Virtual Power Plant Demonstration Sets up in Washington, D.C.
Ecosuite and Ecogy Energy have been chosen by the District of Columbia Public Service Commission for a five‑year pilot that tests virtual power plant (VPP) concepts on the city’s grid. The project will install Ecosuite’s open‑source software and edge compute nodes at three Washington, D.C., sites, combining solar panels, battery storage, flexible building loads and EV chargers. Pepco backs the demonstration to evaluate how real‑time coordination of distributed energy resources can expand solar hosting capacity and improve grid reliability. Insights will inform future DC grid‑modernization policies.
Copper Demand Stays Resilient Despite Iran Conflict Worries
HOUSTON - Freeport-McMoRan expects demand for copper for use in electrification, data centers and other high-tech areas to remain resilient despite market jitters tied to the Iran conflict, CEO Kathleen Quirk told Reuters on Monday. $FCX
Ohio Solar Project Rejection Sparks Process Concerns, Climate Group Warns
Rejected 94MW Ohio solar project ‘raises serious questions’ about process, climate group says #energysky -- via pv-tech: https://t.co/8mqhPBBRBg
SSE’s 150 MW Ferrybridge Battery Storage Starts Full Commercial Operation in the UK
SSE has placed its 150 MW, 300 MWh Ferrybridge battery energy storage system into full commercial operation in West Yorkshire, making it one of Britain’s largest BESS projects. The fast‑response asset can deliver two hours of full‑output power, helping balance supply and...
Higher WWS Share Cuts U.S. Electricity Prices
Increasing wind-water-solar (WWS) on the electricity grid decreases electricity prices - 2025 data from 50 U.S. states States with 33-124% of demand met by WWS have electricity prices averaging 2.9 cents/kWh below those with <33% WWS. Results statistically significant. https://t.co/kEDy3HQltg
Pay‑not‑to‑play Scheme to Block Offshore Wind Wastes Taxpayer Money
“Using a pay-not-to-play scheme to pressure a company to not build offshore wind is an outrageous abuse of taxpayer dollars”
EPRI Launches New Large Load Framework to Reduce Time to Power for Data Centers
The Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) has introduced Flex MOSAIC, a voluntary framework that classifies flexibility of large electric loads such as data centers. Developed with more than 65 utilities, system operators, regulators, hyperscalers and technology firms, the scheme defines...
Community Solar and Battery Project Launches After 12 Years
Pioneering community solar and battery project launches after “12 years of hard work” #energysky -- via Renew Economy: https://t.co/FD3yT4CRwt https://t.co/bmZFQ5hfhQ
Sweden Trials eRoadArlanda: Charging EVs on the Move
Sweden Tests eRoadArlanda Electrified Road That Charges #EVs While Driving by @_fluxfeeds #EmergingTech #Technology #Innovation #Tech https://t.co/beRq3hfFwZ
Battery Storage Moves Forward in Massachusetts as Barriers Fall
Massachusetts’ 2025 Duxbury Land Court decision extended the Dover Amendment’s Solar Energy Provision to standalone battery energy storage systems, removing a key zoning barrier. The ruling, reinforced by a new statewide BESS zoning bylaw, aligns permitting requirements for storage with...
Ann Arbor to Launch Its Own Clean Energy Utility
Ann Arbor, Michigan, prepares to launch its own clean energy utility #energysky -- via Canary Media: https://t.co/BKweRPU2zr
Debating Grid Buildout vs Utilization: Defining Conversation Parameters
I've been watching a really interesting debate here on grid buildout vs grid utilization. This week on Open Circuit, I've got @BrianJanous and @CarolineBGolin together on the show to hash this out. Where should I focus the parameters of the...
POWERGEN 2027 Call for Content Is Open: Share What You’ve Built, Fixed and Learned
POWERGEN has opened its Call for Content for the 2027 conference, inviting engineers, plant managers, developers and executives to submit case studies and lessons learned by May 18, 2025. The event, scheduled for Jan 18‑21, 2027 in Salt Lake City, seeks practical, non‑commercial presentations...
