project on the same site, PowerBank officials say. Originally awarded a contract in 2015, the project has also secured a 22-year long revenue contract with the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO) under the Feed In Tariff program.

“BESS SFF 06 represents the engineering and operational excellence our team brings to every project,” says Andrew van Doorn, P. Eng, president and COO of PowerBank. “With over 30 years of experience delivering renewable energy infrastructure, I know firsthand that moments like this — a fully commissioned BESS project helping power the Ontario grid — are the result of years of disciplined execution.”

ESS announces battery systems for solar canal project

ESS Tech Inc. has announced the commissioning of two battery storage systems at the Turlock Irrigation District (TID) solar-over-canal project in California.

Located in the Golden State’s Central Valley, the project pairs ESS’s iron flow battery technology with solar panels, which have been installed over active irrigation canals. ESS officials say the project demonstrates the ability of iron flow battery technology to support critical infrastructure.

Bright spot: Installing solar over irrigation canals and other waterways has proved effective for water conservation, according to officials with the TID project. Representatives say the project reduced water evaporation numbers as well as the amount of algal bloom.

“The successful commissioning of this project is an important milestone for ESS and a strong demonstration of our iron flow battery technology in a real-world infrastructure application,” says ESS Tech CEO Drew Buckley. “We are proud to support Turlock Irrigation District on this innovative project and believe it highlights the potential for long-duration energy storage to play a valuable role in helping customers manage renewable energy, strengthen resilience and support broader resource conservation goals.”

In addition to water conservation efforts, the TID project is designed to improve the usability of the solar power it produces, ESS Tech says. The company’s iron flow batteries use iron, salt, and water as its main components, designed to provide safe and long-duration storage.

Solar Landscape secures debt facility to accelerate energy deployment

Distributed energy infrastructure platform Solar Landscape has announced its closing on a $600 million debt warehouse facility, supporting its growing national pipeline as the company brings its deployment to scale.

Anchored by a portfolio of 146 MW of community solar assets across four states. The debt facility’s structure allows for a broader mix of future portfolios as Solar Landscape moves into new distributed generation markets like Pennsylvania, Virginia, and New York.

“This financing marks a meaningful evolution in how we fund and scale distributed energy,” says Solar Landscape CFO Clayton Avent. “As our pipeline has grown, so has the need for a structure that can keep pace. This facility allows us to deploy capital more efficiently across multiple portfolios and markets, increasing the speed at which we can bring new capacity online.”

Bright spot: The debt facility comes at a time when demand for power has continued to accelerate. Driven largely by data centers and continued electrification of households and businesses, distributed energy infrastructure has become a cornerstone of the electrical utility world.

Mike Lorusso, the head of energy finance for First Citizens Bank, says the debt transaction “reflects the continued growth of distributed generation as an asset class.”

“Solar Landscape has developed a scalable, repeatable model for deploying solar power on commercial real estate,” he says. “This financing structure is well aligned with the company’s ability to execute at speed across multiple markets.”

Longroad Energy’s Sun Pond Solar + Storage comes online in Arizona

U.S.-based energy developer Longroad Energy has announced that Sun Pond Solar + Storage, a 111 MWdc solar and 85 MWac storage project, has reached commercial operation in Arizona.

Set to generate enough electricity to power about 35,000 American homes every year, the project is also expected to avoid more than 145,000 metric tons of CO2 emissions annually. That is also equivalent to taking nearly 34,000 gas-powered vehicles off the road each year, representatives say.

“With Sun Pond now operational, Longroad is pleased to be expanding access to renewable energy for customers in the greater Bay Area,” says Charles Spiliotis, chief investment officer and co-founder of Longroad Energy. “Sun Pond’s battery storage system adds firm, flexible capacity – ensuring low-cost, clean power is available when the grid needs it most.”

Bright spot: The project is part of the larger Longroad Sun Streams Complex, a four-project solar complex totaling about 1.6 GW of solar and storage. Located in Maricopa County, Arizona, the complex is set to provide more than $300 million in benefits to Arizonan schools and communities.

“Bringing Sun Pond online is another important step in delivering reliable, clean energy for our community,” says Lori Mitchell, director of San José Clean Energy. “Projects like this help ensure we meet growing energy needs while maintaining dependable service for our residents and businesses.”

Longroad also employed the Gridstack battery energy storage system from storage provider Fluence. Sun Pond will utilize First Solar’s PV modules, and feed that energy into Fluence’s batteries for the BESS side of things.

MN8 Energy expands EV charging footprint in San Jose, California

MN8 Energy LLC has announced a new tolling agreement with San Jose Clean Energy (SJCE) to design, build, and eventually own and operate 40 new EV charging ports in the city.

The charging ports will be located in five different city-owned sites around San Jose, MN8 says. The company is responsible for funding project costs and supporting operational performance, with the new model eliminating ownership risks for public agencies. The company has this method will lower the barrier to energy deployment.

Bright spot: The project will total 8 MW of capacity, with construction expected to begin late this year. The charging stations will likely come online in early 2027, adding to MN8’s DES platform which already includes a charging hub in New York City’s South Bronx area.

“This is EV charging procurement done the way the industry already knows how to work,” says Alan Dowdell, head of distributed energy solutions (DES) at MN8 Energy. “We’ve built this model to work for any CCA looking to procure EV charging. San Jose is our first stop, we’re excited to continue building across the state.”

The projects join approximately 4 GW of operational and under construction solar projects, as well as 1.1 GWh of battery storage. The entire portfolio is comprised of over 874 project across 29 states, as well as 100 high-powered EV charging stations in 26 different states.

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