SACRAMENTO, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The California Natural Gas Vehicle Coalition (CNGVC) announces the appointment of twenty-year policy veteran Nicole Rice as their new President. In this role, Ms. Rice will work with state regulators and legislators to forge a path towards cleaner air and better environmental solutions that can come from a more inclusive adoption of natural gas fuel and vehicles.

The CNGVC is an association of natural gas vehicle fleets, engine manufacturers, utilities, and fuel providers that are united in the belief that wider adoption of clean-running natural gas vehicles (NGV)—a proven technology in use worldwide—is key to helping California reduce greenhouse gas emissions, air pollution and climate change.

“I am honored to work with such a dedicated group of leaders to address one of the greatest threats to California’s future, the health of our environment,” said Ms. Rice. “Creating a sustainable solution will require implementing all fuel alternatives. Only then can we achieve near term emission reductions that are readily available as well as realize lasting benefits that will improve the health and economic opportunity for all Californians.”

Before joining the CNGVC, Ms. Rice served as Senior Policy Director of Government Relations for the California Manufacturers & Technology Association (CMTA) – a statewide, non-profit association that works to improve and enhance a strong business climate for California's over 30,000 manufacturing, processing and technology based companies. In this role, she worked on a myriad of issues including workforce development, labor and employment, and innovation incentives.

“Over the course of her extraordinary career Nicole has developed and mastered the skills necessary to take a commanding lead of the California Natural Gas Vehicle Coalition,” said CNGVC Chairman of the Board Todd Campbell. “I expect great things to happen with her at the helm. Prepare to be wowed.”

Prior to her nine years at CMTA, Ms. Rice worked as Community Affairs Manager for Nehemiah Corporation of America; Legislative Policy Strategist for Strategic Counsel PLC; Deputy Director for the California Department of Consumer Affairs; Deputy Secretary of Appointments for Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger; and Public Affairs Representative for Southern California Edison.

Ms. Rice holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from California State University, Hayward (now known as CSU East Bay) and was awarded her Juris Doctorate from Santa Clara University School of Law. She also serves as a gubernatorial appointee to the California Workforce Development Board.

Ms. Rice started as President of CNGVC on March 18, 2021.

Raleigh Gerber
949-437-1397

HOUSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sunnova Energy International Inc. (“Sunnova”) (NYSE: NOVA), a leading U.S. residential solar and energy storage service provider, announced today it will release its first quarter 2021 results after the markets close on April 28, 2021, to be followed by a conference call to discuss the results at 8:30 a.m. Eastern Time on April 29, 2021.

To register for this conference call, please use this link http://www.directeventreg.com/registration/event/7927159. After registering, a confirmation will be sent through email, including dial-in details and unique conference call codes for entry. To ensure you are connected for the full call we suggest registering a day in advance or at a minimum 10 minutes before the start of the call. A replay will be available two hours after the call and can be accessed by dialing 800-585-8367, or for international callers, 416-621-4642. The conference ID for the live call and the replay is 7927159. The replay will be available until June 5, 2021.

Interested investors and other parties may also listen to a simultaneous webcast of the conference call by logging onto the Investor Relations section of Sunnova’s website at www.sunnova.com.

About Sunnova

Sunnova Energy International Inc. (NYSE: NOVA) is a leading residential solar and energy storage service provider with customers across the U.S. states and its territories. Sunnova’s goal is to be the source of clean, affordable and reliable energy with a simple mission: to power energy independence so that homeowners have the freedom to live life uninterrupted^TM.

For more information, visit www.sunnova.com, follow us on Twitter @Sunnova_Solar and connect with us on Facebook.

Investor & Analyst Contact
Rodney McMahan
Vice President, Investor Relations
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(281) 971-3323

Press & Media Contact
Alina Eprimian
Media Relations Manager
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Janisse Quiñones Joins PG&E as Senior Vice President, Gas Engineering

Mark Quinlan Promoted to Vice President, PSPS Operations and Execution

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) today announced the appointment of Janisse Quiñones as Senior Vice President, Gas Engineering, as well as the promotion of Mark Quinlan to Vice President, PSPS Operations and Execution.

“I am thrilled to welcome Janisse to the company and announce Mark’s well-deserved promotion during this important time for PG&E’s customers. Their deep expertise in utility operations, engineering and safety will help us realize PG&E’s full potential as the safe, reliable and affordable energy company that our customers and communities deserve,” said Adam Wright, PG&E’s Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer.

Janisse Quiñones, Senior Vice President, Gas Engineering

Ms. Quiñones will be responsible for gas engineering and strategy, overseeing the function’s near-term priorities and long-term planning to support operational execution and sustainability of PG&E’s gas assets.

Ms. Quiñones brings over 20 years of engineering and utility experience, joining PG&E from National Grid, where she served as Vice President of Gas Systems Engineering since 2019. In that role, she was responsible for the engineering and design of natural gas distribution, transmission and infrastructure projects for National Grid’s U.S. territory, and oversaw various meter compliance, design and construction projects. She also brings experience in developing and executing continuous process improvement initiatives and service restoration programs across multiple regions.

Prior to National Grid, Ms. Quiñones served in the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) both full-time and in the reserves for 17 years, including as Commander and Deputy of Planning and Incident Management. She is an active USCG Reserve Officer and has held prior key leadership roles at Cobra Energy including Vice President of Operations, responsible for the restoration and reconstruction projects of the transmission and distribution electrical systems in Puerto Rico following Hurricane Maria. She held several leadership roles at San Diego Gas & Electric, including Director of Design, Planning, Construction and Vegetation Management. Ms. Quiñones is a licensed mechanical engineer and certified energy manager.

Ms. Quiñones begins on April 26, 2021, and she will report to Mr. Wright on an interim basis, pending appointment of PG&E’s Executive Vice President, Engineering, Planning & Strategy. PG&E expects to announce that appointment in the coming weeks.

Mark Quinlan, Vice President, PSPS Operations and Execution

In his new, elevated role, Mr. Quinlan will oversee the company’s planning, preparation and execution of its Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) program. Mr. Quinlan has been with PG&E for seven years and has nearly 30 years of experience in the electric industry.

Previously, Mr. Quinlan served as Senior Director of Emergency Preparedness & Response which included leadership and oversight of the Wildfire Safety Operations Center, Meteorology Operations, Safety Infrastructure Protection Teams, Public Safety Specialists, Emergency Preparedness Strategy and Execution, Emergency Preparedness Field Operations and the Public Safety Power Shutoff Program. He also served as PG&E’s Incident Commander for emergency response. Prior to joining PG&E, Mr. Quinlan, spent 22 years at Commonwealth Edison in operations and safety leadership roles.

Mr. Quinlan’s new role is effective April 1 and he will report to Sumeet Singh, Senior Vice President and Chief Risk Officer who is heading PG&E’s Wildfire Risk Organization.

About PG&E

Pacific Gas and Electric Company, a subsidiary of PG&E Corporation (NYSE:PCG), is a combined natural gas and electric utility serving more than 16 million people across 70,000 square miles in Northern and Central California. For more information, visit pge.com and pge.com/news.

Media Relations
415.973.5930

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Daroga Power is a clean energy innovator helping New York City expand the distributed generation platform through a growing network of fuel cell facilities and solar energy arrays. By bringing together leading technology companies, utilities, and green investors, the company is transforming New York's energy future while reducing consumers' costs.

"Distributed generation will play a key role in our sustainable transition to carbon neutrality while improving grid-wide resiliency," said Ory Moussaieff, Co-Founder of Daroga Power.

The recently closed 12-Megawatt fuel cell portfolio consists of 48 Bloom Energy fuel cells located throughout New York City. With an enterprise value of $103 million, Daroga Power privately raised the sponsor & tax equity, while the New York Green Bank provided debt financing.

“NY Green Bank is pleased to provide liquidity to further expand the fuel cell market in New York City, and enable a cleaner, more resilient energy grid for all New Yorkers,” said Kim Erle, Managing Director of NY Green Bank, “Additionally, this transaction supports Governor Cuomo’s goal to ensure that all New Yorkers, including those in disadvantaged communities, have reliable access to cleaner energy.”

The utility distributes energy credits to customers who have signed up for one of Daroga's CDG plans and provides a community distributed credit on the subscriber’s energy bill. Residential and commercial customers can sign up for clean energy credits on Daroga's energy platform, goCDG.com. The program is currently limited to Consolidated Edison’s customers, who are signed up on a first-come, first-served basis.

“As recent events have shown, the need for dependable power is top of mind,” said Ivor Castelino, managing director of business development, Bloom Energy. “The time is now to prioritize building the grid of the future, and we’re proud to work with Daroga to bring alternative power sources and fuels to communities to create a more reliable and sustainable electricity infrastructure.”

Already operating two community solar projects in Brooklyn, constructing three (3) fuel cell facilities on Staten Island and developing one of New York City's largest community solar carport & EV charging project, Daroga is bringing community based distributed generation to New York City at scale.

The company is slated to have a generating capacity in New York City of 20.2 megawatts by the end of 2021.

Daroga has been working closely with the affordable-housing sector to bring cleaner, more affordable electricity to more New Yorkers. Daroga has allocated more than 50 percent of its distributed generation power to low-and moderate-income Con Ed customers who would otherwise have limited access to clean energy.

"Grid vulnerabilities will drive future demand for distributed generation. Our goal is to deploy additional energy resources throughout New York City while securing customers energy bill savings" said Daroga Power Co-founder David Matt.

About Daroga Power

Launched in 2015, Daroga is a New York-based clean energy infrastructure firm focused on strategically innovative and socially responsible projects in North America. The company's experience, expertise and proven process allows for faster development of distributed generation and clean energy projects. With their successful track record and deep background, Daroga is rapidly becoming a leader in the shift to Distributed Generation that is reshaping the relationship between local utilities and their customers.

For Inquiries:
David Matt
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www.darogapower.com

Power system developed by Advent subsidiary UltraCell is the only fuel cell solution selected for this year’s DOD program

BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Advent Technologies Holdings, Inc. (NASDAQ: ADN) (“Advent”) and its subsidiary, UltraCell, today announced that UltraCell’s 50 W Reformed Methanol Wearable Fuel Cell Power System (“Honey Badger”) has been selected by the U.S. Department of Defense’s National Defense Center for Energy and Environment (“NDCEE”) to take part in its demonstration/validation program for 2021. The NDCEE is a Department of Defense program that addresses high-priority environmental, safety, occupational health and energy technological challenges that are demonstrated and validated at active installations for military application. UltraCell’s “Honey Badger 50” fuel cell is the only fuel cell that is part of this program which supports the U.S. Army’s goal of having a technology-enabled force by 2028.

