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Reporting on transmission buildout, battery storage, interconnection queues, flexibility markets and the reliability constraints shaping renewable growth.
In 2026, the high power density and load fluctuations of AI data centers are transforming energy storage systems from a backup option to critical infrastructure. This article analyzes the different challenges in the North American and Chinese markets, as well as how energy storage technology adapts to this change.
ESS Tech launches modular sodium-ion battery system ESS Bridge, with a single module of 1.2 MWh, stackable up to 4.8 MWh, targeting grid, data center, and industrial/commercial applications, marking an important milestone for sodium-ion batteries in the energy storage field.
Three major utility companies in Massachusetts have signed long-term contracts with developers for three large-scale energy storage projects, with a total capacity of 1,068 MW/4,472 MWh, marking an important step for the state toward its 5 GW energy storage goal.
The US sodium-ion energy storage sector has seen significant progress, with several leading battery companies forming the "American Battery Leadership Alliance" and accelerating technology commercialization. Amid federal policy uncertainty, sodium-ion technology, with its low cost, safety, and long-duration energy storage potential, is challenging lithium-ion's dominance and becoming a key equalizer in the energy transition.
In the first quarter of 2026, US energy storage installations reached 3.3 GW/8.4 GWh, a record high for the same period. Tax policy certainty and large-load customer demand are the main drivers. Wood Mackenzie and ACP expect cumulative installations to reach 200 GW/655 GWh by 2031.
Revera Energy has made a final investment decision on the 400MW/800MWh Hunterston battery energy storage project, located in North Ayrshire, Scotland, with construction expected to start in the third quarter of 2026. This investment is the latest example of the accelerated expansion of the UK energy storage market, marking the key role that large-scale battery storage plays in grid flexibility.
In the first quarter of 2026, driven by grid modernization and clean energy construction, Europe accounted for seven of the top ten private equity deals in the global architecture and engineering sector, setting new quarterly highs in both deal count and value.
Based on a CleanTechnica report, this article analyzes U.S. energy storage startup Volt Harbor’s $2 million seed funding, its modular software-defined energy storage platform for second-life batteries, and the significance of this technological approach for data centers, distribution grids, and the energy storage industry chain.