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Capturing the Renewable Energy Shift

March 16, 2021 | 3 views

As the impacts of climate change and the importance of decarbonization have started to become clear, it’s hard to ignore the ongoing shift towards embracing renewables.

Today, the renewables energy market has already become the energy industry’s biggest driver of growth, and both governments and businesses have been pressed to solidify their commitments to green energy.

This infographic from eToro highlights the many developments propelling the shift towards renewable energy, and shines a spotlight on what investors should expect in the market.

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Over 26,000 customers have experienced that the SolarVenti can solve issues with moisture, humidity and poor Indoor Air Quality without any operating costs, even on days when sunlight is scarce! Meaning your home or workplace can be dry-rot free, termite free, asthma free and allergy free.

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ENERGY

The Role of AI Technology in the Renewable Energy Sector

Article | May 19, 2021

Machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) are two of the most commonly used commercial phrases these days. As a result, companies across sectors are searching for methods to include them in order to optimize and automate their key operations. The energy sector is no exception! Indeed, throughout the years, renewable energy industries (wind, solar, hydro, nuclear) have substantially gained from the potential of machine learning. They were able to reduce their expenses, make better projections, and raise the rate of return on their portfolio. And this tendency is just going to gain momentum. If your company is in the energy industry or utilizes a lot of power, machine learning and AI can help you improve your business performance. But how precisely? Let's get started. Ways in Which AI and Machine Learning are Changing Energy Sector There are a few methods that machine learning and AI can be applied to positively improve the energy industry. Here are a few popular applications currently under development. Predictive Maintenance AI helps match energy output with demand and ensure power grid stability and resilience.In 2003, a low-hanging high-voltage electricity line hit an overgrown tree in Ohio, causing a widespread blackout. There was no power system alarm and no sign of the incident. The electric company didn't notice until three additional power lines failed. This carelessness ultimately brought down the whole grid. The 50 million-person blackout lasted two days. Eleven individuals died, and $6 billion was lost. Predictive maintenance can be implemented using machine learning and IoT Sensors gather operational time series data from electricity lines, equipment, and stations (data accompanied by a timestamp). Machine learning algorithms can then forecast when a component will fail (or n-steps). It can also anticipate machinery's remaining usable life or future breakdown. These algorithms detect machine failure, eliminate blackouts or downtimes, improve maintenance procedures, and reduce maintenance expenses. Grid Management Grid management is a promising AI application in energy. Complex networks distribute electricity to users (also known as the power grid). Generation and demand must always match in the electrical system. Other issues, like blackouts and system breakdowns, can occur. Despite being ancient, pumped hydroelectric storage is the most common way to store energy. It operates by moving water upwards and letting it fall into turbines. Renewable energy makes predicting the grid's power generation challenging. After all, it is affected by a variety of things, like sunlight and wind. Demand Response Large demand shifts can be expensive for nations that depend on renewable energy. As nations migrate to green energy, it's harder to adapt to demand fluctuations. Germany plans to use 80% renewable energy by 2050. Countries such as Germany will encounter two major challenges Demand fluctuations: On some days or times of the year, power consumption soars (on Christmas, for example) Weather volatility: Without wind or clear skies, it might be hard to meet electrical demand. In both circumstances, more stations or fossil fuel-powered facilities must meet demand Solving demand response issues Many nations are partnering with businesses to examine weather forecasts, power demand, etc. Germany's EWeLiNE project forecasts wind and solar energy at a specific moment. This enables the government to use non-renewable energy to meet additional power demand. They utilize enormous historical data sets to train machine learning algorithms, as well as data from wind turbines or solar panels, to properly balance supply and demand. Closing Lines AI increases the potential of humans. Several renewable energy producers are investing in artificial intelligence to boost their businesses.There are numerous uses of artificial intelligence in renewable energy. The fundamental purpose of AI integrated systems is to reduce forecasting issues and incorporate renewable energy into the central energy grid as effectively as possible. AI can also assist renewable energy providers in developing successful plans and policies based on present energy consumption and demand.

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ENERGY

Technologies Shaping the Future of Renewable Energy

Article | March 22, 2021

Introduction Renewable energy has transformed our planet. It's raised awareness of global warming and climate change. Both governments and ordinary people are seeking to move from fossil fuels to renewable energy because of this awareness. Technology's involvement in this revolution cannot be understated. Thought a few years ago that solar energy would power average houses in small communities. Thanks to the widespread manufacture of lithium-ion batteries, EVs will be the next big thing. Major Renewable Energy Technologies Transforming the Future Power-to-X Despite the name, this is not a conspiracy theory about global dominance. Modern technology converts electricity into synthetic fuels, thermal energy, and hydrogen. This breakthrough technology can minimize fossil fuel dependence by focusing on synthetic ones. It can also help with efficient storage solutions. Green Appliances and Machines Leading household appliance makers are launching solar-powered appliances. This is a wonderful start toward minimizing family power expenses. Many households have begun to invest in gadgets such as solar air conditioners. Distributed Generation Systems Several locations are experimenting with distributed generation. This reduces dependence on a centralized grid and simplifies transmission and distribution. It also reduces grid dependability and failures. Electrification Most European nations are actively electrifying to cut carbon emissions. This is not the same as a power supply. Rather, it implies developing assets and infrastructure that can shift and aid in the adoption of electricity. Providing public EV charging stations is a step towards electrification. Closing Lines Prominent private companies such as Google, Apple, and Microsoft have made significant commitments to renewable energy in recent years. While some governments are actively attempting to make the shift, others have yet to take environmental challenges such as global warming and climate change seriously. Technological breakthroughs are helping to make the transition to renewable energy greener, quicker, and more economical.

