Published

9 months ago

May 16, 2025

Alice Rush

Weather Guard Lightning Tech

Media Sourcery, Everpoint Transforming Turbine Blade Recycling

Larry Ketchersid, CEO of Media Sourcery explains the company’s partnership with Everpoint Services to improve the process of recycling turbine blades and solar panels. Using blockchain technology to create verifiable proof of proper recycling, companies can get the processing and documentation they need – along with peace of mind.

Listen to the entire interview here

Wind and solar energy continue to expand worldwide, as more countries realize their tremendous potential, but a major blind spot looms: decommissioning renewable energy assets doesn’t always go according to plan. Wind turbine blade recycling has had some bad press lately, and solar panels, too, can disappear from job sites, only to reemerge in landfills, abandoned lots, or worse—dumped in unknown locations with no accountability. The problem undermines renewable energy by mocking its “green” label, and it threatens regulatory trust.

Enter Larry Ketchersid, CEO of Media Sourcery, and his collaboration with Everpoint Services, a renewable waste recycling company. Together, they’re leveraging blockchain and low-power IoT trackers to bring proof, transparency, and accountability to the renewable waste chain of custody.

Turbine Blade Recycling – Where’s the Accountability?

Despite increased public scrutiny, turbine blades and solar panels are frequently stockpiled rather than properly recycled. The renewable sector faces a critical perception issue: lack of verifiable documentation that assets are disposed of responsibly. Once a blade leaves a wind farm, how can operators—and regulators—be sure it reaches an approved recycler?

“You don’t know what people are doing with it. There’s a lot of dump sites where stuff gets put. It’s not the circular economy we’re trying to promote,” Ketchersid said in our interview.

Media Sourcery, Everpoint Transforming Turbine Blade Recycling

Blockchain-Backed Proof of Recycling

Ketchersid explained that Media Sourcery’s system was originally developed to track the cold-chain integrity of COVID-19 test kits during the pandemic. Today, their platform tags and tracks renewable assets throughout their decommissioning lifecycle, from dismantling and transport to grinding and reuse.

Key elements include:

Low-profile “sticker trackers”: Thin, GPS-enabled devices affixed to turbine blades or solar panel pallets. These send location data at defined intervals, and are cheap enough to destroy during grinding.
Geofencing and smart rules: Trackers are idle while on-site to conserve battery; once assets leave the site or enter a recycling zone, they ping updates more frequently.
Decentralized public ledgers: All tracking metadata is hashed and stored on the blockchain, ensuring tamper-proof documentation for regulators or stakeholders.
NFT-backed verification: Upon completion of the recycling process, all lifecycle data can be minted into a non-fungible token (NFT), providing an immutable record of recycling proof, with potential carbon offset market value.

A Practical Use Case in Renewable Demolition

Everpoint Services integrates this tracking system into its demolition workflows. As part of one a recent project, 460 pallets of solar panels were fitted with sticker trackers. A shared dashboard visualized their movement from site to recycler, with geofences marking transition points, allowing operators, OEMs, or insurers to confirm in real-time that recycling actually occurred.

If a tracker went missing, fallback data from truck-mounted diagnostic trackers and GPS logs filled in the gaps—ensuring continuous verification.

From an accountability standpoint, “The goal is to provide as much evidence as possible.,” Ketchersid said. “We know what went on the truck. We know what got ground up. We know where and when it happened.”

The Next Challenge: Downstream Material Tracking

Currently, most tracking ends at grinding. But after that, companies want to be able to prove that blade shreds or panel fragments are being reused in construction materials or elsewhere – not quietly dumped.

Media Sourcery is exploring several solutions, including:

Chemical fingerprinting: Originally tested in medical cannabis, a spray-on marker embeds a unique chemical signature into the material. It survives processing and can later be identified via spectrometry to trace final use.
Vision AI at recyclers: Cameras with built-in machine learning monitor dials, shredders, and throughput, ensuring data integrity even when trackers are destroyed.
Secondary tagging: Select Gaylord boxes or processed material bags can be tagged to verify downstream shipment and reuse.

Why Use Blockchain When Recycling Turbine Blades?

Storing this lifecycle data on the blockchain offers two vital benefits:

Immutability: Once hashed and stored, data can’t be altered—critical for regulatory proof or insurance audits.
Tokenization: NFTs created from the recycling data can later represent carbon offset credits, enabling participation in voluntary carbon markets.

Ketchersid’s team is working with DOE labs like Oak Ridge and Sandia to validate the full greenhouse gas (GHG) savings from verified recycling, potentially linking these NFTs to measurable Scope 3 emissions reductions.

