DP Energy offloads 325 MW project: Irish renewable energy company DP Energy has sold a 325 MW solar project to the City of Medicine Hat in Alberta, Canada. The sale of this ‘largest’ urban solar project in North America was approved by Alberta Utilities Commission (AUC). The Saamis Solar Park is currently at ready-to-build (RTB) stage. The City of Medicine Hat will now seek an amendment to allow it to construct the Saamis Solar Project in phases with the first phase adding 75 MW of additional generation to the City’s existing fleet of generating units. FREYR rebrands: THS US-based battery manufacturer FREYR Battery has rebranded itself as T1 Energy as it executes the strategy to become a vertically integrated solar and battery leader in the country. It ventured into solar business with the acquisition of Trinasolar’s 5 GW Wilmer, Texas located solar module manufacturing plant in Q4 2024 where the Chinese manufacturer had plans to produce its 210 mm Vertex solar modules. The US company had unveiled plans to establish a 5 GW solar cell factory too back then. Trinasolar had a minority stake in the company (see Amid ‘Geopolitical Risks’ Trinasolar Sells Off 5 GW US Solar Module Plant). T1 Energy says it has renamed the Texas solar module factory as G1 Dallas where the production ramp up of solar module is on track. It is also in the process of site selection for the planned solar factory that will be named G2. Construction is planned to begin in mid-2025. 39 MW RE changes hands: Canadian renewable energy developer and independent power producer (IPP) Sitka Power has acquired around 39 MW of wind, solar and battery storage assets in Ontario and Saskatchewan. These facilities are contracted under long-term agreements with creditworthy counterparties, it said. Saturn power sold these projects to Sitka for whom this is its maiden transaction since its formation in November 2024. It plans to further expand its portfolio with the acquisition of wind, solar, run-of-river hydro, and battery energy storage system (BESS) assets. VPPAs for Verizon: Renewable energy developer Invenergy has signed virtual power purchase agreements (VPPA) with telecommunications firm Verizon for 640 MW power in the US. The assets under the contract cover 50 MW Richfield Solar Project in Maryland and 250 MW Maple Flats Project in Illinois, both of which have been operational since 2024. Another 240 MW Cadence Solar Project in Ohio is scheduled to become operational in 2026, and 100 MW Chalk Bluff Project in Arkansas will be online in 2027. Electricity generated will be delivered to local grids through 2 energy markets across 4 states, thus contributing to regional grid reliability. Verizon will receive clean energy credits for contributing to bringing this new capacity online. With these contracts, Verizon’s total procured energy from Invenergy exceeds 1 GW capacity. Ashtrom and CPS Energy’s PPA: US utility CPS Energy has entered a power purchase agreement (PPA) with independent power producer (IPP) Ashtrom Renewable Energy in the US. Part of the Israeli construction and real estate group Ashtrom Group, Ashtrom Renewable Energy will supply electricity to the Municipality of San Antonio in Texas through CPS Energy. The latter will purchase close to 70% of the electricity produced by the 150 MW AC El Patrimonio Solar Project, along with the renewable energy certificates (REC) for 20 years at a fixed price. Remaining electricity generated will be sold within Texas’ open electricity market once the project is online in H2 2027.