Illinois Probes Data Center Cost Consumer Protections
Illinois regulators launch investigation into consumer protection against data center costs #energysky -- via pv magazine usa: https://t.co/aw3WBbqTms
US Solar Module Prices Set to Rise Until 2027
Intertek forecasts higher US solar module prices through 2027 #energysky -- via pv magazine global: https://t.co/WxyHO8ib5x
Electric Trucks Take to the Road as Demand for Petrol-Free Cars Surges
Australian startup New Energy Transport completed its first electric long‑haul delivery from Sydney to Canberra, targeting a fleet of 20 electric trucks by the end of next year. The 290 km run cost about $33 in charging—roughly a third of a...
Repowering Wind Farms Doubles Output on Unchanged Land
Plus, you can get twice the power out of the same land simply by repowering existing wind farms. https://t.co/WSQ69VU0c5
Trump Admin Pays $1B to Halt Wind, Boost Oil Projects
This is about as sick as it gets. Trump Administration to Pay $1 Billion to Energy Giant to Cancel Wind Farms. In exchange, the French company TotalEnergies would invest in oil and natural gas projects in Texas and elsewhere. https://t.co/2VC6NSQv9N
Hoover Dam Could Lose Most of Its Power as Lake Mead Plummets
Lake Mead is receding at a rate faster than recent forecasts, threatening to drop below the intake levels of Hoover Dam’s turbines within the next few years. Federal data shows the lake could lose enough water to shut down most...
AI Data Centers and Power Generation: What Gear Drive Companies Need to Know
AI‑driven data centers are now consuming roughly 60% of their electricity from servers, driving a surge in overall power demand. Grid expansion lags behind, prompting operators to adopt hybrid solutions that blend grid supply, long‑term renewable contracts, battery storage, and...
Calgary’s New Cleantech Research Centre Gets $4.25-million Boost From Federal Government
University of Calgary's newly formed Centre for Far‑From‑Equilibrium Nanostructured Cleantech Materials (CeFar) received a CAD 4.25 million (≈US 3.1 million) grant from the Canada Foundation for Innovation. The funding will expand CeFar’s ten labs across the Schulich School of Engineering and Faculty of Science,...
Dept. Of Interior Bribes Oil Company $1B From Taxpayer Coffers to Stop Wind Power
The U.S. Department of the Interior announced a $928 million payment to French oil major TotalEnergies to relinquish two offshore wind leases in Carolina Long Bay and New York Bight, effectively halting planned wind projects. The agreement, unveiled by Interior Secretary Doug...
McDermott Vessels Earn ISO 50001 Certification for Offshore Energy Efficiency
McDermott has secured ISO 50001 energy‑management certification for three offshore vessels—DB32, DB50 and DLV2000—extending the standard previously applied to its fabrication yards. The 2025 certification required vessel‑specific baselines, real‑time fuel monitoring and a plan‑do‑check‑act framework verified by third‑party auditors. By embedding...
CPUC Backs Renewable Natural Gas Contract From Anaergia Facility
The California Public Utilities Commission has conditionally approved Anaergia’s SoCal Biomethane facility as the first renewable natural gas (RNG) supplier under Senate Bill 1440. The project co‑digests organic waste and municipal wastewater, converting up to 104,000 tons of waste per year...
TotalEnergies, Holcim Energise 31MW Belgian Floating Solar Plant
TotalEnergies and Holcim have commissioned a 31 MW floating solar photovoltaic plant on a rehabilitated quarry lake in Obourg, Belgium. The facility is expected to generate about 30 GWh of renewable electricity each year, which will be fully self‑consumed by Holcim’s industrial...
Tesla Patent Reveals Dual-Battery System for Trailer-Mounted Range Extender
Tesla filed patent US 2026/0048683 A1 describing a dual‑battery architecture that pairs an 800 V primary pack with a 400 V auxiliary pack, operating in three modes—SOE balancing, OCV matching, and parallel fast‑charging. The design offers two mounting options, including a trailer‑mounted auxiliary pack...