Can Blockchain Proves that Wind Energy is Truly Green?

More than solving a waste problem, “We’re trying to promote a circular economy,” Ketchersid said. “This technology is how we make that real.”

Transparent, verifiable recycling builds trust with regulators, communities, and investors. And with the rise of carbon markets and ESG reporting, proof of authenticity isn’t just helpful; it’s becoming necessary.

Additional resources:

See working demos of wind turbine blade recycling and other projects and learn about blockchain-backed recycling tracking at https://proofofauthenticity.net

More in the Podcast: Applications Beyond Renewables

While wind and solar are the current focus, – Ketchersid said the potential extends to tracing balsa wood in turbine blades, ensuring sustainable sourcing, or verifying bio-based composites – in addition to green energy, Media Sourcery has applied similar techniques to:

Medical cold-chain verification
Medical cannabis provenance
Capped well methane emissions tracking
Verification of international carbon credit legitimacy

Listen to the entire interview on Spotify!

https://weatherguardwind.com/media-sourcery-everpoint-transforming-turbine-blade-recycling/

Renewable Energy

North Sea Summit Commits to 100 GW Offshore Wind

Published

1 day ago

January 26, 2026

Alice Rush

Weather Guard Lightning Tech

North Sea Summit Commits to 100 GW Offshore Wind

Allen covers Equinor’s Hywind Tampen floating wind farm achieving an impressive 51.6% capacity factor in 2025. Plus nine nations commit to 100 GW of offshore wind at the North Sea Summit, Dominion Energy installs its first turbine tower off Virginia, Hawaii renews the Kaheawa Wind Farm lease for 25 years, and India improves its repowering policies.

Sign up now for Uptime Tech News, our weekly newsletter on all things wind technology. This episode is sponsored by Weather Guard Lightning Tech. Learn more about Weather Guard’s StrikeTape Wind Turbine LPS retrofit. Follow the show on YouTube, Linkedin and visit Weather Guard on the web. And subscribe to Rosemary’s “Engineering with Rosie” YouTube channel here. Have a question we can answer on the show? Email us!

There’s a remarkable sight in the North Sea right now. Eleven wind turbines, each one floating on water like enormous ships, generating electricity in some of the roughest seas on Earth.

Norwegian oil giant Equinor operates the Hywind Tampen floating wind farm, and the results from twenty twenty-five are nothing short of extraordinary. These floating giants achieved a capacity factor of fifty-one point six percent throughout the entire year. That means they produced power more than half the time, every single day, despite ocean storms and harsh conditions.

The numbers tell the story. Four hundred twelve gigawatt hours of electricity, enough to power seventeen thousand homes. And perhaps most importantly, the wind farm reduced carbon emissions by more than two hundred thousand tons from nearby oil and gas fields.

Production manager Arild Lithun said he was especially pleased that they achieved these results without any damage or incidents. Not a single one.

But Norway’s success is just one chapter in a much larger story unfolding across the North Sea.

Last week, nine countries gathered in Hamburg, Germany for the North Sea Summit. Belgium, Denmark, France, Britain, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway, and their host Germany came together with a shared purpose. They committed to building one hundred gigawatts of collaborative offshore wind projects and pledged to protect their energy infrastructure from sabotage by sharing security data and conducting stress tests on wind turbine components.

Andrew Mitchell, Britain’s ambassador to Germany, explained why this matters now more than ever. Recent geopolitical events, particularly Russia’s weaponization of energy supplies during the Ukraine invasion, have sharpened rather than weakened the case for offshore wind. He said expanding offshore wind enhances long-term security while reducing exposure to volatile global fossil fuel markets.

Mitchell added something that resonates across the entire industry. The more offshore wind capacity these countries build, the more often clean power sets wholesale electricity prices instead of natural gas. The result is lower bills, greater security, and long-term economic stability.

Now let’s cross the Atlantic to Virginia Beach, where Dominion Energy reached a major milestone last week. They installed the first turbine tower at their massive offshore wind farm. It’s the first of one hundred seventy-six turbines that will stand twenty-seven miles off the Virginia coast.

The eleven point two billion dollar project is already seventy percent complete and will generate two hundred ten million dollars in annual economic output.

Meanwhile, halfway across the Pacific Ocean, Hawaii is doubling down on wind energy. The state just renewed the lease for the Kaheawa Wind Farm on Maui for another twenty-five years. Those twenty turbines have been generating electricity for two decades, powering seventeen thousand island homes each year. The new lease requires the operator to pay three hundred thousand dollars annually or three point five percent of gross revenue, whichever is higher. And here’s something smart: the state is requiring a thirty-three million dollar bond to ensure taxpayers never get stuck with the bill for removing those turbines when they’re finally decommissioned.