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ENERGY

Renewables find success in ‘black start’ experiment

Article | April 20, 2021

Have you ever thought about what would happen if a power station failed? Without electricity to bring itself back online, it would be near impossible for a station to begin operating again, like trying to set fire to paper without a flame. This scenario would quickly lead to widespread chaos, with hospitals and schools plunged into darkness, refrigeration, and sanitation seriously hampered and transport systems brought to a standstill. For these reasons (and many, many more), governments and electricity networks often have complex and rigorous plans in place to bring dead power stations back online at the earliest.

Read More
SOLAR+STORAGE

Treasury Wine Estates To Install Thousands Of Solar Panels

Article | June 8, 2022

The company behind famous Australian wine brands including Penfolds and Wolf Blass is embracing solar energy in a big way. ASX-listed Treasury Wine Estates (TWE) is one of the world’s largest wine companies and has an ambition to be the “world’s most admired premium wine company”. A powerful way to win consumer hearts, minds (and wallets) these days is to have a strong focus on sustainability. As part of its sustainability mission, wines in TWE’s portfolio will be produced using 100% renewable electricity by 2024. In a step towards this renewables goal in Australia, approximately 9,500 solar panels will be installed at Barossa Winery and Production Centre in South Australia, and Karadoc Winery in Victoria by the end of this year. Collectively, the solar panels will generate more than 5,500 megawatt-hours of electricity annually, enough to supply the equivalent of 900 homes. Total capacity wasn’t mentioned, but given the annual output, I’d estimate it at around 3.75 MW.

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ENERGY

Indigenous lands can be ground zero for a wind energy boom

Article | May 19, 2021

Machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) are two of the most commonly used commercial phrases these days. As a result, companies across sectors are searching for methods to include them in order to optimize and automate their key operations. The energy sector is no exception! Indeed, throughout the years, renewable energy industries (wind, solar, hydro, nuclear) have substantially gained from the potential of machine learning. They were able to reduce their expenses, make better projections, and raise the rate of return on their portfolio. And this tendency is just going to gain momentum. If your company is in the energy industry or utilizes a lot of power, machine learning and AI can help you improve your business performance. But how precisely? Let's get started. Ways in Which AI and Machine Learning are Changing Energy Sector There are a few methods that machine learning and AI can be applied to positively improve the energy industry. Here are a few popular applications currently under development. Predictive Maintenance AI helps match energy output with demand and ensure power grid stability and resilience.In 2003, a low-hanging high-voltage electricity line hit an overgrown tree in Ohio, causing a widespread blackout. There was no power system alarm and no sign of the incident. The electric company didn't notice until three additional power lines failed. This carelessness ultimately brought down the whole grid. The 50 million-person blackout lasted two days. Eleven individuals died, and $6 billion was lost. Predictive maintenance can be implemented using machine learning and IoT Sensors gather operational time series data from electricity lines, equipment, and stations (data accompanied by a timestamp). Machine learning algorithms can then forecast when a component will fail (or n-steps). It can also anticipate machinery's remaining usable life or future breakdown. These algorithms detect machine failure, eliminate blackouts or downtimes, improve maintenance procedures, and reduce maintenance expenses. Grid Management Grid management is a promising AI application in energy. Complex networks distribute electricity to users (also known as the power grid). Generation and demand must always match in the electrical system. Other issues, like blackouts and system breakdowns, can occur. Despite being ancient, pumped hydroelectric storage is the most common way to store energy. It operates by moving water upwards and letting it fall into turbines. Renewable energy makes predicting the grid's power generation challenging. After all, it is affected by a variety of things, like sunlight and wind. Demand Response Large demand shifts can be expensive for nations that depend on renewable energy. As nations migrate to green energy, it's harder to adapt to demand fluctuations. Germany plans to use 80% renewable energy by 2050. Countries such as Germany will encounter two major challenges Demand fluctuations: On some days or times of the year, power consumption soars (on Christmas, for example) Weather volatility: Without wind or clear skies, it might be hard to meet electrical demand. In both circumstances, more stations or fossil fuel-powered facilities must meet demand Solving demand response issues Many nations are partnering with businesses to examine weather forecasts, power demand, etc. Germany's EWeLiNE project forecasts wind and solar energy at a specific moment. This enables the government to use non-renewable energy to meet additional power demand. They utilize enormous historical data sets to train machine learning algorithms, as well as data from wind turbines or solar panels, to properly balance supply and demand. Closing Lines AI increases the potential of humans. Several renewable energy producers are investing in artificial intelligence to boost their businesses.There are numerous uses of artificial intelligence in renewable energy. The fundamental purpose of AI integrated systems is to reduce forecasting issues and incorporate renewable energy into the central energy grid as effectively as possible. AI can also assist renewable energy providers in developing successful plans and policies based on present energy consumption and demand.