UltraCell’s newly developed Honey Badger 50 Fuel Cell System is optimized to operate on a soldier-worn plate carrier or ruck carried for “on the move” battery charging. Under the program, led by the U.S. Army DEVCOM C5ISR Center, the Honey Badger will undergo rapid design spirals over two years applying user feedback gained during soldier touch points. The Honey Badger system is designed to integrate with materials already in the U.S. Army supply chain.

The portable Honey Badger is breaking new ground in several areas to push forward the renewable energy transition – including moving away from polluting generators and disposable primary batteries. Most importantly, unlike generators with noxious exhaust, the Honey Badger system can be used indoors or operate in the field for soldiers while on the move. By offering advanced technology to create a versatile, lightweight option for users, this innovative fuel cell represents a major step forward.

Some of the many features of the Honey Badger 50 system include:

• Fueled by a NSN 6850-00-926-2275 Cleaning Compound, Windshield (CCW) which is ~70% methanol and water;
• Its material is already in the arsenal with proven supply chain and minimal safety concerns, compared to JP8 fuel;
• Compared to generators, the Honey Badger is very quiet at only 40-45 dBA vs. 90+ dBA.

Dr. Vasilis Gregoriou, Advent Technologies CEO & Founder, commented: “This award by the DoD demonstrates the ability of Advent’s ‘Any Fuel, Anywhere’ technology to deliver innovative, mobile solutions that are at the forefront of the energy transition. UltraCell’s new fuel cell technology will be instrumental in allowing soldiers to be self-sustained over 72- and 96-hour dismounted missions.”

Ian Kaye, UltraCell Founder & General Manager, added: “We are pleased the U.S. Army sees the value that Honey Badger offers the warfighter. After several years of concept development and field trials, we optimized the Honey Badger to address the main concerns that we had observed by U.S. Army Soldiers such as that single-use batteries are not sustainable in the field, and generators are too loud and toxic for close combat operations.”

Just last month, Advent Technologies acquired UltraCell, the fuel cell division of Bren-Tronics, Inc. (“Bren-Tronics”). UltraCell’s technology can use hydrogen or liquid fuels to deliver reliable power at a fraction of the weight of batteries. An UltraCell system is 3x-25x lighter in weight than the equivalent battery solution (depending on the application and use case). The systems have been deployed with excellent performance in stringent and challenging conditions and climates.

About Advent Technologies Holdings, Inc.

Advent Technologies Holdings, Inc. is an innovation-driven company in the fuel cell and hydrogen technology space. Our vision is to accelerate electrification through advanced materials, components, and next-generation fuel cell technology. Our technology applies to electrification (fuel cells) and energy storage (flow batteries, hydrogen production) markets, which we commercialize through partnerships with Tier1s, OEMs, and System Integrators. For more information on Advent Technologies Holdings, Inc., please visit the company’s website at https://www.advent.energy/

Advent subsidiary UltraCell is a leader in lightweight fuel cells for the portable power market with mature products and cutting-edge technology. The portable battery chargers produced by UltraCell are the only "Made in USA" fuel cell products approved by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), and one of the only two manufacturers across NATO. UltraCell units are already deployed in the field by U.S. military and security agencies. Three additional NATO allies are currently testing UltraCell systems. UltraCell’s fuel cell products have also been recognized and presented in multiple global NATO events. For more information, visit www.ultracell-llc.com

Advent Technologies
Elisabeth Maragoula
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Sloane & Company
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Company Also Updates Shareholders on Progress Towards Completing its Previously Announced Merger with Pineapple Energy

MINNETONKA, Minn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Communications Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ: JCS) (“CSI” or the “Company”), an IoT intelligent edge products and services company, today announced financial results for the fourth quarter and full year (“FY”) ended December 31, 2020.

Q4 2020 Financial Highlights vs Q4 2019

• Q4 2020 consolidated sales from continuing operations decreased by 24% to $11.7 million compared to $15.4 million in Q4 2019, due to lower sales from the Electronics & Software segment compared to Q4 2019 when this segment realized $4.2 million in revenues from a single intelligent transportation project and the continuing impact of project delays driven by COVID-19, partially offset by the increased revenues in the Services & Support segment.
• Q4 2020 consolidated operating loss from continuing operations was $133,000, compared to Q4 2019 consolidated operating income from continuing operations of $1.2 million:
  • Electronics & Software operating income was $1.0 million versus $2.8 million in Q4 2019;
  • Services & Support operating loss was $60,000 versus an operating loss of $245,000 in Q4 2019; and
  • Other corporate costs, including indirect costs related to discontinued operations, were $1.1 million versus $1.4 million in Q4 2019.
• Q4 2020 discontinued operations income was $171,000 compared to income of $505,000 in Q4 2019.
• Q4 2020 consolidated net loss was $3,000, or $0.00 per diluted share, compared to a net income of $1.7 million, or $0.18 per diluted share in Q4 2019.

FY 2020 Financial Highlights vs FY 2019

• FY 2020 consolidated sales from continuing operations decreased by 16.4% to $42.6 million compared to $50.9 million in FY 2019.
• FY 2020 consolidated operating loss from continuing operations was $2.7 million compared to income of $9,000 in FY 2019.
• Other corporate costs, including indirect costs related to discontinued operations, were $4.0 million in both FY 2020 and in FY 2019.
• FY 2020 discontinued operations income was $1.6 million compared to income of $6.2 million in FY 2019.
• FY 2020 consolidated net loss was $172,000, or ($0.02) per diluted share, compared to a FY 2019 net income of $6.5 million, or $0.69 per diluted share.
• Cash, cash equivalents, and liquid investments totaled $21.5 million, working capital was $28.3 million and stockholders’ equity was $47.5 million as of December 31, 2020.

Anita Kumar, CEO of CSI commented, “Our full year 2020 financial results were negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Our commercial customers, both in the U.S. and internationally, were substantially affected by reduced growth in building lighting and automation, security and surveillance and intelligent transportation applications, which resulted in delays and declines in project spending. This decline was partially offset by strong demand from the U.S. Federal government. While the duration and the global economic effect of this pandemic is outside of our control, during the year we took several steps to adjust to this challenging new operating and economic environment. We implemented cost-reduction measures, which partially offset lower revenue and resulted in positive operating income and net income for the second half of 2020.”

Dr. Kumar added, “Both our business segments remain fundamentally strong due to the investments we made in new technologies. These investments are aimed at developing easy-to-use / easy-to-integrate software and services that address demand from critical infrastructure initiatives, including security and surveillance, intelligent transportation, smart buildings, and smart cities. With the acquisition of Ecessa, a designer and distributor of SD-WAN for businesses, we expanded our services and support segment broadening our portfolio of products and services. Also, the minority investments we have made in Quortus, Kogniz and Spyrus expanded our ability to explore providing Private LTE, Artificial Intelligence and secure network access solutions to our customers.”

Progress Made Towards Completing its Previously Announced Merger with Pineapple Energy

Of note, on March 2, 2021, CSI announced the signing of a definitive merger agreement with privately held Pineapple Energy, LLC (“Pineapple”), a growing U.S. operator and consolidator of residential solar, battery storage, and grid services solutions. Upon obtaining shareholder approval for the merger and closing, CSI will commence doing business as Pineapple Energy, with a business model focused on the rapidly growing home solar industry.

Commenting on the progress made towards completing the merger with Pineapple, Roger Lacey, Executive Chairman of CSI, commented, “As per the terms of the merger, we intend to divest all of our existing business lines, real estate holdings and other investments, and distribute the proceeds to CSI Shareholders. Currently, we are in discussions with potential buyers for both our operating business segments (Electronics & Software and Services & Support). These businesses could offer potential buyers substantial long-term growth opportunities by unlocking additional synergies, and the ability to expand into adjacent markets, add scale, and broaden their existing product lines. We will provide additional details once we enter into definitive agreements.”

As previously announced, we expect to distribute most of the proceeds from any pre-merger divestitures in the form of a cash dividend to existing CSI shareholders prior to, or concurrent with the effective date of the merger.

The definitive merger agreement with Pineapple, which was approved by CSI’s Board of Directors, is subject to approval by CSI’s shareholders, which we currently expect to occur in June 2021, with the merger expected to close before the end of the second quarter of 2021. For more information about the CSI-Pineapple merger visit https://www.commsystems.com/investor-resources.

FY 2020 Segment Financial Overview

Electronics & Software

Electronics & Software Q4 2020 sales and operating income decreases were driven by the $4.2 million 2019 New York City Department of Transportation (“NYCDOT”) project related revenue which did not reoccur in 2020, and the impact of project delays driven by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Electronics & Software sales decreased 27% to $34,496,000 in FY 2020 compared to $47,007,000 in FY 2019. Sales in North America decreased by 25% or $10,050,000 in FY 2020 compared to 2019 primarily due to delayed project spending by customers due to the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic, $7,050,000 of sales on the NYCDOT IoT project recorded in FY 2019 that did not reoccur in FY 2020, and a decline in sales to a major Canadian telecommunications customer, partially offset by strong sales to Federal agencies. International sales decreased by $2,461,000, or 34%, primarily due to the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and an overall drop in demand for traditional products.

Sales of Intelligent Edge Solutions (“IES”) products decreased 34% or $6,280,000 due to the $7,050,000 of deliveries in FY 2019 for the NYCDOT project that did not reoccur in FY 2020, partially offset by higher sales of security and surveillance products and sales to Federal agencies. Excluding the prior year NYCDOT IoT project, sales of IES products increased by $770,000 or 7%. Traditional product sales decreased 22% or $6,231,000, due mainly to the overall economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic and a decline in media converter orders from major telecommunications customers.

Gross profit decreased by 30% to $14,890,000 in FY 2020 compared to $21,394,000 in FY 2019. Gross margin as a percentage of sales decreased to 43% in 2020 from 46% in 2019 primarily due to the volume and favorable margin impacts from the prior year NYCDOT smart city IoT project that did not reoccur in the current year and increased sales of certain IES products to Federal agencies at lower margins, partially offset by lower inventory write-downs year over year.

Selling, general and administrative expenses decreased by 20% to $13,875,000, or 40% of sales, in FY 2020 from $17,354,000, or 37% of sales in FY 2019 due to reduced travel, marketing and personnel expenses, in part due to steps taken by management in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Electronics & Software had operating income of $1,015,000 in FY 2020 compared to operating income of $4,040,000 in FY 2019, primarily due to lower sales and gross margin.

