Solar and storage to lead 86 GW capacity surge in 2026
New federal data shows solar and battery assets will comprise nearly 80% of all new utility-scale power additions planned for the U.S. electric grid this year.
The battery cost disconnect
For years, the battery energy storage (BESS) story has followed a familiar script: costs fall, deployment accelerates, economics improve. Even when cell costs rose and system prices briefly flattened during the 2021-22 lithium price spike, the narrative largely held. Paola Perez Peña, senior principal analyst at S&P Global Energy, examines why the latest jump in lithium prices has only had limited impacts on overall BESS costs so far.
Medium duration endures woes, while Form’s long duration grows, and lithium overflows (part 2)
U.S. medium and long duration manufacturers EOS and ESS are showing stress, while Form Energy is outpacing projections and now must scale – all while being stalked by lithium’s ever widening use profile.
Soltec appoints Alejandro Moreno as its President of North America
Moreno, who brings more than two decades of solar experience to the tracker manufacturer, will oversee operations from Soltec’s Miami headquarters as the company targets growth in utility-scale solar and AI data center markets across North America.
Beatbot launches solar-powered autonomous pool skimmer
The iSkim Ultra utilizes a 24 W monocrystalline solar array and a 10,000 mAh battery to provide 24/7 surface cleaning through an autonomous dual-path navigation system.
Resisting rust in solar
Over a 30-year asset life, corrosion can evolve into a structural, electrical, and fire safety issue. Corrosion drives up operations and maintenance (O&M) costs, reduces resilience to extreme events, and in some cases, can force premature decommissioning or complete structural replacement Intertek CEA’s Nicholas Hudson and Ankil Sanghvi advise on best practices.
People on the move: Aspen Power, Vontier Corporation, and more
Job moves in solar, storage, cleantech, utilities and energy transition finance.
Meta signs with Overview Energy to power AI datacenters with space-based solar
The agreement aims to bypass terrestrial grid constraints by beaming near-infared light from space to terrestrial solar plants to power high-density AI workloads.
Medium duration storage endures woes, while Form’s long duration grows, and lithium overflows
U.S. medium and long duration manufacturers EOS and ESS are showing stress, while Form Energy is outpacing projections and now must scale – all while being stalked by lithium’s ever widening use profile.
RFP Alert: NYSERDA seeks RECs from eligible land-based renewable energy projects
The state agency has launched its tenth annual solicitation for Tier 1 Renewable Energy Certificates, seeking proposals from mature wind, solar and hydroelectric facilities, with a focus on eligible projects seeking to access expiring federal tax credits.
