Solarflux CEO Naoise Irwin Talks About CASPER & CSP FOCUS Features
I’ve written about Solarflux, its FOCUS parabolic dish, and its new tool, CASPER, which is a concentrating solar power (CSP) performance comparison tool. I’ve also had the pleasure of sitting down with Solarflux CEO Naoise Irwin and CTO John Fangman, who invented the FOCUS dish. This is the second part of that interview, this time talking about CASPER and how to use it, as well as a few other things.
CASPER
In a nutshell, CASPER is a web-based tool that compares the energy collection and conversion efficiency of the Solarflux FOCUS parabolic dish concentrator with a widely used type of CSP. Naoise explained:
“It’s a tool that compares the output of our system versus parabolic trough, which is the other technology that I’ve talked about. What it’s intended to do is to highlight how much more energy you would get in an equivalent area with FOCUS.
“For example, in Phoenix, Arizona, which is a great place for concentrated solar energy because it has so much sun, you get about 30% more energy using our system versus the trough. So we’re just trying to find a simple way for people to compare.”
Naoise demonstrated CASPER and shared the comparison for Baton Rouge, which receives a similar amount of sun as Phoenix. I was a bit surprised seeing that, as we get plenty of rain here.
“It calculates how much energy you’re capturing throughout the year — for our system and for the trough — and it tells you what the difference is.”
Features Of The Focus Parabolic Dish
Naoise told me that the FOCUS parabolic dish had several unique features. It’s made of aluminum and steel, making it extremely recyclable.
“The fact that it’s made from aluminum and steel makes it recyclable and environmentally friendly, and this is something we really like about it. I love photovoltaics (PV), but one of the issues is what happens to all the PV when it gets to end of life? It needs to be recycled, processed.
“They’re made of silicon and all of this processing has gone into making these panels. So, they’re not that easy to take apart at the end of their life. So, they’re going to probably largely end up in landfills, unfortunately, unless a huge recycling strategy is developed. Kind of like what you’re seeing in EV batteries. You’re seeing a big push to find an effective way to recycle the materials. I really haven’t seen that much done on the PV panels, and this is a concern.”
Photovoltaic Recycling & Developing Strategies
Solarflux’s system is relatively low tech, Naoise explained. All of the intellectual property is in the design, and they are using environmentally friendly materials. Regarding the designs, there are special patented features unique to the system.
“All of our materials are environmentally friendly and we won’t have that problem of dumping toxic materials into landfills. We want to highlight that aspect and push the idea for people to try to develop PV recycling.”
In April 2021, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) shared the analysis from a study that a team of NREL researchers has been doing. That study was on how to manage retiring PV modules in support of the laboratory’s vision for a circular economy for energy materials. The research looked at laws and literature on the topic and also conducted interviews with solar industry stakeholders, regulators, and policymakers.
This led to the publication of a series of NREL technical reports that narrow down options and opportunities for PV equipment reuse and recycling. The article NREL published noted that currently there’s little incentive for the private industry to invest in PV recycling, repair, or reuse due to current market conditions and regulatory barriers. You can read more about that here.
In the final report, which you can read here, the researchers noted that the projected volume of decommissioned PV modules in the US alone presented end-of-life management concerns but also material recovery and secondary market opportunities.
Solarflux CTO John Fangman also added that the current trend in product development is the circular economy. He added that several electronics companies are looking at what percentage of the process is recyclable.
“In our case, I would say more than 90%.”
Naoise feels that this is a concern for the industry as a whole even though Solarflux doesn’t have the issue.
Next Step For Solarflux
The next step, Naoise said, was to develop consumer interest in the FOCUS parabolic dish. The next big goal is to raise capital while reducing costs.
“We want to move from making prototypes to making actual products that people can buy at a reasonable price. We have a plan for that and the next big step is to kick off that process and get to the point where we can supply these at high volume and low cost.”
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![Nissan has global ambitions for its affordable plug-in pickup truck [update]](https://i0.wp.com/electrek.co/wp-content/uploads/sites/3/2025/06/2027-Nissan-Frontier-Pro-Plug-in-Hybrid-Reveal-Photos-Exterior-003-side.jpg?resize=1200,628&quality=82&strip=all&ssl=1)
Zhengzhou Nissan has launched a new, plug-in pickup in the Chinese market called the Z9. It’s the same size as the Nissan Frontier Pro, offers over 35 miles of all-electric range, and pricing starts at just $16,600.
UPDATE 04NOV2025: more details and more markets for 2026.
The rebuilding of Nissan started to pick up earlier this year with the launch of the brand’s first plug-in pickup truck in China this past summer. The plug-in hybrid (PHEV) model offers 410 hp and an 84 mile electric-only range – more than enough for it to meet the everyday needs of most drivers with easy access to liquid fuel when needed.
It seems like a neat truck, but since it was designed and developed specifically for the Chinese market, its great specs and nearly impossible $24,800 starting price (on the entry-level Frontier Pro model) meant it would have limited impact – and limited interest – in other markets.