Services & Support

Services & Support sales increase in Q4 2020 was driven by education sector projects restarted in 2020 and the addition of revenues from Ecessa and IVDesk, which were both acquired in 2020.

Services & Support sales increased by 85% to $8,777,000 in FY 2020 compared to $4,741,000 in FY 2019. Revenues from the education sector increased by $2,557,000 or 133% in FY 2020 primarily due to the commencement of projects that had been previously delayed due to funding issues while the prior year had less project revenue in this sector. Projects for this education customer commenced at the end of the second quarter of FY 2020. Revenue from small to medium businesses (“SMBs”), which are primarily healthcare, financial and commercial clients, increased by 82% or $1,622,000 due to the acquisition of Ecessa on May 14, 2020 and the acquisition of the assets of IVDesk on November 3, 2020. Project and product revenue increased by $2,878,000 or 128% during FY 2020 as compared to FY 2019 due primarily to the increase in the education sector. Services and support revenue increased by $1,158,000 or 46% as compared to the prior year due to the Company’s acquisition of Ecessa, which has service and support revenue on its SD-WAN products. Overall, Ecessa contributed $1,260,000 and IVDesk contributed $401,000 in revenue during the year.

Gross profit increased by 101% to $2,979,000 in FY 2020 compared to $1,482,000 in FY 2019. Gross margin as a percentage of sales increased to 34% in 2020 compared to 31% in 2019 due to the increase in project revenue in the education sector, primarily within the second half of the year.

Selling, general and administrative expenses increased by 80% in FY 2020 to $2,669,000, or 30% of sales, compared to $1,485,000 in FY 2019, or 31% of sales due to the May 2020 acquisition of Ecessa and the inclusion of its general and administrative costs that are not included in the prior year.

Operating income was $310,000 in FY 2020 compared to an operating loss of $3,000 in FY 2019, primarily due to increased education revenue.

Form 10-K

For further information, please see the Company’s Form 10-K, which will be filed on or before March 31, 2021.

About Communications Systems, Inc.

Communications Systems, Inc., which has operated as an IoT intelligent edge products and services company, with its planned merger with Pineapple Energy will be positioned to acquire and grow leading local and regional solar, storage, and energy services companies nationwide. The vision is to power the energy transition through grass-roots growth of solar electricity paired with battery storage on consumers' homes.

Forward Looking Statements

This press release includes certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements regarding future financial performance, future growth and future acquisitions. These statements are based on Communications Systems’ current expectations or beliefs and are subject to uncertainty and changes in circumstances. There can be no guarantee that the proposed CSI- Pineapple Energy transactions and other transactions referred to in this press release will be completed, or that they will be completed as currently proposed, or at any particular time. Actual results may vary materially from those expressed or implied by the statements here due to changes in economic, business, competitive or regulatory factors, and other risks and uncertainties affecting the operation of Communications Systems’ business, as well as the business of Pineapple Energy. These risks, uncertainties and contingencies are presented in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K and, from time to time, in the Company’s other filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The information set forth herein should be read considering these risks. Further, investors should keep in mind that the Company’s financial results in any period may not be indicative of future results. Communications Systems is under no obligation to, and expressly disclaims any obligation to, update or alter its forward-looking statements, whether because of new information, future events, changes in assumptions or otherwise. In addition to these factors, there are a number of specific factors related to this transaction, including:

• The Company’s ability to obtain shareholder approval for the CSI-Pineapple Energy merger and related transactions;
• The ability of Pineapple to successfully close its Hawaii Energy Connection (HEC) and E-GEAR acquisitions and integrate these businesses into its operations;
• The ability of the combined company to successfully maintain a Nasdaq Capital Market listing;
• The ability of the combined company to successfully access the capital markets, identify and acquire appropriate acquisition targets and successfully integrate these companies into its operations;
• The Company’s ability to successfully sell its existing operating business assets and its real estate assets and distribute these proceeds to its existing shareholder base;
• Conditions to the closing of the merger may not be satisfied or the merger may involve unexpected costs, liabilities or delays;
• The occurrence of any other risks to consummation of the merger, including the risk that the merger will not be consummated within the expected time period or any event, change or other circumstances that could give rise to the termination of the merger agreement;
• Risks that the merger disrupts current CSI plans and operations or that the business or stock price of CSI may suffer as a result of uncertainty surrounding the merger;
• The outcome of any legal proceedings related to the merger; and
• CSI or Pineapple Energy may be adversely affected by other economic, business, or competitive factors.

For Communications Systems, Inc.

Anita Kumar
Chief Executive Officer
+1 (952) 996-1674

Roger H. D. Lacey
Executive Chair
+1 (952) 996-1674

Mark D. Fandrich
Chief Financial Officer
+1 (952) 582-6416
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The Equity Group Inc.
Lena Cati
Vice President
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Thomasnet.com® enables states to fulfill domestic sourcing needs, including COVID related supplies

NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--#B2B--Thomas, the leader in product sourcing, supplier selection, and marketing solutions for industry, today announced its new Buy America Act Support Program for Manufacturing Extension Partnerships (MEPs) to help connect state agencies with domestic suppliers of goods and services.

“As the largest and most active network of North American industrial buyers and suppliers, we have a unique opportunity to help propel industry forward at this pivotal time,” said Tony Uphoff, Thomas president and CEO. “We are proud to highlight this new BAA Support Program to help rebuild supply chains, provide more opportunities to American manufacturers, and to supply the data that will accelerate reshoring.”

Specifically, the Thomas Buy American Act Support Program entails:

1. Thomasnet.com^® Free Registration: Thomas will provide free registration for MEPs to access the Thomasnet.com sourcing platform of more than 550,000 North American suppliers in over 70,000 product and services categories. The structured data on Thomas’ platform allows buyers and engineers to source suppliers by product, service, location, certifications, firmographic data, and more. This data will allow MEPs to expedite the identification of manufacturers in their regions that qualify for BAA.
2. Buy America Act (BAA) Designation for Suppliers in Your Geography/District: Thomas will add manufacturers of each MEPs community to its digital database, qualification, and categorization system for free. In addition, Thomas will add a Buy America Act (BAA), Berry Amendment, or Made in the USA designation to qualified suppliers to make them more easily identifiable for buyers seeking American manufacturers.
3. Custom Thomas Data: Thomas can create a customized data resource specifically designed to serve the needs of local MEPs to further enhance their sourcing engagements for their community.

This new program is an extension of Thomas’ efforts to help bolster American manufacturing of PPE, medical equipment, and services. The program aims to address critical vaccine-related needs, as the entire country depends on continued mobilization of the American manufacturing industry to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

Each month over 1.5 million users leverage the Thomasnet.com platform to source suppliers and build their supply chains. Since March 2020, Thomas has spearheaded industry efforts for PPE and vaccine-related production by creating the Thomas COVID-19 Response Suppliers section of the platform - helping millions of medical professionals and businesses stay safe during this difficult time.

Interested organizations can sign up for the Thomas Buy American Act Support Program here.

About Thomas

Thomas provides actionable information, data, analysis, and tools that align with and support today's industrial buying process. Its solutions include the Thomas Network at Thomasnet.com®, industry's largest and most active buyer/supplier network. Through Thomas Marketing Services, the company provides full-service industrial marketing programs and website development. Thomas Product Data Solutions helps manufacturers connect with design engineers through advanced CAD/BIM and data syndication services. Thomas Industrial Data supplies sourcing and supply chain trend data to media, investors, analysts, and researchers to provide market insight and inform decision making. Thomas WebTrax® provides opportunity intelligence on in-market buyers to help marketing and sales teams track, identify and engage high-value prospects. Thomas Insights delivers original content to help marketers and supply chain professionals inform their decision-making, through leading titles including Inbound Logistics®, Thomas Industry Update, Industrial Equipment News® (IEN®), and the Thomas Index™.

Alex Kofsky
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LOS ANGELES--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Romeo Power, Inc. (“Romeo Power” or the “Company”) (NYSE: RMO), an energy technology leader delivering large-scale electrification solutions for complex commercial applications, today announced its preliminary financial results for the fourth quarter and full year ended December 31, 2020.

Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2020 Business Highlights

• Completed business combination with RMG Acquisition Corp. and related PIPE financing, providing an additional $346 million in net proceeds to fund future growth
• Signed a multi-year, $234 million agreement with Lion Electric to supply battery modules and packs for Lion’s fleet of electric commercial vehicles
• Generated revenues of $9.0 million for the full-year 2020
• Cash or cash equivalents as of December 31, 2020 of $292.4 million
• Cash paid for capital expenditures for the year ended December 31, 2020 of $1.3 million

Recent Business Updates

• Signed an MOU with Ecellix to create advanced electrification solutions by combining Ecellix’s ultra-high capacity eCell technology with Romeo Power’s battery packs, modules and battery management system
• Announced a strategic alliance with Republic Services to collaborate on the development of Romeo Power’s battery technology for use in Republic’s electric garbage trucks
• Launched a commercial fleet electrification program with Heritage Environmental Services through which Romeo Power expects to electrify 500 Heritage trucks between 2022 and 2025
• As global demand for raw materials outpaces supply, Romeo Power is subject to a significant shortfall in cell capacity industrywide, and now expects its revenue for 2021 to be in the range of $18-40 million

Management Commentary

“Last year was a pivotal year for Romeo Power, as we completed our merger with RMG Acquisition Corp. in December, strengthened our balance sheet with more than $346 million of new capital and became a public company,” commented Lionel Selwood, Jr., Chief Executive Officer of Romeo Power. “Our team continued to enhance our leading edge battery technology to a point of commercialization, evolving Romeo Power from a late-stage innovator to a commercial enterprise with significant capital inflows. Our achievements over the past year have demonstrated that our highly configurable Hermes module and sophisticated battery pack and battery management systems are the optimal solution for customers that are highly focused on safety, shortened charge times, increasing energy density and range, while maximizing profit per mile, and we are pleased with the commercial engagements signed to date.

Our public listing has raised Romeo Power’s profile and afforded us the resources to continue investing in our business as we methodically establish long-term, multi-year partnerships in the commercial vehicle sector. A notable win in the fourth quarter was our multi-year, $234 million production contract with Lion Electric. Our commercial momentum has continued throughout the first quarter. In January, we announced a program with Heritage Environmental Services, through which Romeo Power expects to electrify 500 battery electric vehicles purchased by Heritage and its affiliates between 2022 and 2025, and a Strategic Alliance Agreement with Republic Services to collaborate on the development of Romeo Power’s battery technology for use in Republic’s electric garbage trucks. We look forward to evolving these partnerships over the course of 2021.

