Energy Transition in Motion (Week of March 21, 2025)

U.S. President Donald Trump has issued an executive order that aims to expedite domestic production of critical minerals, a move that could help reduce reliance on foreign countries, including China.

The order grants Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth authority to use the Defense Protection Act in consultation with the secretaries of the Energy Department, Interior Department and the National Energy Dominance Council chairman, among others, to take necessary steps to help boost mineral production in the U.S.

“The United States was once the world’s largest producer of lucrative minerals, but overbearing Federal regulation has eroded our Nation’s mineral production,” the White House states in the executive order. “Our national and economic security are now acutely threatened by our reliance upon hostile foreign powers’ mineral production. It is imperative for our national security that the United States take immediate action to facilitate domestic mineral production to the maximum possible extent.”

Critical minerals include, but are not limited to, cobalt, graphite, nickel and lithium—all of which are used in the production of batteries. Certain critical minerals are also essential for equipment used in military operations, such as guidance systems, as well as satellites, semiconductors and electronics, including cell phones. China, a major producer of many critical minerals, dominates the global critical minerals supply chain. Its power extends to the processing and refining of critical minerals.

The order includes “mining, processing, refining and smelting of minerals, and the production of processed critical minerals and other derivative products” in its definition of “mineral production.”

Efforts are underway to boost critical minerals production in the U.S., but slow permitting times and lengthy environmental review processes have slowed developments.

The order issued on March 20 mandates department heads and agencies involved with the permitting of critical minerals in the U.S. to identify and prioritize mineral production projects that have submitted plans of operations, permit applications or other applications for approval. It also orders the executive director of the Permitting Council to publish projects selected and set schedules for expedited review.

In addition, the order instructs the Interior Department, Energy Department and Agriculture Department secretaries to “identify as many sites as possible on federal land managed by their respective agencies that may be suitable for leasing or development” of private commercial mineral production enterprises. It also gives the defense and energy secretaries authority to enter extended use leases with private entities to advance the installation of commercial mineral production enterprises on the identified land.

The order was welcomed by the critical minerals sector, including GreenMet, an association that serves as a “conduit between private capital, government and critical mineral innovation.”

In a news release, GreenMet CEO Drew Horn called the executive order “an important step to unlocking U.S. resources, reducing reliance on critical minerals from our adversaries and strengthening our domestic mineral supply chain.”

Here’s a roundup of some other renewable energy news.

Energy storage

Qcells, Nofar Join Forces for Texas Energy Storage Projects

Qcells USA Corp., a subsidiary of South Korea’s Hanwha Qcells, has partnered with Nofar USA to develop and construct two battery energy storage projects with a combined capacity of 350 megawatts (MW) in Texas, according to a March 20 news release.

The 230-MW Bracero Pecan project is located in Reeves County in the Electric Reliability Council of Texas’ (ERCOT) West region, while the 120-MW Fairway project is located in Freestone County in ERCOT’s North region, Nofar said in the release.

“These well-located projects are strategically positioned for rapid deployment, ensuring both a swift time-to-market and strong value creation for our shareholders,” said Allon Raveh, executive chairman of Nofar USA.

The projects are in the final stages of interconnection approvals, the release said. Plans are for Bracero Pecan to interconnect with power company AEP, and Fairway will interconnect with energy transmission company Oncor. Both projects are expected to go online in 2027.

Rocky Mountain Power Clears Torus as Commercial Battery Provider

Torus, a Utah-based energy storage provider and mini power plant builder, has been selected by Rocky Mountain Power as a commercial battery provider, according to a March 19 news release.

The approval means Torus is certified to deploy up to 1.2 MW for grid-scale energy storage systems across the PacifiCorp service territory as part of Rocky Mountain Power’s Wattsmart Battery Program.

Torus said it is one of only two commercial battery providers to pass Rocky Mountain Power's rigorous testing standards. As stated in the news release, Torus’ systems achieved a 99% uptime score in telemetry testing and met standards set by the Institute of Electrical and Engineers Standards Association regarding communication protocol requirements for fleet-wide unplanned demand response during certification.

“Torus’ Nova Spin flywheel technology, recognized in TIME’s Best Inventions of 2024, delivers a C-rating 10 times higher than traditional batteries and twice the operational lifespan,” according to the release.