Read More
ENERGY

Outdated perceptions: how energy attitudes are damaging customer wallets

Article | March 22, 2021

Introduction Renewable energy has transformed our planet. It's raised awareness of global warming and climate change. Both governments and ordinary people are seeking to move from fossil fuels to renewable energy because of this awareness. Technology's involvement in this revolution cannot be understated. Thought a few years ago that solar energy would power average houses in small communities. Thanks to the widespread manufacture of lithium-ion batteries, EVs will be the next big thing. Major Renewable Energy Technologies Transforming the Future Power-to-X Despite the name, this is not a conspiracy theory about global dominance. Modern technology converts electricity into synthetic fuels, thermal energy, and hydrogen. This breakthrough technology can minimize fossil fuel dependence by focusing on synthetic ones. It can also help with efficient storage solutions. Green Appliances and Machines Leading household appliance makers are launching solar-powered appliances. This is a wonderful start toward minimizing family power expenses. Many households have begun to invest in gadgets such as solar air conditioners. Distributed Generation Systems Several locations are experimenting with distributed generation. This reduces dependence on a centralized grid and simplifies transmission and distribution. It also reduces grid dependability and failures. Electrification Most European nations are actively electrifying to cut carbon emissions. This is not the same as a power supply. Rather, it implies developing assets and infrastructure that can shift and aid in the adoption of electricity. Providing public EV charging stations is a step towards electrification. Closing Lines Prominent private companies such as Google, Apple, and Microsoft have made significant commitments to renewable energy in recent years. While some governments are actively attempting to make the shift, others have yet to take environmental challenges such as global warming and climate change seriously. Technological breakthroughs are helping to make the transition to renewable energy greener, quicker, and more economical.

Read More
ENERGY

5 Challenges in Renewable Energy in 2021

Article | April 20, 2021

Have you ever thought about what would happen if a power station failed? Without electricity to bring itself back online, it would be near impossible for a station to begin operating again, like trying to set fire to paper without a flame. This scenario would quickly lead to widespread chaos, with hospitals and schools plunged into darkness, refrigeration, and sanitation seriously hampered and transport systems brought to a standstill. For these reasons (and many, many more), governments and electricity networks often have complex and rigorous plans in place to bring dead power stations back online at the earliest.

Read More
SOLAR+STORAGE

Treasury Wine Estates To Install Thousands Of Solar Panels

Article | June 8, 2022

The company behind famous Australian wine brands including Penfolds and Wolf Blass is embracing solar energy in a big way. ASX-listed Treasury Wine Estates (TWE) is one of the world’s largest wine companies and has an ambition to be the “world’s most admired premium wine company”. A powerful way to win consumer hearts, minds (and wallets) these days is to have a strong focus on sustainability. As part of its sustainability mission, wines in TWE’s portfolio will be produced using 100% renewable electricity by 2024. In a step towards this renewables goal in Australia, approximately 9,500 solar panels will be installed at Barossa Winery and Production Centre in South Australia, and Karadoc Winery in Victoria by the end of this year. Collectively, the solar panels will generate more than 5,500 megawatt-hours of electricity annually, enough to supply the equivalent of 900 homes. Total capacity wasn’t mentioned, but given the annual output, I’d estimate it at around 3.75 MW.

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SolarVenti Australia

Over 26,000 customers have experienced that the SolarVenti can solve issues with moisture, humidity and poor Indoor Air Quality without any operating costs, even on days when sunlight is scarce! Meaning your home or workplace can be dry-rot free, termite free, asthma free and allergy free.

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STRATEGY AND BEST PRACTICES,ENERGY