Regarding our 2021 outlook, we expect that our near term production and revenues will be constrained by the shortage in supply of battery cells. As the electric vehicle industry has experienced massive acceleration in recent months, the demand for raw materials and cells has outpaced supply. We expect that this cell shortage will result in Romeo Power’s full year 2021 revenues being materially lower than originally projected. While frustrated, by this delay in bringing our solutions to market, we are working diligently with our preferred cell supply partners to secure allocation and continuous cell innovation for the near-intermediate and longer-term. However, Romeo Power’s long-term demand outlook remains strong and we do not expect short-term cell constraints to affect our committed order backlog.

Our dialogue with new prospective customers remains active and healthy. We remain committed to our current strategy and the work Romeo Power’s team has done over the last four years to build a strong foundation, develop leading technology solutions and commercialize and secure committed orders is beginning to produce notable results. By delivering superior vehicle range and fast charge capability, to complement leading safety and configurability, we believe Romeo Power remains well positioned to navigate current market headwinds and execute our long-term strategy.”

2021 Outlook

As global electrification of the powertrain has hit an inflection point, the industry is experiencing a massive acceleration in growth and the demand for raw materials is outpacing supply. Romeo Power is currently subject to these supply constraints and, as a result of the significant shortfall in battery cell capacity industrywide, Romeo Power now expects its revenue for 2021 to be in the range of $18-40 million. The Company is currently pursuing extensive discussions with several preferred providers regarding establishing long-term cell supply agreements. Romeo Power remains focused on procuring cells that have met its rigorous cell supply validation processes, as this is critical to ensuring that the Company can deliver a safer and better product with higher energy density and superior fast charge capability relative to the competition. Romeo Power’s commercial and strategic priorities remain unchanged and the current cell shortage is not expected to affect the Company’s contracted order backlog.

Annual Report

Romeo Power also announced today that due to uncertainty regarding the accounting treatment for its public and private warrants it will not file its Annual Report on Form 10-K tomorrow, and will file a Form 12b-25 with the Securities and Exchange Commission. As a result, the numbers presented here are currently preliminary and unaudited.

Conference Call Information

Romeo Power will host a conference call at 2:00 p.m. U.S. Pacific Time (5:00 p.m. U.S. Eastern Time) today, March 30, 2021. Participating on the call will be Lionel Selwood, Jr., President and Chief Executive Officer, and Lauren Webb, Chief Financial Officer, of Romeo Power. To access the conference call, parties should visit the events section of the Investor Relations website at https://investors.romeopower.com/. A recording of the webcast will also be available following the conference call.

Forward Looking Statements

Certain statements in this press release may constitute “forward looking statements” within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. When used in this press release, the words “estimates,” “projected,” “expects,” “anticipates,” “forecasts,” “plans,” “intends,” “believes,” “seeks,” “may,” “will,” “should,” “future,” “propose” and variations of these words or similar expressions (or the negative versions of such words or expressions) are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, express or implied statements concerning the Company’s expectations regarding its future financial performance, revenues and capital expenditures, the Company’s expectations with respect to backlog and demand for its products, the magnitude and timing of future contracts, and the availability and pricing of battery cells, are not guarantees of future performance, conditions or results, and involve a number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties, assumptions and other important factors, many of which are outside Romeo Power’s management’s control, that could cause actual results or outcomes to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements. Important factors, among others, that may affect actual results or outcomes include: Romeo Power’s ability to execute on its plans to develop and market new products and the timing of these development programs; Romeo Power’s estimates of the size of the markets for its products; the rate and degree of market acceptance of Romeo Power’s products; the success of other competing technologies that may become available; Romeo Power’s ability to identify and integrate acquisitions; the performance of Romeo Power’s products and customers; potential litigation involving Romeo Power; demand for battery cells and supply shortages; the potential effects of COVID-19; and general economic and market conditions impacting demand for Romeo Power’s products. You should carefully consider the foregoing factors and the other risks and uncertainties described in the Company’s filings with the SEC. If any of these risks materialize or our assumptions prove incorrect, actual results could differ materially from those implied by our forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements, and Romeo Power undertakes no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as required by law.

Note Regarding Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures

This press release contains non-GAAP financial measures, including EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA. “EBITDA” is defined as earnings before interest income and expense, income tax expense or benefit, and depreciation and amortization. “Adjusted EBITDA” has been calculated using EBITDA adjusted for losses on the extinguishment of debt, stock-based compensation, settlement of certain legal matters, and forgiveness of a portion of stockholder notes receivable. The Company believes that both EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA provide additional information for investors to use in (1) evaluating our ongoing operating results and trends and (2) comparing our financial performance with those of comparable companies, which may disclose similar non-GAAP financial measures to investors. These non-GAAP measures provide investors with incremental information for the evaluation of our performance after isolation of certain items deemed unrelated to our core business operations. EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA are presented as supplemental measures to our GAAP measures of performance. When evaluating EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA, you should be aware that we may incur future expenses similar to those excluded when calculating these measures. In addition, our presentation of these measures should not be construed as an inference that our future results will be unaffected by unusual or non-recurring items. Furthermore, our computation of Adjusted EBITDA may not be directly comparable to similarly titled measures computed by other companies, as the nature of the adjustments that other companies may include or exclude when calculating Adjusted EBITDA may differ from the adjustments reflected in our measure. Because of these limitations, EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA should not be considered in isolation, nor should these measures be viewed as a substitute for the most directly comparable GAAP measure, which is net loss. As appropriate, the most directly comparable GAAP financial measures and information reconciling these non-GAAP financial measures to the Company’s financial results prepared in accordance with GAAP are included in this press release.

About Romeo Power, Inc.

Founded in 2016 and headquartered in Los Angeles, California, Romeo Power (NYSE: RMO) is an energy technology leader delivering large-scale electrification solutions for complex commercial applications. The Company’s suite of advanced hardware, combined with its innovative battery management system, delivers the safety, performance, reliability and configurability its customers need to succeed. Romeo Power's 113,000 square-foot manufacturing facility brings its flexible design and development process in-house to pack the most energy dense modules on the market. To keep up with everything Romeo Power, please follow the Company on social @romeopowerinc or visit https://romeopower.com.

Financial Statements

Romeo Power

For Investors
ICR, Inc.
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• Fund’s thematic investment approach seeks to identify companies that will benefit from global megatrends in demographic, environmental, technological, and governance transitions
• Maximizes exposure to companies with a positive impact on the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, as well as those with strong performance on material ESG factors
• Managed by Mirova, a global leader in ESG investing and part of the PRI Leaders Group 2020

BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--#ESG--Natixis Investment Managers (Natixis) and Mirova today celebrated the five-year anniversary of the Mirova Global Sustainable Equity Fund (ESGYX), an active, high-conviction global equity mutual fund that seeks to invest in companies that are well-positioned to benefit from long-term technological, demographic, environmental and governance trends that will shape the global economy in the coming decade. The fund is managed by Mirova, an affiliate of Natixis Investment Managers dedicated to sustainable investment and one of only 20 asset managers selected by the Principles for Responsible Investment (PRI) organization to the PRI Leaders Group 2020.

Launched on March 31, 2016, the Mirova Global Sustainable Equity Fund is a high-active share, all- cap global equity portfolio that seeks long-term capital appreciation by maximizing exposure to companies with a positive impact on the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals, as well as those with strong performance on material environmental, social and governance (ESG) indicators. The fund provides diversified exposure to global equities and can improve investors’ portfolio sustainability and carbon footprint – like all of Mirova’s equity portfolios, the fund is aligned with a 2°C global warming scenario, in line with the Paris Agreement.

“The past five years have only strengthened our conviction that these four major global transitions will drive tremendous opportunities for both investors and society,” said Jens Peers, CFA, CEO and CIO at Mirova US. “We also believe companies that focus on long-term sustainable practices and integrate ESG into their cultures will outperform in the long run and create value for investors.”

“This milestone shows that investments designed to capitalize on ESG factors and trends can be a strong part of investor portfolios,” said David Giunta, CEO for the US at Natixis Investment Managers. “Mirova has been a leader in ESG investing for decades, and this fund continues their tradition of strong active management, engaged stewardship, and investor focus.”

The Mirova Global Sustainable Equity Fund benefits from Mirova’s deeply rooted experience in global sustainable investing and leadership in ESG. The portfolio management team conducts detailed fundamental research to select companies with competitive advantages that seek to deliver value over the long term and have high barriers to entry, drawing on a team of multi-disciplinary specialists and a Responsible Investment Research Team with analysts solely dedicated to thematic ESG research.

The fund is co-managed by Hua Cheng, PhD, CFA®, Amber Fairbanks, CFA® and Jens Peers, CFA®. The fund seeks to maintain a relatively concentrated portfolio of approximately 50 global stocks and is managed by Mirova US LLC. To provide flexibility and choice for investors, the strategy is also available to eligible financial advisors and their clients through retail separately managed accounts (SMA).

The team also co-manages two additional mutual funds which use the same investment approach to build portfolios of stocks focused on different regions. The Mirova US Sustainable Equity Fund (MUSYX), launched by Natixis in December 2020, invests in a portfolio of 30–50 US stocks. The Mirova International Sustainable Equity Fund (MRVYX), launched by Natixis in December 2018, invests in a portfolio of approximately 50 non-US stocks. Both strategies are also available to eligible financial advisors and their clients as SMAs.

About Mirova
Mirova is an investment manager dedicated to responsible investment. Through a conviction-driven investment approach, Mirova’s goal is to combine value creation over the long term with sustainable development. Mirova’s experts have been pioneers in many areas of sustainable finance. Their ambition is to keep innovating to create the most impactful solutions to meet their clients’ goals. Mirova manages $23.9 billion as of December 31, 2020, which includes $4.96 billion managed by its US subsidiary that manages the Mirova Global Sustainable Equity Fund, Mirova US LLC.

About Natixis Investment Managers
Natixis Investment Managers serves financial professionals with more insightful ways to construct portfolios. Powered by the expertise of more than 20 specialized investment managers globally, we apply Active Thinking^® to deliver proactive solutions that help clients pursue better outcomes in all markets. Natixis Investment Managers ranks among the world’s largest asset management firms¹ with nearly $1.4 trillion assets under management² (€1,135.5 billion).

