Seeing double the solar installations in Oregon | Projects Weekly
Avangrid has energized two solar projects in Wasco County, Oregon, totaling 200 MWac. Plus, Zelestra has expanded its relationship with Meta in the United States, with a new PPA for the 176 MWdc Skull Creek Solar Plant in Texas. Lunar Energy has raised $232 million to scale home battery deployments and AI-powered VPP software to meet surging demand for affordable electricity. Alliant Energy has completed two BESS projects in Wisconsin. Crux has closed a $340 million tax equity investment for Origis Energy’s utility-scale solar development in Texas. TurningPoint Energy and Standard Solar are partnering on two Delaware community solar projects, totaling 11.2 MW. Aypa Power has secured $1.5 billion in warehouse facility financing to accelerate construction of utility-scale energy storage projects. Lightsource bp and Toyota have entered into a power contract, bringing new energy and economic development to Texas. All that and more in this edition of Projects Weekly. Read on for more details!
Avangrid begins commercial operation at Oregon solar projects
Avangrid Inc. has achieved commercial operations at two new solar projects in Wasco County, Oregon. Daybreak Solar and Bakeoven Solar will deliver a combined 269 MWdc / 200 MWac of renewable electricity to the Portland General Electric (PGE) power grid. Daybreak Solar, with a capacity of 189 Megawatts DC (140 MWac), and Bakeoven Solar, with a capacity of 80 MWdc (60 MWac), represent new, domestic capacity that will support growing demand for electricity and bolster the region’s energy availability and reliability.
“Completing these two projects marks the latest milestone in a pivotal investment in Wasco County, bringing new jobs, modern infrastructure, and a more resilient power grid for Oregon,” says Avangrid CEO Jose Antonio Miranda. “Together with PGE and Intel, we’re delivering a new source of reliable power that will energize Oregon’s communities and industries for decades to come.”
Bright spot: Avangrid installed a combined 650,000 solar panels at Daybreak and Bakeoven, which are located adjacent to each other. Together, the projects are expected to produce hundreds of gigawatt-hours of electricity annually, strengthening grid reliability and supporting growing commercial and industrial demand. Construction supported over 300 construction jobs, filled mainly by local union labor.
Avangrid estimates the two projects will generate approximately $40 million in tax revenue over their life span. The projects also support several permanent, full-time jobs for the ongoing operation and maintenance of the facilities, adding to the local employment base. Daybreak and Bakeoven are the first commercial-scale solar projects built in Wasco County.
“By strengthening the energy infrastructure our operations depend on, these projects help meet growing electricity demand, advance Intel’s goal of achieving 100% renewable electricity across our global operations by 2030, and deliver lasting economic and environmental benefits for Wasco County and the broader region,” says Madison West, global head of sustainability at Intel. “Daybreak and Bakeoven demonstrate the kind of regional collaboration needed to bring new, utility-scale renewable capacity online – supporting local jobs, improving grid resilience, and helping ensure Oregon is well positioned for future growth.”
Zelestra signs PPA with Meta for 176 MWdc Skull Creek solar plant in Texas
Meta and Renewable energy company Zelestra and Mark Zuckerberg-led tech giant Meta announced an expansion of their clean energy partnership Feb. 4, with a power purchase agreement for the 176 MWdc (136 MWac) Skull Creek Solar Plant in Texas.
The announcement comes shortly after Zelestra’s announcement of full commercial operation at the 81-MWdc Jasper County Solar Project in Indiana. The Skull Creek Solar Plant “supports Meta’s efforts to add new generation to the grid and to continue matching their operations with 100% clean and renewable energy,” officials say.
Bright spot: Zelestra and Meta now have PPAs for approximately 1.2 GWdc of solar capacity in seven projects across the U.S. All of these projects are scheduled to be operational by 2028, with two of the projects entering construction late last year, and the remainder set to go into construction sometime in 2026.
Phil North, Zelestra’s U.S. CEO, says the collaboration with Meta is gaining momentum around the country.
“We are delighted to welcome full operations at Jasper County and start of construction at two further major projects, at the same time as closing another major agreement that will enable the construction of Skull Creek in Texas,” North says. “Thanks to our forward-looking partnership, nearly 1.2 GWdc of new clean solar power will soon be operational in the US.”
Lunar Energy raises $232 million to scale home battery deployments
Home battery and VPP software firm Lunar Energy has raised $102 million in an oversubscribed Series D round led by B Capital and Prelude Ventures.