Even India is accelerating its wind energy development. The Indian Wind Power Association welcomed major amendments to Tamil Nadu’s Repowering Policy last week. The Indian Wind Power Association thanked the government for addressing critical industry concerns. The changes make it significantly easier and cheaper to replace aging turbines with modern, more efficient ones.

So from floating turbines in the North Sea to coastal giants off Virginia, from island power in Hawaii to policy improvements in India, the wind energy revolution is gaining momentum around the world.

And that’s the state of the wind industry for the 26th of January 2026.

Join us tomorrow for the Uptime Wind Industry Podcast.

North Sea Summit Commits to 100 GW Offshore Wind

Renewable Energy

God’s Proud of Trump?

Published

3 days ago

January 24, 2026

Alice Rush

Based on the polls, we can see that most of the American people have a seething hatred of Trump, but at least God thinks he’s done a good job.

God’s Proud of Trump?

Renewable Energy

Maximise Government Rebates for Commercial Solar in 2026

Published

4 days ago

January 23, 2026

Alice Rush

If you live in Australia, you might have heard the rumours that commercial solar rebates are being phased out.

Just got thinking if your business has missed its chance to cash in on government support?

Hold on! Let’s set the record straight: the government rebates and incentives are still active, and in 2026, they’re more strategic than ever.

Australia remains a global leader in rooftop solar, but the rules of the game have evolved. It’s no longer just about covering your roof with solar panels and exporting cheap power to the grid.

In 2026, the smart move is pairing commercial solar with battery storage, demand management, and tax planning to maximise savings and control when and how your business uses energy.

From small cafes and warehouses to large manufacturing facilities and corporate headquarters, businesses of all sizes can still unlock substantial rebates, tax incentives, and funding opportunities.

The main goal is to understand how the current program works and how to stack them correctly before the rebates end.

Therefore, this guide breaks down how to maximise government rebates for commercial solar in 2026 in Australia, so you can slash power bills, boost energy independence, and make every incentive dollar count.

Let’s dive in!

In this blog post:

Understand the Federal Government’s Core Incentive Options

At the national level, Australia’s federal government continues to support commercial solar through several key programs. The rebate program includes:

Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme (SRES)

This is one of the most popular commercial solar rebates across Australia. Under the SRES, eligible solar systems that are up to 100 kW generate Small-scale Technology Certificates.

These certificates are tradable and provide upfront discounts when you install solar. Your installer usually handles the paperwork, and the value is passed as a discount during installation.

Why does this matter for business owners?

STCs can directly reduce your upfront costs by tens of thousands, making solar a much more affordable long-term investment. This might sound exciting to many. But act sooner rather than later.

Why?

Because the value of STCs gradually decreases as we approach the RET (Renewable Energy Target) end date in 2030.

So, planning a 2026 installation can secure more certificates at higher values.

Large-scale Generation Certificates (LGCs)

For bigger commercial solar systems above 100 kW, it’s a different story. These systems fall under the Large-scale Renewable Energy Target and generate LGCs based on the electricity they produce each year.

These certificates are sold in the market, generating ongoing revenue, not just an upfront discount.

Why are LGCs a great option?

Provide cash flow over many years.
Can often outweigh STC savings for larger systems.

If your roof can support a system over 100 kW, you can easily scale up to access LGCs and create an annual income stream rather than just an upfront rebate.

New Federal Battery Rebate

From mid-2025, the federal government introduced battery rebates under the SRES framework, which continue into 2026.

In this battery home program, systems paired with solar can receive rebates for each usable kWh of storage installed up to 50 kWh.

This helps to:

Reduces battery cost by approximately 30%.
Enhances the value of your solar by allowing you to use more of the energy you generate rather than exporting it at a discount.

Pair solar with batteries wherever profitable. Solar alone saves you money, but paired with batteries, your business becomes more resilient and less exposed to low grid pricing.

How Can You Stack State & Territory Rebates and Grants?

Federal incentives are powerful, but stacking them with state-level rebates and grants can multiply savings.

Here’s what’s active or expected to continue in 2026:

New South Wales (NSW)

NSW supports commercial solar and batteries with:

STC rebates on solar.
Reset Peak Demand Reduction Scheme (PDRS) rebates for batteries. $1,600–$2,400 in addition to bonuses for VPP participation.

Here’s a pro tip! If you add a VPP-ready battery to existing or new solar installations, you can claim both state and federal rebates.