Headquartered in Paris and Boston, Natixis Investment Managers is a subsidiary of Natixis. Listed on the Paris Stock Exchange, Natixis is a subsidiary of BPCE, the second-largest banking group in France. Natixis Investment Managers’ affiliated investment management firms include AEW; Alliance Entreprendre; AlphaSimplex Group; DNCA Investments;³ Dorval Asset Management; Flexstone Partners; Gateway Investment Advisers; H2O Asset Management; Harris Associates; Investors Mutual Limited; Loomis, Sayles & Company; Mirova; MV Credit; Naxicap Partners; Ossiam; Ostrum Asset Management; Seeyond; Seventure Partners; Thematics Asset Management; Vauban Infrastructure Partners; Vaughan Nelson Investment Management; Vega Investment Managers;⁴ and WCM Investment Management. Additionally, investment solutions are offered through Natixis Investment Managers Solutions, and Natixis Advisors offers other investment services through its AIA and MPA division. Not all offerings available in all jurisdictions. For additional information, please visit Natixis Investment Managers’ website at im.natixis.com | LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/natixis-investment-managers.

Natixis Investment Managers’ distribution and service groups include Natixis Distribution, L.P., a limited purpose broker-dealer and the distributor of various US registered investment companies for which advisory services are provided by affiliated firms of Natixis Investment Managers, Natixis Investment Managers S.A. (Luxembourg), Natixis Investment Managers International (France), and their affiliated distribution and service entities in Europe and Asia.

Before investing, consider the fund's investment objectives, risks, charges, and expenses. Visit im.natixis.com or call 800-862-4863 for a prospectus or a summary prospectus or a summary prospectus containing this and other information. Read it carefully.

Natixis Distribution, L.P. is a limited purpose broker-dealer and the distributor of various registered investment companies for which advisory services are provided by affiliates of Natixis Investment Managers. • Natixis Distribution, L.P. is located at 888 Boylston Street, Suite 800, Boston, MA 02199-8197 • 800-225-5478 • im.natixis.com • Member FINRA | SIPC

Risks: Equity securities are volatile and can decline significantly in response to broad market and economic conditions.

Security Risk: Foreign and emerging market securities may be subject to greater political, economic, environmental, credit, currency and information risks. Foreign securities may be subject to change.

¹ Cerulli Quantitative Update: Global Markets 2020 ranked Natixis Investment Managers as the 17th largest asset manager in the world based on assets under management as of December 31, 2019.
² Assets under management (“AUM”) as of December 31, 2020 is $1,389.7 billion. AUM, as reported, may include notional assets, assets serviced, gross assets, assets of minority-owned affiliated entities and other types of non-regulatory AUM managed or serviced by firms affiliated with Natixis Investment Managers.
³ A brand of DNCA Finance.
⁴ A wholly-owned subsidiary of Natixis Wealth Management.

3507958.1.2

NATIXIS INVESTMENT MANAGERS
Kelly Cameron
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Dien Xanh Gia Lai Investment Energy Joint Stock Company’s 100 MW onshore wind farms will help support Vietnam’s economic growth and sustainability goals

BANGKOK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Vietnam is expanding its power generation capacity as it balances its generation portfolio and meets the soaring energy demand of its growing population and flourishing economy.

To advance energy security with decarbonization and sustainability commitments, Vietnam is prioritizing the development of its renewable energy infrastructure.

Renewable energy, according to Black & Veatch’s Strategic Directions: Electric Industry Asia 2021 Report, is expected to experience the most significant investment growth in new generation capacity over the next three to five years.

The Ia Pech 1 and Ia Pech 2 wind farms, located in Ia Grai district of Gia Lai province, are examples of investments in Vietnam’s renewable energy developments.

Dien Xanh Gia Lai Investment Energy Joint Stock Company, the developer of the la Pech wind farms, has engaged Black & Veatch as the Owner’s Engineer for both wind farms. Each Ia Pech wind farm project will have a capacity of 50 megawatts (MW).

“Black & Veatch is actively engaged in Southeast Asia’s energy transition, drawing on our global expertise and local experience. With capabilities and expertise spanning the entire project life cycle and across generation, transmission and distribution technologies, we have been partnering with power producers around the world to deploy reliable and forward-looking renewable energy solutions,” said Narsingh Chaudhary, Black & Veatch's Executive Vice President & Managing Director, Asia Power Business.

As the Owner’s Engineer of the la Pech wind farms, Black & Veatch will undertake services including project management, project control, design review, quality assurance, construction monitoring and commissioning support.

The Ia Pech wind farms will generate and sell power to Vietnam Electricity for 20 years. Construction of the farms is scheduled to begin in 2021 and commercial operation is estimated to start by fourth quarter of 2021.

“The power industry’s growing use of wind power in its generation mix aligns well with our full range of innovative wind power solutions, allowing us to continue to serve an ever-evolving market,” added Dave Hallowell, Black & Veatch’s Senior Vice President, Global Renewable Energy.

Black & Veatch has supported over 56 GW of wind power globally. This includes providing lead technical advice for over 36,000 MW of wind power, development and execution support for over 19,500 MW of wind power, and over 1,200 MW of detailed design for wind power. The company was recognized by leading source of infrastructure, power and renewable news, data and analysis Inframation and SparkSpread as the top technical advisor by deal count for 2020.

Editor’s Notes:

• Black & Veatch delivers a broad array of services, from renewables strategic planning and project development support to project implementation, grid connection and asset management. Our experience with renewable projects includes wind, solar thermal, solar photovoltaics, biomass, hydro, geothermal, landfill gas and marine.
• The International Monetary Fund (IMF) projects growth in Vietnam’s economy to be 6.5 percent in 2021.

About Black & Veatch

Black & Veatch is an employee-owned global engineering, procurement, consulting and construction company with a more than 100-year track record of innovation in sustainable infrastructure. Since 1915, we have helped our clients improve the lives of people around the world by addressing the resilience and reliability of our most important infrastructure assets. Our revenues in 2020 exceeded US$3.0 billion. Follow us on www.bv.com and on social media.

Emily Chia
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+65 9875 8907 M
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PARIS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Regulatory News:

With CAN0P-2030 (Carbon Net Zero Plan), Gecina (Paris:GFC) is accelerating its low-carbon roadmap and targeting net zero greenhouse gas emissions for its operations by 2030, building on the successful reduction of its carbon emissions by 26% over the past four years.

Transformative ambition aligned with Gecina’s core values

The Company’s CSR policy is wide-ranging, integrated and fully aligned with its purpose: “Empowering shared human experiences at the heart of our sustainable spaces”. The decarbonization of its activities is at the heart of this policy, which is structured around four pillars: low carbon, biodiversity, wellbeing and circular economy.

Driven by its tangible results since 2017, Gecina is accelerating its targets faced with the climate emergency by aiming to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2030 across its operational portfolio, bringing its initial target forward by 20 years.

Low-carbon know-how and concrete results

Since 2008, Gecina has halved its CO₂ emissions, including a 26% reduction in the last four years, accelerating its roadmap. This reduction has enabled it to cut its emissions three times more quickly than average for the sector in France according to the Green Building Observatory (OID).

Gecina has a portfolio of buildings that meets the market’s best standards, with HQE/BREEAM In Use certification for 80% of its office assets (versus just 11% of the market according to an OID benchmark), while 100% of its buildings under development have the highest levels of certification.

Alongside this, Gecina has rolled out the BBCA Renovation label across its development pipeline, thanks in particular to its circular economy policy, which contributes to the portfolio’s carbon performance once assets are in operation. Today, these projects are around 40% more carbon-efficient during their construction phase than they were in 2016.

Thanks to all of these performances, Gecina is regularly ranked as one of the most advanced companies for CSR by the leading sustainability rating agencies. Its ambitious low-carbon strategy was recognized by the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), which awarded it its highest “A List” status.

To achieve its goal of net zero carbon emissions, Gecina is leveraging several operational aspects:

- Deploying low-carbon solutions on a wide scale, industrializing processes and working with an ecosystem of innovative partners, from industrial firms to startup incubators and investment funds such as Demeter Paris Fonds Vert and Fifth Wall,

- Increasing the use of renewable energies, which already represent 40% of the energy mix with its CSR policy,

- Continuing to reduce energy consumption by carrying out renovation work,

- Further strengthening the integration of its environmental and financial performance by continuing to set up responsible loans.

Collective, company-wide ambition

CAN0P-2030 will help drive the Company’s transformation and aims to bring on board all of its employees and external stakeholders (clients, suppliers, city organizations, etc.).

To achieve its ambitions, the Company is moving forward with the deployment of shared value creation drivers that have already been put in place, including:

1. Establishing an internal carbon tax covering CO₂ emissions for each operational division. This internal tax feeds into an internal carbon fund focused on supporting low-carbon actions proposed by employees. In the past two years, 13 projects have been supported.
2. Incorporating an environmental performance criterion into long-term incentive plans for its employees.
3. Setting up a Corporate Social Responsibility Committee within its Board of Directors in 2020.
4. Integrating CSR into all of the Company’s activities (employee empowerment and engagement, cultural integration and training).

About Gecina

As a specialist for centrality and uses, Gecina operates innovative and sustainable living spaces. The Group owns, manages and develops Europe’s leading office portfolio, with nearly 97% located in the Paris Region, and a portfolio of residential assets and student residences, with over 9,000 apartments. These portfolios are valued at 19.7 billion euros at end-2020.

Gecina has firmly established its focus on innovation and its human approach at the heart of its strategy to create value and deliver on its purpose: “Empowering shared human experiences at the heart of our sustainable spaces”. For our 100,000 clients, this ambition is supported by our client-centric brand YouFirst. It is also positioned at the heart of UtilesEnsemble, our solidarity commitment program to the environment, to people and to the quality of life in cities.

Gecina is a French real estate investment trust (SIIC) listed on Euronext Paris, and is part of the SBF 120, CAC Next 20, CAC Large 60, CAC 40 ESG and Euronext 100 indices. Gecina is also recognized as one of the top-performing companies in its industry by leading sustainability benchmarks and rankings (GRESB, Sustainalytics, MSCI, ISS ESG and CDP).

www.gecina.fr

GECINA

Financial communications
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DUBLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--The "Oil and Gas Map of the Eastern Mediterranean, 2nd Edition" map has been added to ResearchAndMarkets.com's offering.

The map has comprehensive data, charts and illustrations to give an authoritative analysis of trends in the emerging Eastern Mediterranean oil and gas sector.