The certification approval milestone builds on a January 2025 memorandum of understanding between Rocky Mountain Power and Torus to deploy a 70-MW demand response initiative capable of powering the equivalent of about 20,000 homes using Torus’ Nova technologies, Torus said in the news release.

German Sulfur Battery Startup theion Raises $16.4MM to Scale Up

(Reuters) German sulfur battery startup theion said on March 20 it has raised 15 million euros (US$16.4 million) from investors to scale up battery cells it says store more energy but cost much less than conventional lithium-ion batteries that power electric vehicles today.

The Series A funding round was led by technology holding company Team Global, the Geschwister Oetker Beteiligungen group and German renewables firm Enpal.

Theion says its batteries have three times the energy density of conventional lithium-ion batteries, but cost only a third as much and emit a third of the CO₂.

CEO Ulrich Ehmes told Reuters that theion’s batteries could be used for electric vehicles, flying taxis or energy storage and that in theory those cells could be in electric vehicles on the road before the end of the decade.

Ehmes said theion has successfully developed small coin cell batteries. The funding will be used to develop the larger pouch cells needed to power EVs or airplanes.

“We are under observation of car companies, stationary storage companies, companies in the electric aerospace sector,” he said. “Everyone is now waiting for our first pouch cells because with the coin cell you cannot fly an aircraft.”

The company is among a number of startups in the U.S. and Europe trying to make a breakthrough with sulfur.

The main challenges facing sulfur battery cells are historically they have tended to corrode quickly and also tend to “breathe”—where they expand and destroy battery packs.

Ehmes said theion has overcome these challenges by using crystalline sulfur to avoid corrosion and pre-expanding the battery's cathode.

Glencore Approached Battery Recycler Li-Cycle for Potential Deal

(Reuters) London-listed Glencore has made an offer to acquire Canadian lithium battery recycling company Li-Cycle as part of a proposal to offset operational and financial issues.

In a letter to a board chair, dated March 14, Glencore said it would like to commence discussions with the company and Li-Cycle’s other stakeholders regarding the potential transaction as soon as possible.

Li-Cycle’s debt held by Glencore is convertible to roughly 84 million shares in the recycling company.

The Toronto-based company also amended its limited duration shareholder rights plan last year to exempt Glencore Canada, allowing it to acquire more than 20% of the company.

Li-Cycle, which has a market capitalization of $10.45 million, according to data compiled by LSEG, said its board has formed a special committee to evaluate Glencore’s letter and the proposed acquisition.

“There can be no assurance that any particular transaction will be proposed, recommended or consummated,” said Li-Cycle spokesperson Louie Diaz, who declined to further comment.

The company has developed a network of facilities in Arizona, Alabama and Ontario, producing black mass, which is essentially shredded battery parts. A planned Rochester, New York, facility breaks down that black mass into lithium and other metals—the only facility of its kind in North America.

In November last year, the U.S. Department of Energy finalized a $475 million loan for Li-Cycle, a financial lifeline for the company that kept running into cost overruns and technical issues.

Glencore did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

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Hydrogen

Invenergy’s Illinois Hydrogen Facility Begins Operations

Privately-held developer Invenergy on March 20 said its first clean hydrogen project has started commercial operations.

The 5-acre Sauk Valley Hydrogen facility in Rock Falls, Illinois, is capable of producing up to 40 metric tons of clean hydrogen annually, Invenergy said in a news release. Invenergy’s co-located solar facility provides power for the site, which utilizes Ohmium International’s electrolyzer technology. The facility also has capacity to store up to 400 kg of clean hydrogen on site.

“Invenergy’s significant renewables portfolio allows our team to produce clean hydrogen for ‘hard-to-abate’ sectors of the economy across the country at scale, especially large hydrogen consumers such as liquid fuels and chemicals plants,” said Jon Horek, vice president of hydrogen at Invenergy. “We are excited to supply Aether with hydrogen from Sauk Valley, demonstrating our unique market capabilities and strong partnerships.”

The Aether Fuels order, which will be delivered by Certarus, is the first offsite order for Sauk Valley. Invenergy said the facility’s initial hydrogen supply was used as a turbine generator cooling agent at its adjacent 980-MW natural gas Nelson Energy Center.

Snam, H2SITE Partner on Hydrogen, Natural Gas Separation Project

Energy infrastructure company Snam has teamed up with H2SITE on a hydrogen and natural gas separation project, according to a March 17 news release.