U.S. Grid Operators Adopt New Reliability Safeguards to Boost Power System Resilience
U.S. grid operators, led by NERC and cleared by FERC, have adopted a new suite of reliability safeguards aimed at improving system resilience to extreme weather and cyber threats. The standards, effective July 1, 2026, set higher reserve margins and...
Better Grid Utilization Could Save Customers $170B: Brattle Report
A new Brattle Group analysis for GridLab and the Utilize Coalition finds that improving grid utilization by 10% could lower customer electricity rates by about 3.4% and generate $110 billion to $170 billion in savings for U.S. utility customers over the next...
HV-MELA-BAT Showcases Megawatt Charging System
The HV‑MELA‑BAT consortium, led by Fraunhofer ISE, unveiled a megawatt‑scale charging system that combines a high‑efficiency DC/DC converter with a novel contact system. The isolating converter reaches a record‑breaking 99.26% efficiency and a volumetric power density of 9 kW per liter....
PV Yield Uncertainty: What It Means for Engineers, Lenders and Investors
Utility‑scale solar projects hinge on the projected annual energy yield (PVOUT), but that figure carries inherent uncertainty from irradiance variability, modeling assumptions, and site‑specific losses. Engineers, investors, and lenders each interpret this uncertainty differently—design constraints, return probability distributions, and credit...
‘Urgent’ Reform of EU PV Recycling Needed to Tackle Growing Waste Volume
The EU’s photovoltaic recycling capacity of about 170,000 tonnes per year is set to be dwarfed by an estimated 2.2 million tonnes of PV waste annually by 2050. Germany alone could generate roughly 681,800 tonnes, far exceeding its 99,000‑tonne processing ability....
Texas-California Clean Power Race Heats Up | Reading and Podcast Picks - Mar. 23, 2026
Texas set a new solar generation record of over 33 GW, overtaking California as the nation’s leader in utility‑scale solar. The U.S. Energy Information Administration projects Texas will supply roughly 40% of all new solar capacity and 53% of battery storage...
What to Know About Carbon Markets in 2026
The voluntary carbon market now retires over 150 million credits annually, creating a complex landscape for corporate buyers. Experts from registries, consultancies and major firms advise newcomers to leverage public resources, diversify portfolios, and act quickly as high‑quality credits become scarcer....
Vietnam: VinBus Deploys 169 Electric Buses in Ho Chi Minh City
VinBus, Vietnam’s public‑transport arm of Vingroup, has introduced 169 electric buses into Ho Chi Minh City, sourced from its sister firm VinFast. The new fleet operates across nine routes, replacing conventional diesel units with the compact EB 6 and larger EB 8 models. Both...
EKA Mobility Bags Order for 915 E-Buses in Hyderabad
EKA Mobility, a Pune‑based EV firm, received a Letter of Award to supply and deploy 915 electric buses in Hyderabad. The fleet will consist of 100 nine‑metre and 815 twelve‑metre non‑AC buses, delivered through a consortium with GreenCell Mobility. The...
Sam Altman-Backed Fusion Startup Helion in Talks to Sell Power to OpenAI
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman stepped down as chair of Helion, the fusion startup he backs, as the two companies negotiate a power‑purchase agreement. The tentative deal would give OpenAI access to roughly 12.5% of Helion’s output—targeting five gigawatts by 2030...
Climate Issues in the 2026 Governor’s Race: Building Decarbonization and Energy Efficiency
California’s 2026 gubernatorial race spotlights building decarbonization as a linchpin for the state’s climate and affordability agenda. Buildings account for roughly a quarter of the state’s emissions, and the aging natural‑gas distribution network is inflating utility bills for homeowners and...
NorthStandard Backs Crew Nudges to Cut Ship Emissions
NorthStandard has teamed with Signol to roll out a behavioural‑science‑driven nudging platform that encourages seafarers to adopt fuel‑saving actions. The insurer will subsidise Signol’s SaaS subscription for its members, while Signol covers onboarding costs. By delivering weekly, personalised prompts and...