Scout Clean Energy Sells Persimmon Creek Wind Farm to Evergy

Scout Clean Energy | August 12, 2022

Scout Clean Energy (Scout), a Colorado based renewable energy developer-owner-operator, and its joint venture partner Elawan Energy, a global operator in the renewable energy industry, announced they have completed the sale of the 199-megawatt (MW) Persimmon Creek Wind Farm (Persimmon) in western Oklahoma to Evergy, Inc (NYSE: EVRG) for a total consideration of approximately $250 million.Michael Rucker, CEO and founder of Scout Clean Energy, said, "The Persimmon Creek Wind Farm has been a reliable source of renewable energy over the last four years making it a solid investment for Scout. We are excited to execute the sale to Evergy as it seeks to deliver carbon-free wind energy directly to their customers." Persimmon achieved commercial operation in 2018 with 80 General Electric turbines across 17,000 acres in Dewey, Ellis and Woodward counties in Oklahoma. The renewable energy generated from Persimmon will serve customers in Evergy's service area. "Evergy continues to tap into the Midwest's affordable, renewable energy resources to serve our customers, Expanding our portfolio of owned renewable generation positions us to ensure customers receive the long-term benefits of these assets." -David Campbell, Evergy president and CEO Scout is a portfolio company of Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners (Quinbrook), a global investment manager specializing in lower carbon and renewable energy infrastructure. "We are delighted that Evergy has agreed to purchase Persimmon from Scout which will serve Evergy's renewable energy plans well over the coming years. Persimmon was designed and constructed to a very high standard by the Scout team and this is reflected in the value achieved in this transaction," said David Scaysbrook of Quinbrook and Chairman of Scout's Board of Directors. "Quinbrook continues to support Scout's efforts as a leading renewables IPP in the US market to build a diverse and growing wind, solar, and storage portfolio which has rapidly expanded to over 15 GW in 24 states." The sale of Persimmon Creek Wind Farm is expected to close in the first quarter of 2023 and remains subject to closing conditions, including regulatory approvals. Scout's legal advisor was McDermott Will & Emery LLP and Evergy's legal advisor on the transaction was Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP. About Scout Clean Energy Scout Clean Energy is a renewable energy developer, owner-operator headquartered in Boulder, Colorado with over 1,200 MW of operating assets. Scout is actively developing a portfolio of over 15,000 MW of onshore wind, solar PV, and battery storage projects across 24 US states. Scout has expertise in all aspects of renewables project development, permitting, power marketing, finance, construction, 24/7 operations, and asset management. Scout is a portfolio company of Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners. For more information, please - visit https://scoutcleanenergy.com/ About Evergy Evergy, Inc. (NYSE: EVRG), serves 1.6 million customers in Kansas and Missouri. Evergy's mission is to empower a better future. Our focus remains on producing, transmitting and delivering reliable, affordable, and sustainable energy for the benefit of our stakeholders. Today, about half of Evergy's power comes from carbon-free sources, creating more reliable energy with less impact to the environment. We value innovation and adaptability to give our customers better ways to manage their energy use, to create a safe, diverse and inclusive workplace for our employees, and to add value for our investors. Headquartered in Kansas City, our employees are active members of the communities we serve. About Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners (http://www.quinbrook.com) is a specialist investment manager focused exclusively on renewables, storage and grid support infrastructure needed to drive the energy transition n the US, UK, and Australia. Quinbrook is led and managed by a senior team of power industry professionals who have collectively invested c.USD 8.2 billion equity in energy infrastructure assets since the early 1990s, representing a total enterprise value of c.USD 28.7 billion or 19.5 GW of power supply capacity. Quinbrook has completed a diverse range of direct investments in both utility and distributed scale onshore wind and solar power, battery storage, reserve peaking capacity, biomass, fugitive methane recovery, hydro and flexible energy management solutions in the US, UK, and Australia. Quinbrook is currently developing and constructing some of the largest renewables and storage infrastructure projects ever undertaken in the US, UK and Australia. About Elawan Energy Elawan Energy is a global operator in the renewable energy industry with over 1.1 GW of wind, solar, and hydropower projects in operation and over 11 GW of renewable energy under development. Elawan offers integrated solutions along the green energy life circle, from the promotion, development and construction of wind farms, photovoltaic plants and hydropower plants until their operation, maintenance and sale of the green energy produced. Elawan Energy is part of the ORIX Group.

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STRATEGY AND BEST PRACTICES,ENERGY

Compute North Begins Energization of 280MW TIER 0™ Data Center Co-located at Wind Farm in McCamey, Texas

Compute North | August 09, 2022

Compute North, a leader in sustainable, large-scale computing infrastructure, formally announces energization of the company’s fifth TIER 0™ data center. Spanning 29 acres near a wind site in the “Wind Energy Capital of Texas,” the facility will be scaled up to 280MW and marks the first behind-the-meter wind project of its kind. Compute North is also pleased to announce that, for this facility, Marathon Digital Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:MARA), a leader in supporting and securing the Bitcoin ecosystem, will be the exclusive customerCo-located directly at the source of power, the TIER 0™ facility will provide the wind farm with guaranteed power off-take. This will serve to optimize the asset which could otherwise be forced to curtail production during peak generation events, wherein the wind turbines produce more energy than can be used, stored, or transmitted. Moreover, the onsite computing operations conducted by Marathon Digital’s ASIC bitcoin miners are designed to convert power directly into a digital and transferrable store of value on the Bitcoin network. “Together, Compute North and Marathon will advance critical transitions at the heart of the global financial, energy, and computing industries, Our project in McCamey, Texas helps resolve the Texas grid constraints by bringing computing workloads directly to the generation source and eliminates the need for costly transmission lines – all while investing in the local community and creating new jobs in Upton County.” -Compute North CEO and Co-Founder, Dave Perrill With the energization of this facility, approximately 40,000 of our installed miners, representing 3.9 exahashes per second, are now in the process of coming online in Texas,” said Fred Thiel, chairman and CEO of Marathon Digital Holdings. “Additionally, given the groundwork the teams at Compute North and Marathon laid at the start of this year, we are now well positioned to continue deploying and energizing miners at this behind-the-meter wind farm in West Texas. We look forward to continuing to work alongside Compute North to accelerate the ramp in Marathon’s hash rate as the facility comes online. About Compute North Compute North is the leader in TIER 0™ data centers, focused on delivering the most sustainable, cost-effective computing in the world. The company provides efficient, highly scalable infrastructure for clients in the blockchain, cryptocurrency mining, and the distributed computing space. With operations across the United States, Compute North brings a unique combination of data center, energy, and technology expertise to meet the growing demand for purpose-built infrastructure solutions for highly specialized computing needs. For additional information, please visit www.computenorth.com.

