Cool factor: The  Madera solar field, built, owned and operated by Longroad Energy, will deliver renewable energy to Ardagh’s glass manufacturing facility, accounting for approximately 20% of the facility’s electricity demand. In collaboration with Longroad, partners that made the solar facility a success include First Solar, Valta Energy, McCarthy Building Companies, Nevados and A-C Electric Company.

Ardagh is committed to adding renewable energy in the regions in which we operate to further reduce our carbon footprint. In 2019, Ardagh partnered with KDC Solar on a state-of-the-art solar field at Ardagh’s Bridgeton, New Jersey, glass production facility.

Treaty Oak Clean Energy LLC of Austin, Texas, alongside local officials, economic development leaders, and community leaders, celebrated the ceremonial groundbreaking of the 100 MW Redfield Solar Project in Grant County, Arkansas.

“This project is much more than a solar facility,” said Chris Elrod, cofounder and CEO of Treaty Oak Clean Energy. “It’s a significant investment in the people, businesses, and future of Grant County. From the beginning, our goal has been to be a good neighbor, working closely with county leaders, local businesses, and residents to ensure this project benefits the entire community.”

Cool factor: Spanning 1,033 acres in southeastern Grant County, the solar facility will create approximately 200 construction jobs and generate more than $10 million in property tax revenue over its lifespan. The project’s total energy will be purchased by a single offtaker through a long-term PPA. Commercial operations are slated to begin in the first half of 2026.Primoris Services Corp.’s Renewable Energy business will lead construction, with high-voltage services provided by Dashiell Corp.

The Redfield Solar Project will incorporate Arkansas-manufactured materials, strengthening local supply chains and maximizing economic benefits across the state. The steel for the advanced Nextracker NX Horizon-XTR terrain-following solar tracker systems will be sourced from U.S. Steel’s Big River Steel Mill in Osceola, while key components such as connectors and harnesses will be supplied by Premier PV in Crossett.

As part of its commitment to the community, Treaty Oak presented a $100,000 donation to Grant County Library Director Jessica Reeves and Judge Pruitt to support the renovation of the Grant County Library. 

Empowered by Light has just completed its first project in The Big Easy. New Orleans’ only Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) facility just got reliable, renewable solar power and energy storage. The post has been a resource for veterans and their families living in and visiting the city since 1974. After Hurricane Ida in 2021, members of the post delivered 1,800 meals to neighbors, veterans, energy workers, and people in need.

“This solar installation helps make the city more resilient, and allows NOLA VFW to provide safe, reliable, and secure charging and cooling stations for people in need after extreme weather events,” said Kevin York, NOLA VFW commander. “Reliable, predictable access to power allows our members to expand and extend our efforts to help more people in need.” 

Cool factor: For this project, Empowered by Light (EBL) teamed up with two regional energy firms — PosiGen and Solar Alternatives, to install a 10 kW PV array with 18 kWh of battery energy storage, saving the VFW approximately $1,400 per year in utility costs. In addition to significantly offsetting the center’s electricity usage, the solar energy system was designed to power critical services indefinitely during prolonged grid outages allowing the VFW center to continue operating and providing critical services to community members and veterans during natural disasters and other emergencies. 

Everybody Solar aids Lorge School in NYC with solar installation

Everybody Solar has partnered with The Lorge School, a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering students with special needs, to help install a 37.26 kW solar array at its New York City campus.

“As an institution that encourages leadership at every step of a student’s journey, we too are leading the way to a more sustainable future by implementing more green energy infrastructure in our building,” said Harry Gonzalez, executive director at The Lorge School. “In addition to providing students an opportunity to learn about sustainability, every dollar saved from conversion to solar energy will go into educational programs for students.”

Cool factor: The solar project will generate 40,525 kWh of electricity annually. This initiative aims to integrate environmental awareness into the curriculum while reducing energy costs. The school serves a diverse array of families, reflective of their community. Specifically, it provides special education to those with learning disabilities, emotional disabilities or other health impairments.