Mapping:

Digital terrain model base map of the Eastern Mediterranean region

Mapping Content:

• Oil and gas pipelines, including those planned, proposed and under construction
• Major oil and gas producing areas/fields
• LNG import regasification terminals by status [existing, under construction and planned]
• LNG export liquefaction plants by status [existing, under construction and planned]
• Oil refinery (Start date, operator and capacity in barrels per day)
• Bio-refinery (Start date, operator and capacity in barrels per day)
• Tanker terminals
• Oil storage
• Gas processing plant
• Underground gas storage (existing, under construction and planned/proposed

Inset Maps:

• Offshore Egypt's Nile Basin
• Offshore Israel
• Offshore Cyprus
• Offshore Lebanon
• Greece Concession areas
• Offshore Albania and Montenegro

Tables and Graphics Showing:

• Oil and gas proved reserves, production and consumption 2018 (by selected Eastern Mediterranean countries)
• Detailed call-out boxes for individual LNG import and export facilities

Technical Specs:

• Size: 1,260mm x 891mm
• Style: Landscape
• Scale: 1:1,845,000

For more information about this map visit https://www.researchandmarkets.com/r/5u6eo5

ResearchAndMarkets.com
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Transaction remains on track to close in the second half of 2021

ORANGE, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--AVANGRID, Inc. (NYSE: AGR), a leading sustainable energy company, announced today that, together with TNMP (Texas-New Mexico Power Company), it has reached a unanimous settlement with the Staff of the Public Utility Commission of Texas (PUCT) and the intervenors. The signed agreement has been filed with the PUCT by AVANGRID, TNMP, Staff and the intervenors in the proceeding for the approval of the proposed merger with PNM Resources (NYSE: PNM). TNMP is the PNM Resources Texas utility subsidiary.

The PUCT is expected to consider the unanimous settlement in the near future. In the settlement, all parties agree the proposed merger, including the regulatory commitments made by the applicants, is in the public interest.

“We are pleased with the Texas settlement milestone and the continued progress of the required regulatory approvals for this important transaction,” said Dennis V. Arriola, CEO of AVANGRID. “We are hopeful the unanimous settlement will result in approval of the combination between PNM Resources and AVANGRID.”

“Combining AVANGRID and TNMP’s parent company, PNM Resources, strengthens our commitment to a clean energy future,” Arriola continued. “The merger will deliver tangible benefits for Texas customers, while maintaining the crucial role of TNMP’s senior management and employees in managing the utility.”

Today’s announcement follows the recent Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approval, the approval of the merger by PNM Resources’ shareholders, the receipt of regulatory clearance from the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) and the expiration of the waiting period under the Hart-Scott-Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act.

In addition to the settlement, AVANGRID continues to pursue state and Federal regulatory approvals for the merger, including from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), as well as the New Mexico Public Regulation Commission.

AVANGRID announced the strategic PNM Resources merger combination in October 2020 in an all cash offer for PNM Resources’ shares at $50.30 per share, an $8.3 billion enterprise value transaction. The resulting entity would be one of the major clean energy companies in the US with ten regulated utilities in six states and the third largest renewables company with operations in 24 states.

About AVANGRID: AVANGRID, Inc. (NYSE: AGR) aspires to be the leading sustainable energy company in the United States. Headquartered in Orange, CT with approximately $38 billion in assets and operations in 24 U.S. states, AVANGRID has two primary lines of business: Avangrid Networks and Avangrid Renewables. Avangrid Networks owns and operates eight electric and natural gas utilities, serving more than 3.3 million customers in New York and New England. Avangrid Renewables owns and operates a portfolio of renewable energy generation facilities across the United States. AVANGRID employs approximately 7,000 people and has been recognized by Forbes and Just Capital as one of the 2021 JUST 100 companies – a list of America’s best corporate citizens – and was ranked number one within the utility sector for its commitment to the environment and the communities it serves. The company supports the U.N.’s Sustainable Development Goals and was named among the World’s Most Ethical Companies in 2021 for the third consecutive year by the Ethisphere Institute. For more information, visit www.avangrid.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

Certain statements made in this press release for AVANGRID that relate to future events or expectations, developments, projections, estimates, intentions, goals, targets, and strategies are made pursuant to the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements contained in this Press Release that do not relate to matters of historical fact should be considered forward-looking statements, and are generally identified by words such as “may,” “will,” “would,” “can,” “expect(s),” “intend(s),” “anticipate(s),” “estimate(s),” “believe(s),” “future,” “could,” “should,” “plan(s),” “aim(s),” “assume(s)”, “project(s)”, “target(s)”), “forecast(s)”, “seek(s)” and or the negative of such terms or other variations on such terms, comparable terminology or similar expressions. These forward-looking statements generally include statements regarding the potential transaction between AVANGRID and PNM Resources, including any statements regarding the expected timetable for completing the potential merger, the ability to complete the potential merger, the expected benefits of the potential merger, projected financial information, future opportunities, and any other statements regarding AVANGRID’s and PNM Resources’ future expectations, beliefs, plans, objectives, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows, or future events or performance. Readers are cautioned that all forward-looking statements are based upon current reasonable beliefs, expectations and assumptions. AVANGRID assumes any obligation to update this information. Because actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements, AVANGRID cautions readers not to place undue reliance on these statements.

AVANGRID’s business, financial condition, cash flow, and operating results are influenced by many factors, which are often beyond its control, that can cause actual results to differ from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. For a discussion of risk factors and other important factors affecting forward-looking statements, please see AVANGRID’s Form 10-K and Form 10-Q filings and the information filed on Avangrid’s Forms 8-K with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) as well as its subsequent SEC filings, and the risks and uncertainties related to the proposed merger with PNM Resources, including, but not limited to: the expected timing and likelihood of completion of the pending merger, including the timing, receipt and terms and conditions of any required governmental and regulatory approvals of the pending merger that could reduce anticipated benefits or cause the parties to abandon the transaction, the failure by AVANGRID to obtain the necessary financing arrangement set forth in commitment letter received in connection with the Merger, the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstances that could give rise to the termination of the merger agreement, the risk that the parties may not be able to satisfy the conditions to the proposed Merger in a timely manner or at all, risks related to disruption of management time from ongoing business operations due to the proposed Merger, and the risk that the proposed transaction and its announcement could have an adverse effect on the ability of PNM Resources to retain and hire key personnel and maintain relationships with its customers and suppliers, and on its operating results and businesses generally. Other unpredictable or unknown factors not discussed in this communication could also have material adverse effects on forward looking statements. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements that speak only as of the date hereof.

Media:
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Artificial intelligence-powered customer engagement solution brings consumption-level insights for customers to better manage energy usage and carbon footprints

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Bidgely in partnership with Electric Ireland, Ireland’s largest energy retailer, announced the introduction of an AI-powered customer engagement solution delivered via email and web portal that creates new customer value from smart meter data. With the roll out of approximately 2.4M smart meters in Ireland over the next three years, the customer-centric programme will provide appliance-level consumption insights based on a home’s actual energy usage data collected by smart meters and is aimed at helping customers more effectively manage their energy usage and carbon footprints.

“Smart meters introduce new opportunities for Electric Ireland to create more customer value through personalised and engaging insights that reveal the details about how customers are using energy,” said Susan Whyte, smart meter programme manager at Electric Ireland. “Our pioneering use of established tools for maximising the value of customer data in Ireland is backed by Bidgely’s global track record of delivering increased customer engagement and satisfaction.”

Through email and web portal enhancements that personalise energy insights and educate customers on their individual usage, Electric Ireland can recommend the best price plans for each consumer. Electric Ireland can seamlessly integrate these insights to provide tailored content for generated email notifications and also add value to its residential web portal.

“We applaud Electric Ireland for being a first-mover in AI-powered data analytics; an initiative that brings greater value to energy consumers and serves as a strong competitive advantage in a region that vies for customer loyalty and satisfaction,” said Abhay Gupta, CEO of Bidgely. “Bidgely has worked diligently to bring its Silicon Valley innovation to energy providers around the world, and like others, Electric Ireland stands to benefit from our higher than average industry engagement and satisfaction rates.”

To learn more about how personalised energy insights are driving the new normal and global energy revolution, watch this session with research firms IDC and Delta-EE from Bidgely Engage Europe.

About Bidgely

Bidgely is an AI-powered SaaS Company accelerating a clean energy future by enabling energy companies and consumers to make data-driven energy-related decisions. Powered by our unique patented technology, Bidgely's UtilityAI™ Platform transforms multiple dimensions of customer data - such as energy consumption, demographic, and interactions - into deeply accurate and actionable consumer energy insights. We leverage these insights to empower each customer with personalized recommendations, tailored to their individual personality and lifestyle, usage attributes, behavioral patterns, purchase propensity, and beyond. From a Distributed Energy Resources (DER) and Grid Edge perspective, whether it is smart thermostats to EV chargers, solar PVs to TOU rate designs and tariffs; UtilityAI™ energy analytics provides deep visibility into generation, consumption for better peak load shaping and grid planning, and delivers targeted recommendations for new value-added products and services. With roots in Silicon Valley, Bidgely has over 17 energy patents, $50M+ in funding, retains 30+ data scientists, and brings a passion for AI to utilities serving residential and commercial customers around the world. For more information, please visit www.bidgely.com or the Bidgely blog at bidgely.com/blog.

Christine Bennett
Bidgely
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150 DC fast charging spots funded thus far paves the way toward Collaborative’s $1 billion national charging goal

ALEXANDRIA, Va. & CAMPBELL, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--#Bethechange--ChargePoint, Inc. (NYSE:CHPT) a leading electric vehicle (“EV”) charging network, and NATSO, representing travel plazas and truckstops, today announced significant progress in the first year of the National Highway Charging Collaborative, an initiative that will leverage $1 billion in public and private capital to deploy charging at more than 4,000 travel plazas and fuel stops serving highway travelers and rural communities nationwide by 2030. In its first year, the public-private Collaborative successfully funded more than 150 DC fast charging spots with additional access to more than 1,500 publicly available DC fast charging spots for consumers on ChargePoint’s existing network.

The Collaborative continues to aggressively scale its efforts, expecting to reach $1 billion in investments by 2030. This is in line with the expected arrival rate of dozens of new EV models. The National Highway Charging Collaborative is increasing access to EV charging along highways and in rural North America by filling infrastructure gaps along the National Highway System, including along the Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA) designated alternative fuel corridors. The FHWA also highlights the National Highway Charging Collaborative as part of its Alternative Fuel Corridors Best Practices.