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STRATEGY AND BEST PRACTICES,ENERGY

Fortlev and Brenmiller Energy Inaugurate the World’s First Renewable Energy-Powered Thermal Energy Storage System for Plastic Manufacturing

Fortlev | August 10, 2022

Brenmiller Energy, a global leader in thermal energy storage, announced today that it and Fortlev, the largest producer of water storage solutions in Brazil, have inaugurated a bGen Thermal Energy Storage (TES) unit at Fortlev’s production facility in Anápolis, Brazil. The bGen unit is the first TES system powered by renewable energy to be used to generate hot air for manufacturing plastic products in the world and also the first thermal energy storage system powered by renewable energy to be used for commercial operations in South America. The 1 MWh bGen unit enables Fortlev to use renewable biomass rather than natural gas to heat the air it uses to make plastic water tanks with rotational molding machines. Substituting biomass for natural gas allows Fortlev to lower the fuel costs associated with heating this air by more than 75%. Use of the bGen unit will also lower the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with heating this air by approximately 800 metric tons per year. Fortlev and Brenmiller Energy are in discussions to install 60 bGen units at the facility, which will enable it to avoid 48,000 metric tons of GHG emissions per year – an amount equivalent to the GHG emissions released by approximately 10,500 gasoline-powered passenger vehicles driven for one year. “Fortlev is dedicated to delivering its customers high-quality, competitively priced water storage solutions while respecting the environment, By helping Fortlev lower our fuel expenses and decarbonize one of our thermal manufacturing processes, Brenmiller Energy’s bGen technology is helping us realize this goal and do well while doing good.” -Antonio Torres, Fortlev Solar CEO. Having demonstrated the financial and environmental success of bGen’s TES technology, over the next few years Fortlev might not just expand its use of bGen at its Anápolis production facility, but also at its seven other manufacturing facilities in Brazil. In addition, Fortlev Solar, as a partner of Brenmiller Energy in Brazil, is intending to open a manufacturing factory to produce bGen units for the Brazilian market. Storing Renewable Energy as Heat to Produce Steam, Hot Water, and Hot Air Many industrial companies have found it difficult to economically decarbonize plastic roto-molding, food preparation, chemical production, pulp and paper manufacturing, and other thermal processes that require the production or use of steam, hot water or hot air. For example, battery-based energy storage technologies do not efficiently store renewable energy for hours to days at a time, nor do they efficiently convert this energy on-demand into the heat needed to produce steam, hot water, or hot air. By combining thermal storage, heat exchange, and steam generation together in a single solution, Brenmiller Energy’s bGen technology can provide industrial companies with the energy efficiency, output stability, scalability, and other capabilities they need to cost-competitively decarbonize their thermal processes. Brenmiller Energy’s technology is also flexible, enabling companies to use both electricity (from solar panels, wind turbines, and the grid) and thermal sources of energy (biomass, flue gas, recovered heat) to charge the bGen units. The crushed rocks in the bGen units can efficiently store this energy as heat for minutes, hours, or even days. Then, when companies need it, they can use this heat to produce clean steam, hot water, or hot air on-demand to mold plastic, clean food, dry wood, or complete other industrial processes. “Forward-thinking industrial companies like Fortlev want to decarbonize their thermal processes. But until recently, there have been few, if any, reliable, cost-effective, long-lived solutions that allow them to do so, Our bGen technology enables these companies to start using renewable energy resources and waste heat to efficiently produce clean steam, hot water, and hot air on-demand, allowing them to decarbonize their thermal process – and in some cases, like Fortlev, reduce their fuel costs while doing so.” -Avi Brenmiller, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Brenmiller Energy The installation of the bGen unit at Fortlev manufacturing facility was supported by the Israel Innovation Authority and the Brazilian Agency for Industrial Research and Innovation (EMBRAPII). “It is inspiring to see this binational cooperation, where an innovative Israeli company implemented its groundbreaking technology in a factory of a large Brazilian company, This partnership has great potential in the Brazilian energy storage market and beyond.'' -Daniel Zonshine, Ambassador of Israel in Brazil A Way to Decarbonize a Wide Variety of Thermal Processes In addition to generating hot air to mold plastic, Brenmiller Energy’s bGen thermal energy storage technology can be used to decarbonize a wide variety of other industrial and power generation thermal processes that currently use fossil fuels to generate heat. Brenmiller is working with Philip Morris International (Romania), Enel (Italy), and other industrial and utility customers to use its TES technology to decarbonize a diverse range of such processes around the world. About Fortlev Fortlev is the biggest manufacturer of water tanks, pipes, and water connections in Brazil. Fortlev is the benchmark in water storage solutions all over Brazil. Since 1989, Fortlev has specialized in bringing quality to its customers. And, for that, innovation is required. Today Fortlev has one of the most modern pipes and fitting industrial parks in the country. In water tanks, Fortlev is always one step ahead, seeking bold solutions for consumers. About Fortlev Solar Fortlev Solar is a distributor of photovoltaic products from the state of Espírito Santo, Brazil. The company’s goal is to maintain a sustainable future, saving costs on the electricity bill and marketing quality products, delivered with agility and safety anywhere in Brazil. In the past two years Fortlev Solar has become the biggest distributor of Solar Solutions in Brazil. About Brenmiller Energy Brenmiller Energy delivers scalable thermal energy storage solutions and services that allow customers to cost-effectively decarbonize their operations. Its patented bGen thermal storage technology enables the use of renewable energy resources, as well as waste heat, to intelligently heat crushed rocks to very high temperatures. They can then store this heat for minutes, hours, or even days before using it for industrial and power generation processes. With bGen organizations have a way to use electricity, biomass, and waste heat to generate the steam, hot water and hot air they need to mold plastic, process food and beverages, produce paper, manufacture chemicals and pharmaceuticals, or drive steam turbines without burning fossil fuels. For more information visit the company’s website at https://bren-energy.com/ and follow the company on Twitter and LinkedIn.