Clean Energy Now Powers 90% of New US Capacity
90% of everything added to the US grid last year was clean energy. Most Americans don't know this. We're not "alternative energy" anymore. We're dominant energy. That's what @EnergyEmpirePod is here for 🗽🔌 https://t.co/v16d3ugteT
European Residential Heat Pump Sales Increased in 2025
Residential heat pump sales across 16 European nations rose to 2.62 million units in 2025, a 10.3% year‑on‑year increase and the third‑largest annual total on record. The growth follows a reversal of a 23% decline seen earlier in the year, driven...
Taiwanese Wave Energy Project Secures Land Lease
Eco Wave Power’s 100 kW onshore wave‑energy pilot in Taiwan has secured a five‑year land lease at Suao Port, with an option to extend. The lease covers 6.75 hectares of the southern outer breakwater, specifically Zone C (2.25 ha) designated for testing. The agreement, signed by...
As Communities and Policymakers Push Back, Can Batteries Make Data Centers Better Neighbors?
Virginia’s legislature passed a bill that, starting in July, will block air‑quality permits for data centers unless their onsite generators meet federal Tier 4 emissions standards, reflecting growing community backlash over noise, pollution and water use. The measure, which originally required...
Modular Wall System Accelerates Affordable Passive House Retrofits
"A new modular wall system from CO Adaptive seeks to make Passive House retrofits faster, cheaper, and more accessible" #passivhaus #passivehouse #retrofit #EnerPHit https://t.co/6Wu3IfvdSe https://t.co/gili88b7HZ
Plasma Tech Targets PFAS ‘Forever Chemicals’
Researchers at the University of Minnesota are applying for $862,000 in state funds to scale a liquid‑phase plasma reactor that can destroy per‑ and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in water. The system is designed to treat up to 60 gallons per...
Unity Centre Showcases Sustainable Design with Wood, Solar, Greenery
“When first walking into the Unity Centre, you can feel the sustainability of the building – from the smell of the wood, to the solar panels on the roof, and the greenery all around to support biodiversity.” #passivhaus #passivehouse https://t.co/98WXsr3cdn https://t.co/vvDmiCOXrg
Passivhaus Care Home Sets Benchmark for Future Facilities
"David Tibbs, senior partner at ORA Architects, explains how a Passivhaus-standard Bedfordshire development is leading the way for the next generation of care homes" #passivhaus #passivehouse https://t.co/GnvAuEFbIp https://t.co/vKlnp8zhgY
5-Year Waits and Rising Costs: How Demand Is Redefining the Gas Turbine Market
Global gas turbine lead times have stretched to five years for large units and up to three years for smaller models, while prices have surged nearly 50% to about $3,000 per kilowatt. Demand is exploding, with 2025 orders projected at...
UP Cabinet Clears Gorakhpur Solar City Plan, Approves 20 MW Floating Solar Plant
Uttar Pradesh’s cabinet approved Gorakhpur’s designation as a solar city and cleared a 20 MW floating solar project on an 80‑acre reservoir in Chiluatal. The plant, to be built by Coal India Ltd on land provided free by the tourism department,...
Statkraft Starts Operations at 206MW Solar PV Portfolio in Ireland
Statkraft has begun commercial operations at two Irish solar PV projects – the 174 MW Clonfad farm and the 32 MW Irishtown site – adding 206 MW of capacity. The move lifts Statkraft’s operational solar portfolio in the Republic of Ireland to 560 MW,...
Zelestra Brings Spanish 162MW Solar PV Portfolio Online
Spanish IPP Zelestra has placed three solar farms—Belinchón I, II and III—in commercial operation, delivering a combined 162 MW capacity in Cuenca, Castilla‑La Mancha. The projects, built in 14 months, feature 275,000 modules on single‑axis trackers and are projected to generate...