Renewable Energy Developments and Highlights for the Week of February 28, 2025

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Energy Transition in Motion (Week of Feb. 28, 2025)

This week’s renewable energy updates include Colorado-based SMT Energy securing funding for a battery energy storage facility in Houston.

On February 26, SMT Energy announced that it has obtained financing for a 160-megawatt (MW) / 320-megawatt hour battery energy storage facility in Houston. The SMT Houston IV project, which will connect to the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) power grid, is expected to begin commercial operations in the second quarter of 2026. This facility will have the capacity to store and dispatch enough electricity to power approximately 8,800 homes in Texas annually, contributing to grid stability amid rising electricity demand. Battery energy systems like this one store surplus electricity generated from intermittent renewable sources, such as solar, and release it when needed.

J.J. Switzer, co-founder and managing partner of SMT Energy, expressed gratitude to the teams at Macquarie, KeyBanc, and FlexGen for their expertise in facilitating this complex deal. Macquarie Group and KeyBanc Capital Markets jointly arranged a $100 million financing facility for the project. Additionally, Macquarie’s Commodities and Global Markets unit provided a preferred equity investment and is tasked with selling the project’s investment tax credits, estimated at around $62 million. FlexGen Power Systems will supply the necessary equipment for the project.

Other Renewable Energy Updates

New Rise Commences Commercial SAF Production

New Rise Renewables has launched commercial production of neat sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) at its facility in McCarran, Nevada, as announced by XCF Global Capital on February 24. Designed to produce 3,000 barrels per day of a synthetic blending component for SAF, the facility has already secured an order for over 3 million gallons from a third-party buyer. The first shipments are anticipated in early March 2025. XCF CEO Mihir Dange highlighted this achievement as a significant milestone, demonstrating their commitment to innovation in the aviation industry’s decarbonization.

Opal Fuels to Develop New RNG Facilities

New York-based Opal Fuels plans to establish four new landfill renewable natural gas (RNG) production projects through joint venture partnerships, as reported on February 27. These projects will have a combined design capacity of 1.5 million MMBtu. Co-CEO Jonathan Maurer noted that as they expand their operations, they aim to significantly contribute to decarbonizing heavy-duty trucking fleets and provide clean energy for homes and businesses. Construction is slated to commence throughout 2025, with the facilities expected to produce around 20 million gasoline gallon equivalents per year.

AstraZeneca Opens Biomethane Plant in the UK

On February 27, AstraZeneca announced the opening of a biogas production facility that will ensure all its research and development and drug manufacturing operations in the UK are powered by clean energy by year-end. This plant, developed through a 15-year partnership with Future Biogas, will generate 100 gigawatt hours (GWh) of renewable energy annually, accounting for 20% of AstraZeneca’s global gas consumption. The company is committed to achieving net-zero emissions by 2045.

TotalEnergies Commissions Biomethane Plant in Normandy

TotalEnergies announced on February 26 that it has launched a biomethane production plant in Normandy, France. This facility will inject 153 GWh of biomethane annually into the GRTgaz-operated natural gas network. The project utilizes beet pulp from the adjacent production site of French sugar group Cristal Union. TotalEnergies aims to enhance its biogas production capacity in France to over 800 GWh, with the plant expected to prevent the emission of 30,000 tons of CO2 each year.

Energy Vault Begins Construction of Battery Storage Project in Australia

Energy Vault Holdings has started construction on a 200-MW / 2-hour battery energy storage system for ACEN Australia’s New England Solar project. This initiative marks the first of two planned deployments for the 720-MW solar project in New South Wales, aimed at stabilizing the grid and reducing reliance on coal-fired power generation.

Idemitsu to Build Lithium Sulfide Production Facility

Japanese refiner Idemitsu Kosan Co. announced on February 27 plans to construct a large-scale lithium sulfide production facility at its Chiba site, expected to be completed by June 2027. The facility will have a capacity of 1,000 metric tons per year, sufficient for producing solid electrolyte for 50,000 to 60,000 electric vehicles annually.

Everfuel Delivers First Green Hydrogen

Everfuel reported on February 28 that it has successfully delivered hydrogen from its 20-MW HySynergy project in Denmark to partner Crossbridge Energy. This delivery represents a pivotal milestone as Everfuel aims to ramp up production to meet the growing demand for green hydrogen, which is essential for sustainable fuels in various transportation sectors.

Colombia’s Offshore Wind Energy Auction Attracts Global Interest

Colombia’s first offshore wind energy auction has garnered proposals for 69 areas from companies worldwide, according to the National Hydrocarbons Agency (ANH) on February 27. The auction supports the country’s goal of diversifying its energy sector and reducing dependency on fossil fuels. The Colombian government seeks to award projects that can yield a minimum installed capacity of 1 GW.

Acciona Energia Considering Asset Sales

Spanish power company Acciona Energia is exploring potential asset sales worth up to 4.5 billion euros (approximately $4.68 billion) across several countries, as mentioned on February 28. Chief Financial and Sustainability Officer Jose Entrecanales indicated they are looking to divest wind assets in Spain and possibly in Mexico, Peru, and Costa Rica.

CIP Acquires Morecambe Wind Project Offshore UK

Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP) has agreed to purchase the 480-MW Morecambe wind project off the UK’s coast from COBRA Group and Flotation Energy, as announced on February 26. The project, located in the Eastern Irish Sea, is expected to power more than 500,000 households, aligning with the UK government’s Clean Power 2030 Action Plan.

This report was contributed by Hart Energy Staff and Reuters.