Until now, that is! CarScoops is reporting that Nissan now has plans to export a tweaked version of the hybrid Frontier to international markets, and speculates that, “a different version of it could well be built in the US, [since] Nissan’s CEO recently confirmed that a hybrid Frontier is in the works for the North American market.”
You can read the original post, first published back in June, below, then let us know what you think of Nissan’s plans to export its plug-in pickup to other markets in the comments.
Positioned as the electrified sibling of the domestically-built Nissan Frontier Pro, the Zhengzhou Nissan Z9 is essentially a Chinese-market version the Frontier Pro, and it’s spec’ed and priced accordingly, with the as-yet undisclosed price of the Frontier Pro expected to come in a bit higher than the Z9.
That’s less interesting. What’s more interesting is that the Z9 offers 35 miles (60 km) of range on the base, 17 kWh battery, at a price that significantly undercuts even the Slate EV’s $28,000 pre-$7,500 incentive price tag – and that incentive is far from a sure thing.
What’s more, if you feel like spending a bit more, you can get a Zhengzhou Nissan Z9 equipped with a 32.85 kWh battery that’s good for almost 85 miles (135 km) of all-electric range. And even that extended-range model, at ¥168,900 (about $23,400) is still price-competitive with the Jeff Bezos-backed Slate EV.
In short, it’s bound to be a winner.
It’ll sell, but it won’t sell here
With excitement surrounding the Kia Tasman, Slate, and other, similarly affordable light-duty pickups building on the success of the Ford Maverick hybrid, it should come as no surprise that Nissan has international ambitions for its newest electrified pickup.
“In alignment with our ‘In China, For China, Toward the World’ strategy for electrification and smart transformation, Nissan will fully support ZNA’s ‘off-road strategy,’” explained Stephen Ma, Chairman of Nissan (China) Management Committee and President of Dongfeng Motor Co., Ltd. “We are working to strengthen our research and manufacturing capabilities, further advancing our presence in the core markets of pickups and off-road vehicles, with the ultimate goal of achieving global expansion.”
It’s exciting stuff, but with all the recent troubles it’s been experiencing, it’s doubtful that Nissan will bring either of its new, Chinese-built mid-size pickups to the US (electrified or otherwise).
“The mission of the new generation of Chinese automotive professionals is clear – to ensure that made-in-China cars are driven across the world. ZNA will utilize its dual-brand and dual-channel advantages to expand its global footprint,” Mr. Mao Limin, Executive Vice President of ZNA, at the Z9’s launch. “We aim to be one of the top exporters of pickups within three years and to reach a sales milestone of 100,000 units.”
That said, Nissan Hardbody fans shouldn’t lose hope quite yet. If Nissan is able to find a new savior in Toyota, a Taco-based BEV pickup with a new LEAF/Ariya-type front fascia might make more sense than you think.
Electrek’s Take
I’ve already written out my own comeback plans for Nissan, and this new Chinese-market pickup truck doesn’t really fit into them. Like many of you, I’m of the belief that a PHEV isn’t an EV – but I do see their value as “lilypad” cars, and the two Lightning owners I know? Their previous Ford F-150s were hybrids.
SOURCES: Zhengzhou Nissan; side-by-side image via Carscoops.
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Finnish energy giant Wärtsilä has announced the latest addition to its massive network utility-scale battery energy storage system (BESS) projects in Australia: a record-breaking 1.5 GWh deployment that brings the company’s total energy storage capacity in the nation to 5.5 GWh.
The future of large-scale energy projects in Australia is looking increasingly DC-coupled thanks to Wärtsilä, which just announced plans to build the largest BESS of its kind in the National Electricity Market (NEM). The massive hybrid battery project that marks the company’s ninth site down under, and pushes its total capacity to a formidable 5.5 GWh.
The company says its latest, “record-breaking” energy storage plant is a blueprint for how to efficiently combine solar generation and storage to create a more resilient and decarbonized grid.
“This project is significantly larger than our earlier DC-coupled project, underscoring the need for this type of technology in expanding at scale,” said David Hebert, vice president of Global Sales Management at Wärtsilä. Hebert called the DC-coupled technology, “a breakthrough for hybrid renewable plants and a critical step towards establishing a financially viable renewable energy future.”
Hebert believes projects like this one play a hugely important role in stabilizing Australia’s grid while, at the same time, advancing the country’s ambitious net-zero emissions targets from the energy sector by 2045.
With a 20-year service agreement already in place and the order set to be booked this quarter, this project is a working prototype for the next generation of global renewable assets. As nations worldwide grapple with the challenge of moving beyond fossil fuels, the success of this massive DC-coupled system will provide a real-world model for how to build a grid that is cleaner, smarter, and more resilient than ever before.