The project involves building a Pd-alloy membrane separator unit designed by H2SITE. The separator, which extracts hydrogen from 2% to 10% concentrations, allows the recovered hydrogen to be used directly in fuel cells, hydrogen-to-power solutions such as gas turbines and engines and high-temperature ovens, the release states.

“At the same time, it minimizes the hydrogen content in the remaining natural gas, preventing unwanted alterations in its composition,” H2SITE said in the release. “This is particularly important for industrial consumers whose processes cannot tolerate significant hydrogen concentrations and ensures compliance with local regulations in the gas grid.”

The company said its technology has already been validated with gas distribution grid operators.

CIP Gets $515MM From Australia For Green Hydrogen Project

(Reuters) Danish clean energy fund manager Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP) said on March 20 it had received A$814 million (US$515.83 million) from the Australian government for its Murchison Green Hydrogen project.

The project, which is located 20 km north of Kalbarri in Western Australia, is expected to produce approximately 1.8 million metric tons of green ammonia annually, which will primarily be exported to Asian markets.

“We see significant potential in green hydrogen and projects such as Murchison Green Hydrogen are key for countries and industries to take the next step within decarbonization and achieving energy independence,” said Karsten Uhd Plauborg, partner at CIP.

Murchison Green Hydrogen is working on an alternative energy source to fight climate change as it seeks to unlock the use of green hydrogen as a clean energy source for global decarbonization, according to the project’s website.

Solar

Mission Solar Energy Expands Operations with Solar Cell Manufacturing

South Korea-based OCI Holdings’ U.S. subsidiary Mission Solar Energy plans to add up to 2 GW of solar cell production capacity at its facility in San Antonio, Texas, the company said March 20, investing $265 million.

The expansion is expected to be complete in early 2026, Mission Solar said in a news release. The company said it will use polysilicon from Malaysia-based OCI TerraSus to make the solar cells. The expansion plans followed Mission Solar’s May 2024 completion of a 200,000-sq-ft facility expansion that boosted the potential capacity at the factory.

“Our mission has always been to produce high-quality solar products right here in the U.S.,” said Sam Martens, president of Mission Solar Energy. “Expanding into solar cell manufacturing reinforces the strength of the American solar industry and enhances the resilience of our domestic supply chain.”

In a separate news release, OCI said establishing this solar cell production facility is expected to drive cost efficiencies by use of existing factory infrastructure and equipment, while also using pre-secured production permits to accelerate the project timeline.

“As a result, the project is expected to be completed more than a year ahead of competitors, positioning it as one of the industry’s most cost-effective and fastest projects,” OCI said.

T1 to Develop 5-GW Solar Cell Facility in Texas

T1 Energy Inc., formerly known as Freyr Battery, on March 17 said it will develop a 5-GW solar cell manufacturing facility in Milam County, Texas.

Called G2 Austin, the up to $850 million facility is expected to be one of the largest solar manufacturing facilities in the U.S.

In T1 Energy’s latest earnings report, the company said it executed a lease and purchase option for 100 acres in Milam County in the Advanced Manufacturing and Logistix Campus at Sandow Lakes. If agreements are completed and state and local incentives secured, the facility is to projected to create up to 1,800 new advanced manufacturing jobs, the release states.

“As we look forward to 2025 and beyond, we are excited about the growth prospects for the U.S. solar + battery storage market, and we are focused on establishing T1 as an engine of American energy, jobs and advanced manufacturing,” T1 CEO Daniel Barcelo said.

Deriva Flips On Switch at Mississippi Solar Farm

Deriva Energy on March 18 said it has brought the 100-MW Wildflower solar farm online as part oof the company’s first investment in Mississippi.

Located in DeSoto County, the solar facility sells renewable power to Toyota Motor North America, Deriva said in a news release.

“With Wildflower Solar operational, we are thrilled to continue advancing to Toyota’s goal of achieving carbon neutrality in our operations by 2035,” said Becky Martin, sustainability manager at Toyota Motor North America. “Mississippi is an important state for us, where we manufacture the Corolla. We’re glad to be putting more renewables on the power grid, a key step in reducing our overall carbon footprint, as well.”

Cuba on Track to Install 50 Solar Parks This Year, Ministry Says

(Reuters) Cuba is making progress on a China-backed plan to install more than 50 solar parks this year capable of churning out more than 1,000 MW, the Energy Ministry said late on March 19, just days after the country's antiquated grid collapsed and left millions in the dark.