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STRATEGY AND BEST PRACTICES,ENERGY

Scout Clean Energy Sells Persimmon Creek Wind Farm to Evergy

Scout Clean Energy | August 12, 2022

Scout Clean Energy (Scout), a Colorado based renewable energy developer-owner-operator, and its joint venture partner Elawan Energy, a global operator in the renewable energy industry, announced they have completed the sale of the 199-megawatt (MW) Persimmon Creek Wind Farm (Persimmon) in western Oklahoma to Evergy, Inc (NYSE: EVRG) for a total consideration of approximately $250 million.Michael Rucker, CEO and founder of Scout Clean Energy, said, "The Persimmon Creek Wind Farm has been a reliable source of renewable energy over the last four years making it a solid investment for Scout. We are excited to execute the sale to Evergy as it seeks to deliver carbon-free wind energy directly to their customers." Persimmon achieved commercial operation in 2018 with 80 General Electric turbines across 17,000 acres in Dewey, Ellis and Woodward counties in Oklahoma. The renewable energy generated from Persimmon will serve customers in Evergy's service area. "Evergy continues to tap into the Midwest's affordable, renewable energy resources to serve our customers, Expanding our portfolio of owned renewable generation positions us to ensure customers receive the long-term benefits of these assets." -David Campbell, Evergy president and CEO Scout is a portfolio company of Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners (Quinbrook), a global investment manager specializing in lower carbon and renewable energy infrastructure. "We are delighted that Evergy has agreed to purchase Persimmon from Scout which will serve Evergy's renewable energy plans well over the coming years. Persimmon was designed and constructed to a very high standard by the Scout team and this is reflected in the value achieved in this transaction," said David Scaysbrook of Quinbrook and Chairman of Scout's Board of Directors. "Quinbrook continues to support Scout's efforts as a leading renewables IPP in the US market to build a diverse and growing wind, solar, and storage portfolio which has rapidly expanded to over 15 GW in 24 states." The sale of Persimmon Creek Wind Farm is expected to close in the first quarter of 2023 and remains subject to closing conditions, including regulatory approvals. Scout's legal advisor was McDermott Will & Emery LLP and Evergy's legal advisor on the transaction was Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP. About Scout Clean Energy Scout Clean Energy is a renewable energy developer, owner-operator headquartered in Boulder, Colorado with over 1,200 MW of operating assets. Scout is actively developing a portfolio of over 15,000 MW of onshore wind, solar PV, and battery storage projects across 24 US states. Scout has expertise in all aspects of renewables project development, permitting, power marketing, finance, construction, 24/7 operations, and asset management. Scout is a portfolio company of Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners. For more information, please - visit https://scoutcleanenergy.com/ About Evergy Evergy, Inc. (NYSE: EVRG), serves 1.6 million customers in Kansas and Missouri. Evergy's mission is to empower a better future. Our focus remains on producing, transmitting and delivering reliable, affordable, and sustainable energy for the benefit of our stakeholders. Today, about half of Evergy's power comes from carbon-free sources, creating more reliable energy with less impact to the environment. We value innovation and adaptability to give our customers better ways to manage their energy use, to create a safe, diverse and inclusive workplace for our employees, and to add value for our investors. Headquartered in Kansas City, our employees are active members of the communities we serve. About Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners (http://www.quinbrook.com) is a specialist investment manager focused exclusively on renewables, storage and grid support infrastructure needed to drive the energy transition n the US, UK, and Australia. Quinbrook is led and managed by a senior team of power industry professionals who have collectively invested c.USD 8.2 billion equity in energy infrastructure assets since the early 1990s, representing a total enterprise value of c.USD 28.7 billion or 19.5 GW of power supply capacity. Quinbrook has completed a diverse range of direct investments in both utility and distributed scale onshore wind and solar power, battery storage, reserve peaking capacity, biomass, fugitive methane recovery, hydro and flexible energy management solutions in the US, UK, and Australia. Quinbrook is currently developing and constructing some of the largest renewables and storage infrastructure projects ever undertaken in the US, UK and Australia. About Elawan Energy Elawan Energy is a global operator in the renewable energy industry with over 1.1 GW of wind, solar, and hydropower projects in operation and over 11 GW of renewable energy under development. Elawan offers integrated solutions along the green energy life circle, from the promotion, development and construction of wind farms, photovoltaic plants and hydropower plants until their operation, maintenance and sale of the green energy produced. Elawan Energy is part of the ORIX Group.