Bloomberg NEF estimates EVs will make up 10 percent of all vehicles sold by 2025 and increase to more than 29 percent by 2030. With more than $11 million of public and private funding leveraged to date as part of the Collaborative, new fast charge sites are connecting rural communities and enabling long distance electric travel across more than eight states including California, Florida, Iowa, Missouri, and Washington. The Collaborative has attracted support from some of the nation’s most prominent travel plaza, convenience store and truckstop brands, including Kum & Go, Donna’s Travel Plaza, Love’s Travel Stops and Trillium, its alternative and renewable fuel provider; the Iowa 80 Group, and others.

“ChargePoint’s ongoing effort to significantly expand access to charging across cities, rural communities, and along highways is core to our mission and the collaboration with NATSO is already making significant progress toward that goal,” said Colleen Jansen, Chief Marketing Officer, ChargePoint. “The National Highway Collaborative is poised to be one of the nation’s foremost examples of how partnerships can be designed to scale vital charging infrastructure. The progress to date has created the foundation for the scaling of fast charging to support long distance electric travel and enable fast charging in urban and rural communities as a complement to the buildout of level 2 charging nationwide. The buildout of charging is expected to increase in the coming years in line with dozens of new EV models anticipated to hit North American roads as the shift to electrification takes hold.”

“Together with ChargePoint, we are harnessing the nation’s vast fuel retailing network to ensure that drivers of electric vehicles have a reliable place to fuel,” said NATSO President and CEO Lisa Mullings. “In order for consumers to move to EVs, they need to be confident that they will be able to refuel as reliably as they do today. With thousands of established locations crisscrossing the nation, the private sector will ensure that drivers of electric-powered cars will not suffer from range anxiety. We are well suited to efficiently meet customer demand for electricity while providing the amenities and safe experience that they have come to expect as they refuel.”

“Kum & Go is looking to the future with electric vehicle charging,” said Ken Kleemeier, Vice President, Fuels at Kum & Go. “The marketplace is moving in this direction, and Kum & Go is putting the infrastructure in place to ensure that we are ahead of the curve.”

"We believe that EV charging will be an important service that our customers will demand in the years ahead,” said Brian Couch, Owner of Donna’s Travel Plaza in Tulalip, Washington. “We are happy to be working with NATSO and ChargePoint to help us begin offering these services to our customers."

As part of an MOU announced in February 2020, the two organizations agreed that the National Highway Charging Collaborative will, by 2030:

• Deploy charging infrastructure at 4,000 travel centers and fuel stops, leveraging $1 billion in capital.
• Provide charging infrastructure at fueling locations across the United States with a focus on connecting rural communities.
• Expand availability of charging infrastructure and connect existing Federal Highway Administration-designated FAST Act corridors.
• Work together to achieve policy outcomes to support each of these objectives.

The Collaborative also advocates for public policies that are designed to create a business case for off-highway fuel retailers to invest in EV charging infrastructure. In those jurisdictions, the initiative continues to identify an increasing number of public and private funding sources available to support the expansion of EV charging at strategically determined locations.

For more information about the National Highway Collaborative, visit nationalhighwaychargingcollaborative.com.

About ChargePoint

ChargePoint is creating the new fueling network to move all people and goods on electricity. Since 2007, ChargePoint has been committed to making it easy for businesses and drivers to go electric with one of the largest EV charging networks and most complete portfolio of charging solutions available today. ChargePoint’s cloud subscription platform and software-defined charging hardware are designed to include options for every charging scenario from home and multifamily to workplace, parking, hospitality, retail and transport fleets of all types. Today, one ChargePoint account provides access to hundreds-of-thousands of places to charge in North America and Europe. To date, more than 90 million charging sessions have been delivered, with drivers plugging into the ChargePoint network approximately every two seconds. For more information, visit the ChargePoint pressroom, the ChargePoint Investor Relations site, or contact ChargePoint’s This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. press offices or the This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

About NATSO

NATSO has been representing travel plaza and truckstop owners and operators for nearly 60 years and pursues a clear mission: to advance the success of truckstop and travel plaza members by delivering solutions to members’ challenges and achieving the public policy goals of the truckstop and travel plaza industry. Headquartered just outside Washington, D.C., NATSO is the only national trade association representing the travel plaza and truckstop industry. NATSO advances the industry’s interests on highway issues such as commercialization, tolling and truck parking and represents the industry on environmental and energy issues. Contact: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it., Vice President, Public Affairs.

Darryll Harrison, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

HOUSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Halliburton Company (NYSE: HAL) today announced it successfully delivered real-time control of fracture placement while pumping on a multi-well pad using the SmartFleet™ intelligent fracturing system in the Permian Basin.

An industry first, SmartFleet applies automation enabled by subsurface measurements and real-time visualization to intelligently adapt and respond to reservoir behavior, driving real-time improvement in completion execution and fracture outcomes.

SmartFleet intelligent fracturing system delivered several groundbreaking achievements. It provided the operator with real-time visibility downhole to instantly validate fracture performance and manage fracture placement – allowing the operator to consistently visualize and measure fracture propagation and ultimately control fracture placement through automation. With enhanced 3D measurement and live insights, the operator shortened the learning curve by solving fracture optimization challenges that historically would have taken numerous iterations to address. This resulted in more dynamic and accurate decision-making, as well as live placement and execution adjustments that ultimately improved asset economics.

Using intelligent automation, the system resulted in less total fluid required per stage, significantly extended stage lengths, and more consistently placed all the designed proppant for the stage. Additionally, SmartFleet successfully delivered uniform fracture distribution across clusters, more consistently, stage to stage and well to well, improving uniform treatment placement by up to 20 percent compared to conventional baseline fracture stages.

“No other system lets you see, measure, and control how you land your fracs,” said Michael Segura, vice president of Production Enhancement. “If you want every stage to count, SmartFleet intelligent automation gives you the confidence to drive fracture performance in real time, so you can continually optimize cost and performance.”

ABOUT HALLIBURTON

Founded in 1919, Halliburton is one of the world's largest providers of products and services to the energy industry. With more than 40,000 employees, representing 130 nationalities in more than 70 countries, the Company helps its customers maximize value throughout the lifecycle of the reservoir – from locating hydrocarbons and managing geological data, to drilling and formation evaluation, well construction and completion, and optimizing production throughout the life of the asset. Visit the Company’s website at www.halliburton.com. Connect with Halliburton on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and YouTube.

For Investors:
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Investor Relations
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281-871-2688

For News Media:
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External Affairs
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281-871-2601

Bloom to Deploy More than 40 Megawatts of Energy in the Northeast under Distributed Energy Resource Program

SAN JOSE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Bloom Energy (NYSE: BE) today announced it has begun to deploy a portfolio of more than 40 megawatts of solid oxide fuel cells in the Northeast through a series of agreements under a Community Distributed Generation (CDG) program, which encourages investment and deployment of clean energy technologies. The initial portfolio of projects is being deployed in New York.

The current CDG program incentivizes developers to install clean power generation within the grid distribution network to alleviate stress on the electric grid, decrease harmful greenhouse gas emissions and air pollutants, reduce costs, and enhance energy reliability. Consumers, meanwhile, can purchase cleaner, more affordable and resilient power.

CDG customers will receive utility bill credits for using power produced by Bloom’s Energy Servers. Customers – particularly small businesses with smaller loads and residential customers – will now have greater choice and access to cost-effective and more resilient energy sources. Utilities benefit from increased grid resiliency and lower transmission and distribution infrastructure outlays, as the power generation system is located within the distribution infrastructure.

In addition to providing cost savings and improving power reliability, Bloom’s Energy Servers are expected to reduce carbon emissions by nearly 50,000 metric tons annually compared to the current grid alternative – the equivalent to taking more than 11,000 cars off the road for one year. Bloom Energy’s servers produce electricity through a highly-efficient, non-combustion process, so smog-forming pollutants and particulate matter are reduced by more than 99%. More information on how fuel cells work can be found here.

“Community distributed generation can be a national model to provide small businesses and residential customers greater access and choice for clean and reliable power generation sources,” said Ivor Castelino, managing director, business development, Bloom Energy. “These types of projects allow Bloom to provide clean power in a small footprint with enhanced resiliency to customers who, otherwise, have not had a choice for their energy needs. Bloom’s compact, easily deployed energy solutions are ideally suited to highly populated areas, where reducing greenhouse gas and air pollution, while enhancing reliability of the local electric grid, are of paramount importance.”

Bloom has signed agreements for CDG projects totaling more than 40 megawatts in various stages of development, with 7.5 megawatts already deployed on Staten Island, New York. Bloom Energy’s development partners and investors in these projects include Captona, Daroga Power, NineDot Energy, and South Jersey Industries, among other partners.

“Bloom Energy provides Captona the ideal growth technology and long-term reliability for our sustainable investing goals in clean and renewable projects,” said Izzet Bensusan, founder and managing partner, Captona. “As a current owner and operator of multiple projects, we foresee additional expansion in our investments with Bloom and their upcoming solutions, such as bringing hydrogen to our portfolio mix.”

"Coupling Daroga Power’s expertise in distributed energy generation and structured finance along with Bloom’s cleaner and more resilient energy is a game changer for New York communities,” said David Matt and Ory Moussaieff, co-founders, Daroga Power. “Supporting our nation’s goals to provide reliable power and combat climate change, we look forward to continuing to deploy such innovative energy sources throughout the country."

“Our communities deserve greater choice and clean energy options,” said David Arfin, co-founder and CEO of NineDot Energy. “By partnering with Bloom, we are proud to bring sustainable and reliable energy to New Yorkers, accelerating NineDot’s position as a leading developer of distributed energy solutions in New York City.”

“Our employees, customers, shareholders and regulators are looking to us for the cleanest energy solutions we can deliver. SJI is committed to advancing positive environmental outcomes, including reducing carbon emissions, promoting energy efficiency, and enhancing the deployment of clean energy technologies,” said Mike Renna, CEO and president, SJI. “Our partnership with Bloom helps us take an additional step in our efforts to build a clean energy future in our region.”

