Solar and storage prices are about to rise after a year and a half of record lows, according to new data from Wood Mackenzie. Equipment procurement costs for solar and energy storage will jump around 9% starting in Q4 2025, marking the end of the bargain pricing developers have enjoyed for the last 18 months. That’s because China is changing the rules.
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The energy demand for data centers is surging right along with record-setting heat domes and conversations about a new “Category 6” for hurricanes, bringing serious concerns about grid stability on summer’s hottest days. That’s the kind of problem that keeps the heating and cooling specialists at Carrier awake at night, but they’ve come up with a scalable solution that can deployed yesterday: pair air conditioners with home batteries.
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The Austrian Torrent and Avalanche Control Centre has deployed a Liebherr-developed battery energy storage system to power the cranes, offices, and equipment used in the construction of this year’s consolidation barrier – a critical piece of infrastructure designed to keep Austrians safe from avalanches and landslides this winter.
Here’s how it’s going.
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The US battery storage market just had its biggest quarter ever. In Q2 2025, a record 5.6 gigawatts (GW) of new capacity came online, according to the latest US Energy Storage Monitor report from the American Clean Power Association (ACP) and Wood Mackenzie.
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Peak Energy just switched on a 3.5 MWh sodium-ion battery, the largest sodium-ion energy storage project developed in the US. The system is the first of its kind at grid scale, and may eventually be a game-changer for delivering affordable energy in the US.
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Solar + storage provider Sunrun and Maryland utility BGE are running the first residential vehicle-to-grid (V2G) distributed power plant in the US, and it’s powered by Ford F-150 Lightning trucks.
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For decades, Briggs & Stratton has helped keep the lights on after the storm with its gas-powered generators. Now, the company is bringing that legacy into the modern electric era with a home backup battery — and a new partnership with EG4 is making it easier than ever to integrate Briggs’ batteries into your home solar setup.
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The US virtual power plant (VPP) market is growing fast, with 37.5 gigawatts of behind-the-meter flexible capacity now online, according to a new Wood Mackenzie report. VPPs connect small energy systems and smart devices into a single network managed by an energy company or utility. That can include residential solar panels, battery storage, EVs, and smart thermostats. When the grid needs help during peak demand or emergencies, they can be tapped – and you get paid for participating.
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Sustainable construction experts McKinstry have teamed up with leading BESS developers Viridi and the Denver Public Library to deploy a first-of-its-kind solar and battery storage system that sets a new standard for fire safety.
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Multinational equipment brand SANY just launched a clever new 50-ton reach stacker that pairs gravity and an F1-style KERS system to generate electricity, improve operating efficiency, and reduce costs. The best part: they’re putting that smart tech to work by helping clean up (and shore up) the grid.
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The heavy equipment experts at XCMG have launched what they’re calling a “world’s first” 70 ton reach stacker designed specifically to support the construction of large, utility-scale battery energy storage system (BESS) projects.
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Elon wants the US military to start buying Tesla Cybertrucks – and now they are! The Air Force has ordered two Cybertruck testers for target practice to determine how easy they are to blow up, while Jo makes up a whole new conspiracy theory on today’s explosive episode of Quick Charge!
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One of the US’s largest solar + battery storage projects is now fully online in Mojave, California. Arevon Energy’s Eland Solar-plus-Storage Project combines 758 megawatts (MWdc) of solar with 300 MW/1,200 megawatt hours of battery storage.
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Northvolt’s facilities are about to get a second life in Europe, thanks to a San Jose, California-based lithium-sulfur battery maker: Lyten announced today that it’s acquiring all of Northvolt’s remaining assets in Sweden and Germany.
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More than 100,000 home batteries across California stepped up as a virtual power plant last week in a scheduled test event, and the results were impressive, according to new analysis from The Brattle Group.
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Peak Energy shipped out its first sodium-ion battery energy storage system, and the Burlingame, California-based company says it’s achieved a first in three ways: the US’s first grid-scale sodium-ion battery storage system; the largest sodium-ion phosphate pyrophosphate (NFPP) battery system in the world; and the first megawatt-hour scale battery to run entirely on passive cooling – no fans, pumps, or vents.
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California-based B2U Storage Solutions is building a new battery energy storage facility east of San Antonio, Texas – and it’s going to be powered by used EV batteries.
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Sunrun is putting tens of thousands of home batteries to work in Puerto Rico as the island’s electric grid faces a summer of high temperatures and energy shortfalls.
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General Motors and Redwood Materials are joining forces to take EV battery tech beyond the road and onto the grid. The two companies just signed a non-binding memorandum of understanding that sets the stage for turning both new and second-life GM batteries into energy storage systems to support the US’s rising electricity demand.
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Whether it’s to keep the lights on after a natural disaster or just to avoid peak energy rates, more people than ever are adding battery energy storage to their home solar systems. With some 45% of home solar customers saying yes to home batteries last year, the big question isn’t whether or not to get one – it’s what kind to get.
Two options stand out: lithium ion, and vanadium flow. Here’s the information you need to make the right choice.
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One of Arizona’s biggest grid battery storage projects is now online and helping power homes as the summer heat ramps up.
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The US energy storage market just posted its strongest Q1 ever, adding more than 2 gigawatts (GW) of capacity across all segments, according to the latest US Energy Storage Monitor from Wood Mackenzie and the American Clean Power Association (ACP).
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Arevon Energy just brought a massive new battery storage project online in San Diego’s Barrio Logan neighborhood, and it’s built to keep the lights on when the grid gets stressed.
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Originally announced two years ago, a joint energy storage project between European energy firm Enel and Nissan has come online, giving LEAF batteries a second chance at life and ensuring electrical supply for more than 90,000 people.
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