In the most detailed report yet on the plan’s progress, energy officials said two solar parks had come online in February—one in Havana and one in Cienfuegos—and that by the end of March, workers would complete six more.

By the end of March, eight of the planned 50 solar parks will be operating, producing 170 MW, said Ovel Concepción Díaz, a top renewable energy official with the Energy Ministry.

The broader plan to expand renewable energy generation, announced in 2014, has gained momentum in recent months as the government looks to revive its ailing economy and alleviate tensions among island residents exhausted by months of rolling blackouts.

The goal by 2030 is to generate 24% of total electricity production using renewable sources, up from around 4% currently. That goal includes building 92 solar parks, the government has said, in addition to battery storage facilities, hydro- and wind-generation projects.

“That goal will be achieved before 2030 and the percentage (of renewable generation) may be a little higher,” said Rosell Guerra Campaña, Cuba’s director of renewable energy.

China and Russia have moved to help Cuba out of an energy crisis that has reached a tipping point after the country’s electric grid collapsed four times since October.

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Wind

CIP Reaches Financial Close for Project Off Taiwan, Secures $3.1B

Fund manager Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners on March 19 said it has reached financial close on its 495-MW Fengmiao I wind project offshore Taiwan.

The project, which is CIP’s third wind project offshore Taiwan, has secured about NTD$103 billion (USD 3.1 billion) in project financing from 27 international and Taiwanese banks, CIP said in a news release. Some of the project finance debt will be guaranteed by four export credit agencies and Taiwan’s National Credit Guarantee Administration.

“Financial close on Fengmiao I marks a major milestone for CIP and is the culmination of years of hard work and dedication from the project team, suppliers, contractors, banks, ECAs and offtakers,” said Thomas Wibe Poulsen, partner and head of Asia-Pacific at CIP.

Six large local and international corporates have entered long-term power purchase agreements with Fengmiao I for its entire capacity, CIP said. Construction of the wind farm is expected to be complete by year-end 2027.

RWE Taps GE Vernova for 100+ Wind Turbines

Renewable energy developer RWE on March 18 said it has selected GE Vernova to supply more than 100 wind turbines for 308 MW of energy projects in West Texas.

The projects include the 181-MW Honey Mesquite project set to begin operations in 2026 and a repowering project underway at the 127-MW Forest Creek wind farm. GE Vernova’s 2.82-MW wind turbines will be used for both projects, according to the news release.

“RWE’s investments in West Texas symbolize our steadfast commitment to producing homegrown energy and strengthening U.S. manufacturing and supply chains through our partnerships with great American companies like GE Vernova,” said RWE Clean Energy COO Kevin Kroll. “Together, we are contributing to American energy dominance and we are fostering continued economic opportunity and job creation in rural communities across the country.”

Construction of the Honey Mesquite project is scheduled to begin later this year, RWE said. Work is already underway at Forest Creek, where original wind towers, turbines and other components are being decommissioned and new tower foundations for the new turbines are being constructed. RWE said Forest Creek is expected to resume operations by year-end 2025.

Ecopetrol Looks to Add Wind Projects to In-house Energy Generation

(Reuters) Colombia’s state-run energy company Ecopetrol is considering new investments in renewable energy, including the purchase of projects being run by multinationals, in order to cover its in-house energy needs, a company vice president said on March 19.

The plan will look to integrate wind projects to the company’s energy matrix, which already includes some solar, with plans coming within “weeks or months,” said Julian Lemos, vice president for strategy and new business at Ecopetrol, which already produces 60% of the power needed at its operations.

“Surely in the coming weeks and months we will be able to announce to the market directly where we are and what we are doing, but our portfolio is growing,” Lemos said during an energy conference in the Caribbean city of Cartagena.

“We are looking at various issues, contemplating various alternatives, they could be existing projects or ones we do ourselves depending on the advantages of each option,” Lemos added to Reuters.

Lemos would not share details of potential acquisitions because of confidentiality agreements. However, Ecopetrol president Ricardo Roa said in March that Enel’s Windpeshi wind project in La Guajira province could be a possible acquisition. The project’s construction was suspended in 2023 because of delays caused by community protests.

Ecopetrol has said it is planning an additional $2 billion in debt this year for inorganic investments.

Hart Energy Staff and Reuters contributed to this report.