This round follows a previously unannounced Series C financing of $130 million led by Activate Capital, the company says, and the two commitments will “accelerate Lunar’s mission of powering every home with clean, reliable, and affordable energy with its suite of hardware and software products.”
Bright spot: This financing will help to expand Lunar’s home battery system across the country, following its prior launch in California. Additionally, the company says this financing will help scale its AI power software platform, Lunar Gridshare, and further integrate it into VPP systems across the U.S.
“This financing validates the reason we started this company,” says Kunal Girotra, founder and CEO of Lunar Energy. “Five years ago, we believed the energy transition wouldn’t be solved by hardware alone or software alone. We built Lunar Energy to bring the best of hardware and software together, and this financing allows us to scale that model, helping homes electrify and become active participants in a smarter, more resilient grid.”
In 2025, Lunar Gridshare earned customers an average of $464 through VPP participation, the software company says, along with saving an additional $338 compared to standard home batteries. The platform is already operational in more than a dozen markets across the country, including New England, Hawaii, California, and Puerto Rico.
Alliant Energy adds two new BESS projects in Iowa, Wisconsin
Two new large-scale BESS projects are now fully operation in the American Midwest, according to public utility firm Alliant Energy.
Located in Saratoga, Wisconsin and Lee County, Iowa, the two projects are now both storing electricity generated by nearby solar fields, Alliant says. Both of these projects, the company adds, are “critical components” of its Energy Blueprint plan, which provides a roadmap for meeting growing energy needs in both Iowa and Wisconsin.
“We are proud to serve every customer with genuine care and to help build communities that shine with strength, connection and possibility,” says Dave Herkert, assistant VP of strategic projects at Alliant Energy. “As we bring new projects like these online, we’re expanding our capacity to deliver reliable energy when our communities need it most.”
Bright spot: Combined, the two projects will add about 175 MW of energy storage power from solar to the grid in Iowa and Wisconsin. Equivalent to powering 180,000 homes for four hours across the two states, the projects will bring operational energy storage totals to 275 MW and 400 MW in Wisconsin and Iowa, respectively.
Alliant worked with software provider FlexGen for design of these new battery components, and a portion of the BESS systems themselves at both sites.
“Our mission is to equip utilities and the communities they serve with energy solutions to harness, store and distribute the energy that is vital to the core of our daily lives and economies,” says Jason Rislov, senior VP of operations at FlexGen. “As grid conditions grow more dynamic, battery storage gives companies like Alliant Energy the confidence to deliver energy as promised while integrating renewable generation, strengthening grid resiliency and meeting long-term load growth.”
Crux secures $340 million tax equity investment Texas utility-scale solar
Clean economy capital platform Crux and renewable energy and decarbonization platform Origis Energy, announced an investment of $340 million in tax equity capital Feb. 5. The funds will support a 413 MWdc utility-scale solar project in Ector County, Texas, which the two firms hope to have up and running by the second half of 2026.
Bright spot: The project is expected to greatly advance local energy affordability and resilience across western Texas, generating more than 900 GWh of solar energy for the local grid per year—the equivalent of powering 85,000 homes or a city of 250,000 people. Financially, the project is expected to drive $68 million of property tax revenue for the county.
“This investment reflects how the tax equity market is evolving toward more integrated, flexible structures that unlock capital efficiently and at scale,” says Yonette Chung McLean, head of investments at Crux Capital Securities. “Origis Energy is a best-in-class developer building high-quality projects. By bringing together tax equity, transferability, and investment-grade capital within a single structure, Crux was proud to support Origis in advancing a project that will deliver long-term value for Texas communities and the broader grid.”
Tax equity has become a “critical” tool for financing in the American renewable energy market, as it enables developers to both deploy capital and advance resilient renewable energy infrastructure. Crux estimates that hybrid tax equity structures made up more than 75% of all tax equity investments in 2025.
“This investment enables Origis to deliver a large-scale solar project that strengthens grid resilience, supports long-term energy affordability, and generates substantial local tax revenue,” says Alice Heathcote, CFO of Origis Energy. “Thank you to Crux for their sustainable tax equity solutions. We value the strong partnership as we continue to invest in high-impact renewable infrastructure across Texas and the United States.”
TurningPoint, Standard Solar to build 2 Delaware community solar projects
Clean energy development firm TurningPoint Energy and solar asset owner Standard Solar have announced a collaboration to deliver 11.2 MW of community solar in Delaware across two projects, bolstering renewable energy availability across the First State.
