The battery linchpin: Why energy storage is the only the only way to safely power the AI boom
Utility-scale battery storage capacity is projected to reach 24.3 GW of new additions in 2026 as developers look to mitigate the grid impact of hyperscale data centers.
Colorado House passes legislation to legalize plug-in solar for renters
The Colorado House of Representatives passed a bill to legalize plug-in solar systems for renters and multifamily residents, establishing a regulatory framework for portable arrays that connect directly to standard home outlets.
Workforce gap of 53,000 threatens 2026 solar deployment targets
The U.S. solar industry faces a critical shortage of 53,000 workers as developers rush to meet July 4, 2026 construction deadlines to secure federal tax credits.
IOWN Energy closes sale of 127 MW Nevada battery project
IOWN Energy facilitated the financing and sale of a 127 MW / 506 MWh standalone battery energy storage project to independent power producer DESRI.
Dimension Energy announces $650 million in new financing for community solar
Contributions from five partners will support a 132 MW portfolio of 25 community solar projects across four states.
U.S. solar and storage market report: 2026 state rankings and forecasts
Reviewing the top ten states for solar generation and capacity, energy storage buildout, and more.
Michigan approves 1.3 GW BESS portfolio, including contested Oracle data center assets
Approved DTE Electric storage facilities include one asset backed by a 20-year tolling agreement, two self-build contracts and three batteries to serve an Oracle-owned data center. The energy regulator has denied a petition from the state’s attorney general to revisit BESS approvals.
U.S. adds 26.5 GW of solar in 2025 as renewables dominate new capacity
Solar and wind accounted for nearly 90% of all new utility-scale generating capacity added to the U.S. grid through December 2025, according to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
SolarEdge outlines path to 800 V (DC) data center infrastructure
SolarEdge has outlined a transition pathway to integrated 800 V (DC) infrastructure for data centers, arguing that legacy alternating current (AC) systems introduce inefficiencies that could constrain the growth of AI workloads. It says rising compute demand and next-gen NVIDIA GPUs are increasing urgency, while data centers lose an estimated 10% to 30% of input power through multiple conversion stages.
Tracker-based agrivoltaics turn fields into wind-safe zones
Cornell University researchers demonstrated that tracking solar panels in agrivoltaic systems can protect crops from wind damage while allowing airflow, outperforming traditional single-row tree windbreaks. They also proposed a new lowered-first-row panel design that improves wind protection, achieving up to 86% reduction in shelter-zone wind speeds under extreme conditions.