Read More

STRATEGY AND BEST PRACTICES,ENERGY

Compute North Begins Energization of 280MW TIER 0™ Data Center Co-located at Wind Farm in McCamey, Texas

Compute North | August 09, 2022

Compute North, a leader in sustainable, large-scale computing infrastructure, formally announces energization of the company’s fifth TIER 0™ data center. Spanning 29 acres near a wind site in the “Wind Energy Capital of Texas,” the facility will be scaled up to 280MW and marks the first behind-the-meter wind project of its kind. Compute North is also pleased to announce that, for this facility, Marathon Digital Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ:MARA), a leader in supporting and securing the Bitcoin ecosystem, will be the exclusive customerCo-located directly at the source of power, the TIER 0™ facility will provide the wind farm with guaranteed power off-take. This will serve to optimize the asset which could otherwise be forced to curtail production during peak generation events, wherein the wind turbines produce more energy than can be used, stored, or transmitted. Moreover, the onsite computing operations conducted by Marathon Digital’s ASIC bitcoin miners are designed to convert power directly into a digital and transferrable store of value on the Bitcoin network. “Together, Compute North and Marathon will advance critical transitions at the heart of the global financial, energy, and computing industries, Our project in McCamey, Texas helps resolve the Texas grid constraints by bringing computing workloads directly to the generation source and eliminates the need for costly transmission lines – all while investing in the local community and creating new jobs in Upton County.” -Compute North CEO and Co-Founder, Dave Perrill With the energization of this facility, approximately 40,000 of our installed miners, representing 3.9 exahashes per second, are now in the process of coming online in Texas,” said Fred Thiel, chairman and CEO of Marathon Digital Holdings. “Additionally, given the groundwork the teams at Compute North and Marathon laid at the start of this year, we are now well positioned to continue deploying and energizing miners at this behind-the-meter wind farm in West Texas. We look forward to continuing to work alongside Compute North to accelerate the ramp in Marathon’s hash rate as the facility comes online. About Compute North Compute North is the leader in TIER 0™ data centers, focused on delivering the most sustainable, cost-effective computing in the world. The company provides efficient, highly scalable infrastructure for clients in the blockchain, cryptocurrency mining, and the distributed computing space. With operations across the United States, Compute North brings a unique combination of data center, energy, and technology expertise to meet the growing demand for purpose-built infrastructure solutions for highly specialized computing needs. For additional information, please visit www.computenorth.com.

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STRATEGY AND BEST PRACTICES,ENERGY

Fortlev and Brenmiller Energy Inaugurate the World’s First Renewable Energy-Powered Thermal Energy Storage System for Plastic Manufacturing