Electrek’s Take Explainer
If you’re not familiar with DC-coupling, it’s an efficiency game-changer. Unlike traditional AC-coupled electrical systems that require converting solar-generated direct current (DC) to alternating current (AC) for use by the grid, and then back to DC to use in a battery, a DC-coupled system connects the solar array and battery directly. This architecture cuts energy losses that occur during conversion, capturing more solar power and significantly improving project economics and overall system efficiency.
In other words: it saves money, and shores up the grid. Wins all ’round!
SOURCE | IMAGES: Wärtsilä, via Power.
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Guests look at a model of the largest data center in the UAE under construction in Abu Dhabi as the Stargate initiative, a joint venture between G42, Microsoft, and OpenAI, during the Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition & Conference (ADIPEC) in Abu Dhabi on November 3, 2025. (Photo by Giuseppe CACACE / AFP) (Photo by GIUSEPPE CACACE/AFP via Getty Images)
Giuseppe Cacace | Afp | Getty Images
Fossil fuel leaders have welcomed a paradigm shift in the narrative regarding the energy transition.
Speaking to CNBC on the sidelines of the Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (ADIPEC), OPEC Secretary-General Haitham Al Ghais said there has been a “big shift” in the way industry leaders and policymakers are now talking about meeting rising global energy demand.
“Three years ago, it was all about energy transition. Energy transition, climate change [and] get rid of fossil fuels. Today, it’s about [how] we have to have a balanced approach,” Al Ghais told CNBC’s Dan Murphy in an exclusive interview.
“So, it’s a very different tone, which … I must say, sounds like music to my ears because this is what OPEC’s been advocating for the last two, three, four years actually,” Al Ghais said Tuesday.
His comments were echoed by several industry players at the UAE’s annual oil summit, with many championing the concept of “energy addition” to secure supply and accommodate new demands from sectors like artificial intelligence.
This energy addition refers to a push to develop new technologies, such as renewables like solar and wind, in parallel with existing fossil fuels. Energy transition, by contrast, typically refers to the transfer from one energy source to another.
Climate scientists have repeatedly warned that a substantial reduction in fossil fuel use will be necessary to curb global heating, with the burning of coal, oil and gas identified as the chief driver of the climate crisis.
UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology Sultan al-Jaber said at the opening of ADIPEC on Monday that global electricity demand will continue to soar through to 2040, with power for data centers set to grow fourfold and 1.5 billion people expected to move from rural areas to cities.
Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, chief executive officer of Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. (ADNOC), speaks during the opening ceremony of the ADIPEC conference in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on Monday, Nov. 3, 2025.
Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty Images
The minister, who also serves as CEO of UAE oil giant ADNOC and led talks at COP28, said renewable energy technologies were on track to more than double globally by 2040, with liquified natural gas (LNG) demand poised to grow by 50% and oil set to stay above 100 million barrels per day.
“This all adds up to something far more complex than a single path energy transition,” al-Jaber said. “What we are talking about here is reinforcement — not replacement. In fact, what we’re really talking about here is energy addition.”
‘A big rethink is going on’
Mike Sommers, president and CEO of the American Petroleum Institute (API), an industry lobbying group, welcomed what he described as a “realistic conversation” about what will be required to power AI in the future.
“I think we are transitioning from the energy transition. I think everyone recognizes that we’re going to need a lot more energy going forward,” Sommers told CNBC on Monday.
“Our institute, the American Petroleum Institute, and almost every other independent analyst suggests that we’re going to need more. Yes, it’s AI. Yes, it’s data centers. But it’s also more air conditioning, more people plugging things into the grid,” Sommers said.
“We’ve known this for a long time. AI, I think, has put a punctuation point on that,” he added.
Energy veteran and S&P Global vice chairman Dan Yergin echoed this sentiment, saying a big demand surge is in the offing as U.S. tech giants ramp up their AI plans.
Asked whether he agreed with Sommers’ view that the narrative is shifting away from the energy transition, Yergin said: “Yes, absolutely. That is what’s happening. A big rethink is going on.”
“You can see the perspective of the tech companies, who didn’t worry about energy. It was not a cost for them. Now, very much,” he added.
“It’s thought that about half of U.S. GDP growth is coming from investment that the tech companies — now known as the hyperscalers — are putting into building data centers.”
What next for the energy transition?
Ed Crooks, vice chair Americas at Wood Mackenzie, agreed that the energy transition had been a key focus during conversations at ADIPEC.
“When you talk about the transition, it seemed to mean a lot of different things to a lot of different people. If, by the energy transition, you mean are we going to get to net zero by 2050 [and] are we going to be able to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees? That, I think it is fair to say, is dead, but I don’t know that was ever really alive in the sense that it was always very, very ambitious,” Crooks told CNBC on Tuesday.
“If, by energy transition, you mean there is going to be rapid growth in renewables, there’s going to be a shift to electric vehicles and we’re going to be heading towards, in general, a lower carbon energy system then I think in that sense the energy transition is alive still.”
— CNBC’s Emilia Hardie contributed to this report.
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