Victoria

Victoria continues its Solar for Business initiatives with:

Rebates for smaller commercial systems.
Interest-free loans and technical support.
Extra funding to encourage SME solar adoption.

You can pair your Victorian rebate with federal STCs and depreciation allowances for the best stack.

Queensland

Queensland has regional programs such as:

Energy audits for businesses.
Co-contribution grants.
Targeted agricultural support to reduce daytime energy costs.

Regional businesses often qualify for multiple small grants, so schedule an audit early in your planning to identify all available incentives.

Turn Australian Tax Deductions into Business Advantage: Here’s How!

Government support isn’t just limited to rebates; tax incentives can be just as valuable.

Instant Asset Write-Off & Temporary Full Expensing

Businesses installing solar can often write off the full cost of the system in the year it is installed, resulting in significant reductions in taxable income. This also:

Improves cash flow in the year of investment.
Can stack with rebates.

Before installing, consult your solar installer to ensure you’re claiming the maximum allowable deduction and that the structure aligns with your business’s tax year.

Standard Depreciation

Even if you don’t qualify for instant write-offs, solar is still a depreciating asset. You can claim deductions over its useful life, typically 20+ years, blending your return through ongoing tax savings.

Let’s Explore Strategic Funding & Innovative Financing Methods

You don’t have to own the system outright to enjoy the benefit:

Environmental Upgrade Agreements (EUAs)

There are councils, such as Environmental Upgrade Agreements (EUAs), that link loans to your property, allowing you to finance energy upgrades through your rates rather than traditional debt, often at better rates and longer terms.

In this method, solar starts saving money immediately, and a new cash-flow strategy makes solar accessible even without large upfront capital.

Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs)

With a PPA, a third party installs and owns the solar system, and you buy the energy at a reduced rate for 7–15 years.

What are the benefits:

Zero upfront cost.
Consistent electricity pricing.
Reduced risk.

A PPA may not generate STCs for you, but it can reduce out-of-pocket costs and be more financially advantageous for smaller businesses or those with constrained budgets.

Plan Your Install with Timing & Market Awareness

If you plan to install solar on your commercial property, timing is very crucial. The reason is simple and straightforward.

The rebate values decline over time. The SRES scheme reduces the number of certificates annually as 2030 approaches.
The battery rebates also step down periodically.

Therefore, all you need to do is book an appointment early, obtain free quotes, sign contracts, and schedule installations early in the financial year to secure the highest possible rebate.

How To Qualify for Maximum Returns?

In Australia, if you want to qualify for federal incentives, you must follow these two rules:

Panels and inverters must be Clean Energy Council (CEC) approved.
Installer must be accredited (Solar Accreditation Australia or equivalent).

Be aware! Skipping an accredited installer or choosing low-quality equipment can disqualify you from getting rebates, so always verify credentials and approvals.

Financial Metrics That Matter: Cash Flow, ROI & Payback

Understanding your commercial solar project isn’t just about grabbing rebates; it’s about making them count. Here’s how to approach it:

Build a 10-Year Financial Model

Include:

Upfront costs before rebates
Rebate cash inflows (STCs, state grants, battery subsidies)
Tax deductions
Avoided electricity purchases
Revenue streams (LGCs for large systems)

Then calculate:

Payback period
Net Present Value (NPV)
Internal Rate of Return (IRR)

In most cases, businesses with high daytime usage see paybacks in 3–6 years, which is far better than traditional capital investments.

End Notes

Beyond rebates and tax savings, commercial solar boosts your business in ways that don’t show up on a spreadsheet instantly. It brings:

Brand credibility: Customers increasingly want sustainable partners.

Energy resilience: During peak grid pricing or outages, solar + battery keeps the lights on.

ESG leadership: If you report on environmental goals, solar is a visible, measurable contribution.

By 2026, Australia’s commercial solar incentives will still be robust, but navigating them takes strategy:

Do this first:

Understand federal incentives (STCs, LGCs, battery rebate)
Explore state rebates and stacking opportunities
Talk to your accountant about tax deductions
Get multiple quotes and install early in the year
Choose an accredited installer and products

And then:

Consider financing alternatives like EUAs or PPAs
Build a financial model before signing on the dotted line
Look beyond dollars to brand and operational resilience

Finally, the clean energy transition isn’t just an environmental choice; it’s a smart commercial move. With thoughtful planning and the right rebate stack, commercial solar in 2026 can be one of the most lucrative sustainability investments your business makes.

Ready to go solar?

Start with a trusted installer like Cyanergy, get a tailored quotation, and lock in every available rebate before they step down.