Fortlev | August 10, 2022

Brenmiller Energy, a global leader in thermal energy storage, announced today that it and Fortlev, the largest producer of water storage solutions in Brazil, have inaugurated a bGen Thermal Energy Storage (TES) unit at Fortlev’s production facility in Anápolis, Brazil. The bGen unit is the first TES system powered by renewable energy to be used to generate hot air for manufacturing plastic products in the world and also the first thermal energy storage system powered by renewable energy to be used for commercial operations in South America. The 1 MWh bGen unit enables Fortlev to use renewable biomass rather than natural gas to heat the air it uses to make plastic water tanks with rotational molding machines. Substituting biomass for natural gas allows Fortlev to lower the fuel costs associated with heating this air by more than 75%. Use of the bGen unit will also lower the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with heating this air by approximately 800 metric tons per year. Fortlev and Brenmiller Energy are in discussions to install 60 bGen units at the facility, which will enable it to avoid 48,000 metric tons of GHG emissions per year – an amount equivalent to the GHG emissions released by approximately 10,500 gasoline-powered passenger vehicles driven for one year. “Fortlev is dedicated to delivering its customers high-quality, competitively priced water storage solutions while respecting the environment, By helping Fortlev lower our fuel expenses and decarbonize one of our thermal manufacturing processes, Brenmiller Energy’s bGen technology is helping us realize this goal and do well while doing good.” -Antonio Torres, Fortlev Solar CEO. Having demonstrated the financial and environmental success of bGen’s TES technology, over the next few years Fortlev might not just expand its use of bGen at its Anápolis production facility, but also at its seven other manufacturing facilities in Brazil. In addition, Fortlev Solar, as a partner of Brenmiller Energy in Brazil, is intending to open a manufacturing factory to produce bGen units for the Brazilian market. Storing Renewable Energy as Heat to Produce Steam, Hot Water, and Hot Air Many industrial companies have found it difficult to economically decarbonize plastic roto-molding, food preparation, chemical production, pulp and paper manufacturing, and other thermal processes that require the production or use of steam, hot water or hot air. For example, battery-based energy storage technologies do not efficiently store renewable energy for hours to days at a time, nor do they efficiently convert this energy on-demand into the heat needed to produce steam, hot water, or hot air. By combining thermal storage, heat exchange, and steam generation together in a single solution, Brenmiller Energy’s bGen technology can provide industrial companies with the energy efficiency, output stability, scalability, and other capabilities they need to cost-competitively decarbonize their thermal processes. Brenmiller Energy’s technology is also flexible, enabling companies to use both electricity (from solar panels, wind turbines, and the grid) and thermal sources of energy (biomass, flue gas, recovered heat) to charge the bGen units. The crushed rocks in the bGen units can efficiently store this energy as heat for minutes, hours, or even days. Then, when companies need it, they can use this heat to produce clean steam, hot water, or hot air on-demand to mold plastic, clean food, dry wood, or complete other industrial processes. “Forward-thinking industrial companies like Fortlev want to decarbonize their thermal processes. But until recently, there have been few, if any, reliable, cost-effective, long-lived solutions that allow them to do so, Our bGen technology enables these companies to start using renewable energy resources and waste heat to efficiently produce clean steam, hot water, and hot air on-demand, allowing them to decarbonize their thermal process – and in some cases, like Fortlev, reduce their fuel costs while doing so.” -Avi Brenmiller, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Brenmiller Energy The installation of the bGen unit at Fortlev manufacturing facility was supported by the Israel Innovation Authority and the Brazilian Agency for Industrial Research and Innovation (EMBRAPII). “It is inspiring to see this binational cooperation, where an innovative Israeli company implemented its groundbreaking technology in a factory of a large Brazilian company, This partnership has great potential in the Brazilian energy storage market and beyond.'' -Daniel Zonshine, Ambassador of Israel in Brazil A Way to Decarbonize a Wide Variety of Thermal Processes In addition to generating hot air to mold plastic, Brenmiller Energy’s bGen thermal energy storage technology can be used to decarbonize a wide variety of other industrial and power generation thermal processes that currently use fossil fuels to generate heat. Brenmiller is working with Philip Morris International (Romania), Enel (Italy), and other industrial and utility customers to use its TES technology to decarbonize a diverse range of such processes around the world. About Fortlev Fortlev is the biggest manufacturer of water tanks, pipes, and water connections in Brazil. Fortlev is the benchmark in water storage solutions all over Brazil. Since 1989, Fortlev has specialized in bringing quality to its customers. And, for that, innovation is required. Today Fortlev has one of the most modern pipes and fitting industrial parks in the country. In water tanks, Fortlev is always one step ahead, seeking bold solutions for consumers. About Fortlev Solar Fortlev Solar is a distributor of photovoltaic products from the state of Espírito Santo, Brazil. The company’s goal is to maintain a sustainable future, saving costs on the electricity bill and marketing quality products, delivered with agility and safety anywhere in Brazil. In the past two years Fortlev Solar has become the biggest distributor of Solar Solutions in Brazil. About Brenmiller Energy Brenmiller Energy delivers scalable thermal energy storage solutions and services that allow customers to cost-effectively decarbonize their operations. Its patented bGen thermal storage technology enables the use of renewable energy resources, as well as waste heat, to intelligently heat crushed rocks to very high temperatures. They can then store this heat for minutes, hours, or even days before using it for industrial and power generation processes. With bGen organizations have a way to use electricity, biomass, and waste heat to generate the steam, hot water and hot air they need to mold plastic, process food and beverages, produce paper, manufacture chemicals and pharmaceuticals, or drive steam turbines without burning fossil fuels. For more information visit the company’s website at https://bren-energy.com/ and follow the company on Twitter and LinkedIn.

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