Spanning across Kent and Sussex county, the portfolio represents a “demonstration of both organizations’ commitment to invest in the Delaware community solar market,” along with its contributions to local charitable organizations. The portfolio also represents a continuation of TurningPoint’s 2022 commitment to invest over $100 million in projects across Delaware.
“This portfolio marks another important milestone in our commitment to advancing Delaware’s clean energy goals through community solar,” says Salar Naini, president of TPE. “We’re proud to partner with Standard Solar on this inaugural portfolio, whose long-term ownership and management will ensure these projects deliver lasting benefits to Delaware communities for decades to come.”
Bright spot: Each of the 5.6-MWdc projects are designed to collectively product about 18.875 GWh of clean energy. Together, the projects will power nearly 1,700 homes annually, offsetting 11,500 metric tons of carbon emissions.
Kent and Sussex counties will also likely benefit from TurningPoint’s longstanding commitment to charitable investment, officials say, with a total of $40,000 in planned donations toward local charity organizations.
“This first portfolio with TPE brings together strong development expertise and long-term ownership to advance community solar in Delaware,” says Eric Partyka, director of business development at Standard Solar. “Standard Solar recognizes the forward-looking policies the state has put in place, including its Renewable Portfolio Standard and community solar legislation, and with deep familiarity with Delaware’s policy and market environment, we’re well positioned to execute projects on schedule and at scale that deliver consistent value for subscribers, host communities and local organizations over the long term.”
Aypa secures $1.5 billion in financing for utility-scale ESS projects
Utility-scale energy storage developer, owner, and operator Aypa Power Feb. 3 announced the closing of its $1.5 billion construction warehouse revolving credit facility, along with an additional $500 million “accordion feature.”
Bright spot: Touted as a “first-of-its-kind transaction,” the financing is the largest warehouse financing executed for a storage-focused independent power producer. It will serve as Aypa’s main funding source for projects expected to reach commercial operation through 2028, officials say.
“This market leading financing marks a significant milestone for Aypa Power and reflects the scale, quality, and readiness of our development portfolio,” says Aypa Power CEO Moe Hajabed. “The warehouse facility positions us to advance a growing pipeline of utility-scale energy storage projects and continue delivering critical infrastructure that strengthens grid reliability across U.S. markets.
“We are appreciative of the confidence that this large group of lenders has placed in our ability to execute at this scale.”
The Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC) and Wells Fargo acted as “lead structuring agents” for the transaction.
Aypa currently develops, owns, and operates utility-scale energy storage and renewable energy projects across North America, representatives say. With 30 projects currently in operation or under construction as of February 2026, the company has a development pipeline exceeding 22 GW.
“CIBC is proud to have led the structuring and execution of this important construction warehouse facility, supporting continued growth in the utility-scale energy storage sector,” says Ines Serrao, managing director and co-head of U.S. project finance and infrastructure at the CIBC. “The facility is structured to support a portfolio of construction-ready, utility-scale assets and highlights the strength of Aypa Power’s development discipline.”
Lightsource bp, Toyota enter PPA for 231 MW Jones City 2 solar farm
Lightsource bp and Toyota Motor North America have inked a virtual power purchase agreement (VPPA) for energy from the 231-MW Jones City 2 solar farm, part of the Jones City Energy Center, in Hamlin, Texas.
The Jones City Energy Center began construction in early 2025. Between Jones City 1 and Jones City 2 solar plants, plus a planned energy storage facility, the Jones City Energy Center will generate 700 MW of renewable energy—enough to power 96,000 homes.
The 15-year, fixed-rate purchase contract supports Toyota’s energy goals, the company says, as well as delivering “meaningful economic and workforce benefits” across Jones County.
“Toyota continues to support renewable energy sources while working to improve the lives of people in communities where we work and live,” said Tim Hilgeman, environmental sustainability general manager at Toyota. “Toyota has a goal to match or source our electricity needs with renewables. Toyota’s virtual power purchase from Jones City alone has the potential to match more than 20 percent of our purchased electricity in North America with renewables.”
Bright spot: The Jones City Energy Center will also contribute $86 million in lifetime property taxes in Jones County, as well as generating about 500 jobs during its construction period. Lightsource bp’s EPC contractor has also provided accredited apprenticeships for the project build.
“Our commitment to Jones County extends well beyond generating renewable energy,” said Emilie Wangerman, COO and head of U.S. at Lightsource bp. “With power partners like Toyota, the Jones City Energy Center is driving job creation, workforce training and local investments that will strengthen the business landscape throughout the region. Together, we’re supporting greater economic opportunity to empower families, businesses and the entire community for decades to come.”