About Bloom Energy
Bloom Energy’s mission is to make clean, reliable energy affordable for everyone in the world. The company’s product, the Bloom Energy Server, delivers highly reliable and resilient, always-on electric power that is clean, cost-effective, and ideal for microgrid applications. Bloom’s customers include many Fortune 100 companies and leaders in manufacturing, data centers, healthcare, retail, higher education, utilities, and other industries. For more information, visit www.bloomenergy.com.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws that involve risks and uncertainties, including Bloom Energy’s expectations regarding reduced carbon emissions and ability to enhance the reliability of the local electric grid; and Bloom Energy’s expectations that CDG can be a national model to provide small businesses and residential customers greater access and choice for clean and reliable power generation sources. Words such as “anticipates,” “could,” “expects,” “intends,” “plans,” “projects,” “believes,” “seeks,” “estimates,” “can,” “may,” “will,” “would” and similar expressions identify such forward-looking statements. These statements should not be taken as guarantees of results and should not be considered an indication of future activity or future performance. Actual events or results may differ materially from those described in this press release due to a number of risks and uncertainties, including those included in the Risk Factors section of Bloom Energy’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2020 and other risks detailed in Bloom Energy’s SEC filings from time to time. Bloom Energy undertakes no obligation to revise or publicly update any forward-looking statements unless if and as required by law.

Media Relations:
Jennifer Duffourg
Bloom Energy
+1 (480) 341-5464
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CLEVELAND--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Blue Point Capital Partners (“Blue Point”) and its Blue Point IV portfolio company, VRC Engineered Solutions (“VRC”), announced today the acquisition of Cascadia Custom Molding (“Cascadia”). The acquisition will expand VRC’s product offerings and geographic footprint while enhancing manufacturing capabilities and diversifying end markets served.

For over 40 years, Cascadia has provided high-quality thermoplastic components to highly regulated and attractive markets such as medical, aerospace and consumer goods. Cascadia operates out of manufacturing facilities in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, and Woodinville, Wash. The acquisition will expand VRC’s manufacturing footprint into the Pacific Northwest, offering increased capability and flexibility for both VRC and its customers.

Blue Point and the VRC management team value Cascadia’s diverse customer base and focus on complex, low-volume parts, as well as in-house capabilities that further expand VRC’s tooling, materials, production and service capabilities.

“This acquisition strategically marks the next phase of growth for both VRC and Cascadia. Uniting the respective company visions and leveraging their combined capabilities, services, technologies and expertise across all locations will offer significant benefit to our customers,” said Blue Point Partner Jonathan Pressnell. “The geographic and end market expansion, along with the potential for cross-selling opportunities, makes the combined company well-positioned for growth.”

With over 25 custom material manufacturer investments over the course of its 20-year history, Blue Point and its network of operating executives bring substantial commercial, operating and technical experience to support the management teams. Dale Meyer, who along with his wife, Janeanne Upp, has owned Cascadia for 18 years, said, “We decided to partner with VRC, and Blue Point, because we could see the same philosophical approach and strategic fit between the companies, the management teams and our vision of the future for Cascadia.” P&M Corporate Finance (PMCF) served as financial advisor to Cascadia in the transaction.

Cascadia is VRC’s first add-on acquisition since Blue Point acquired the platform in August 2019. “The thesis supporting our investment in VRC was to provide unique resources to drive organic growth, while at the same time leveraging our M&A competency to expand the platform via acquisitions,” said Blue Point Partner John LeMay. “The Cascadia platform fits squarely within the key end markets and capabilities of our focused add-on strategy, and we are enthusiastic about the opportunities available to the combined company going forward.”

“Our partnership with Blue Point is highlighted by their support in identifying the best, complementary capabilities to execute against our core growth strategies. Over the past 50 years, VRC has committed to expanding our platform and continually adding value for our customers,” said VRC President Tom Gebhardt. “The Cascadia acquisition provides additional capabilities and synergies which allow us to offer a more diverse product portfolio and a one-stop-shop. I am excited to work with the collective team to continue to build a world-class organization rooted in operational excellence and superior customer service.”

VRC Engineered Solutions (www.ritus.com) was founded in 1963 and has since served customers primarily in the aerospace & defense, automotive, industrial, oil & gas, marine and medical end markets. VRC is made up of Ritus and its sister companies, Vanseal and Classic Molding, which operate under the same management team and support one another in their mission is to provide solutions and maximum value to their customers. This is achieved upon being a leader in engineering and polymer technology and product solutions, excellent technical support, data-based decisions and superior service.

Blue Point Capital Partners (www.bluepointcapital.com) is a private equity firm managing over $1.5 billion in committed capital. With offices in Cleveland, Charlotte, Seattle and Shanghai, Blue Point’s geographical footprint allows it to establish relationships with local and regional entrepreneurs and advisors while providing the perspectives and resources of a global organization. Blue Point has over a two-decade history of partnering with lower middle-market businesses to build processes and capabilities to achieve dramatic growth. The Firm focuses on opportunities where it can leverage its collective experience, extensive network of operating resources and unique toolkit, which includes supply chain/Asian capabilities, data and digital strategies, human capital strategy and focused add-on acquisition efforts. Blue Point typically invests in businesses that generate between $25 million and $300 million in revenue.

Blue Point Capital Partners

John LeMay | Partner | (216) 535-4707
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Jonathan Pressnell | Partner | (216) 535-4713
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VRC Engineered Solutions

Tom Gebhardt | President | (414) 586-3535

Media Inquiries
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Tricia Forbes | Vice President | (404) 698-1739
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Report Recognizes Itron for its Ability to Execute and Completeness of Vision

LIBERTY LAKE, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--#GartnerMQ--Itron, Inc. (NASDAQ: ITRI), which is transforming the way utilities and cities manage energy and water, announced that it has been named a Visionary in the March 2021 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Managed IoT Connectivity Services, Worldwide¹. According to Gartner, “The Managed IoT connectivity service market enables connectivity, data collection, and analysis and additional decision services that are necessary for connected solutions.”

“We are proud to be named a Visionary by Gartner. We believe this report reinforces our position as an IoT platform solution provider for software and managed services, as well as data management, intelligent analytics and control systems for advanced utility and smart city use cases.” said Don Reeves, senior vice president of Outcomes at Itron. “At Itron, we are focused on supporting utility and city customers by providing intelligently connected solutions such as traffic management, public safety, environmental sensing and more.”

Itron’s standards-based Industrial IoT (IIoT) platform, a multi-application, multi-transport network with distributed intelligence technology and data management capabilities, enables utilities and cities to deliver new services to customers and support a broad ecosystem of IIoT devices. By collaborating with its ecosystem of partners, Itron is continuously creating value-added applications and services that easily connect to its IIoT network. Itron’s platform delivers reliable, resilient performance at a competitive price point for all the use cases a utility or city wants to enable ​via connectivity and inclusion of other IoT edge devices, analytics and a variety of communications options including RF mesh, cellular and more. Customers not only reduce their expenses but improve consumer engagement and distribution system resilience while increasing distributed energy resources.

To download the complete report, visit www.itron.com/IoTMQ.

About Itron

Itron enables utilities and cities to safely, securely and reliably deliver critical infrastructure solutions to communities in more than 100 countries. Our portfolio of smart networks, software, services, meters and sensors helps our customers better manage electricity, gas and water resources for the people they serve. By working with our customers to ensure their success, we help improve the quality of life, ensure the safety and promote the well-being of millions of people around the globe. Itron is dedicated to creating a more resourceful world. Join us: www.itron.com.

Itron^® is a registered trademark of Itron, Inc. All third-party trademarks are property of their respective owners and any usage herein does not suggest or imply any relationship between Itron and the third party unless expressly stated.

¹ Gartner, Magic Quadrant for Managed IoT Connectivity Services, Worldwide, Pablo Arriandiaga, Eric Goodness, Leif-Olof Wallin, Jonathan Davenport, 24 March 2021

Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in our research publications, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner research organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.

Itron, Inc.
Alison Mallahan
Senior Manager, Corporate Communications
509-891-3802
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Artificial intelligence-powered customer engagement solution brings consumption-level insights for customers to better manage energy usage and carbon footprints

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Bidgely in partnership with Electric Ireland, Ireland’s largest energy retailer, announced the introduction of an AI-powered customer engagement solution delivered via email and web portal that creates new customer value from smart meter data. With the roll out of approximately 2.4M smart meters in Ireland over the next three years, the customer-centric program will provide appliance-level consumption insights based on a home’s actual energy usage data collected by smart meters and is aimed at helping customers more effectively manage their energy usage and carbon footprints.

“Smart meters introduce new opportunities for Electric Ireland to create more customer value through personalized and engaging insights that reveal the details about how customers are using energy,” said Susan Whyte, smart meter program manager at Electric Ireland. “Our pioneering use of established tools for maximising the value of customer data in Ireland is backed by Bidgely’s global track record of delivering increased customer engagement and satisfaction.”

Through email and web portal enhancements that personalize energy insights and educate customers on their individual usage, Electric Ireland can recommend the best price plans for each consumer. Electric Ireland can seamlessly integrate these insights to provide tailored content for generated email notifications and also add value to its residential web portal.

“We applaud Electric Ireland for being a first-mover in AI-powered data analytics; an initiative that brings greater value to energy consumers and serves as a strong competitive advantage in a region that vies for customer loyalty and satisfaction,” said Abhay Gupta, CEO of Bidgely. “Bidgely has worked diligently to bring its Silicon Valley innovation to energy providers around the world, and like others, Electric Ireland stands to benefit from our higher than average industry engagement and satisfaction rates.”

To learn more about how personalized energy insights are driving the new normal and global energy revolution, watch this session with research firms IDC and Delta-EE from Bidgely Engage Europe.

About Bidgely

Bidgely is an AI-powered SaaS Company accelerating a clean energy future by enabling energy companies and consumers to make data-driven energy-related decisions. Powered by our unique patented technology, Bidgely's UtilityAI™ Platform transforms multiple dimensions of customer data - such as energy consumption, demographic, and interactions - into deeply accurate and actionable consumer energy insights. We leverage these insights to empower each customer with personalized recommendations, tailored to their individual personality and lifestyle, usage attributes, behavioral patterns, purchase propensity, and beyond. From a Distributed Energy Resources (DER) and Grid Edge perspective, whether it is smart thermostats to EV chargers, solar PVs to TOU rate designs and tariffs; UtilityAI™ energy analytics provides deep visibility into generation, consumption for better peak load shaping and grid planning, and delivers targeted recommendations for new value-added products and services. With roots in Silicon Valley, Bidgely has over 17 energy patents, $50M+ in funding, retains 30+ data scientists, and brings a passion for AI to utilities serving residential and commercial customers around the world. For more information, please visit www.bidgely.com or the Bidgely blog at bidgely.com/blog.

Christine Bennett
Bidgely
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