Tesla sets battery storage deployment record in Q4 as EV sales slump

Tesla CEO Elon Musk said “energy will have very high growth for as far into the future as we can imagine.”

By Brian Martucci • Feb. 3, 2026

2026 US power sector outlook

Read Utility Dive's road map to the year ahead for FERC, affordability, renewable energy, distributed energy resources and more. 

By Meris Lutz • Jan. 30, 2026

Customers, don’t expect electric bill relief in 2026: ‘The cake is baked.’

Energy affordability has long been a problem for the poorest Americans, but now middle-income families are starting to feel the squeeze.

By Robert Walton • Jan. 30, 2026

NERC forecasts peak demand to rise 24% on new data center loads

“The system is changing faster than the infrastructure needed to support it,” said John Moura, NERC's director of reliability assessments and performance analysis.

By Robert Walton • Jan. 30, 2026

Sam Altman-backed Exowatt launches arm to power data centers with renewables

The company said ExoRise will provide customers with solar and battery infrastructure that supports “behind-the-meter and off-grid deployment” with a focus on the U.S. Southwest.

By Zoya Mirza • Jan. 28, 2026

Trump administration must release EV charger funds, court rules

The Department of Transportation and Federal Highway Administration “yanked the NEVI Formula Program’s cord out of the outlet,” said U.S. District Judge Tana Lin. “It is simply not how things are lawfully done.”

By Diana DiGangi • Updated Jan. 28, 2026

Honda dissolving its fuel cell system partnership with GM

Honda said it will continue internal development of its hydrogen fuel cell technology and intends to make it a core business segment in the future.

By Eric Walz • Jan. 27, 2026

In 2026, virtual power plants must scale or risk being left behind

The AI data center frenzy is shifting utilities’ focus to large-scale generation. But advocates say flexible, distributed energy resources still provide the biggest bang for the buck, according to our 2026 DER outlook.

By Herman K. Trabish • Jan. 27, 2026

Massachusetts can make ‘bottom-up’ distribution reforms for a better grid

Adopting a distribution system operator, or DSO, structure would make the grid cleaner, more flexible and more affordable, writes Corrin Moss. 

By Corrin Moss • Jan. 22, 2026

Managed EV charging can save utilities and ratepayers money: report

By optimizing electric vehicle charging around peak times, utilities can delay costly distribution grid upgrades while cutting per-vehicle charging costs by 25% or more, Brattle Group said this month.

By Brian Martucci • Jan. 21, 2026

New Jersey governor orders state to accelerate solar, storage and virtual power plants

Gov. Mikie Sherrill, who was sworn in Tuesday, also ordered regulators to study how to “modernize” the traditional electric utility business model, including by making utility profits “less dependent on capital spending.”

By Robert Walton • Jan. 21, 2026

Google sees CO2 batteries as large-scale way to store renewable energy

The tech giant is working with a Milan-based company called Energy Dome, which has built a model facility in Ottana, Sardinia, Italy. As part of the partnership, Google has made an equity investment in the company.

By Robert Freedman • Jan. 20, 2026

The data center dependency crisis: When our grid can’t function without big tech

We're sleepwalking into a future where our electric grid depends on the voluntary cooperation of private technology companies because the short-term benefits are too attractive to resist, writes Mothusi Pahl of Hartwell and Loche.

By Mothusi Pahl • Jan. 16, 2026

America’s new power barons: Who will rule the AI-grade megawatt megasector?

The winning model will be hybrid: gas for firmness, renewables for optics and cost, and storage for stability, writes NOVUS Energy Advisors’ Emily Easley.

By Emily Easley • Jan. 15, 2026

PJM trims near-term load forecast on stricter data center vetting, economic outlook

However, the PJM Interconnection expects long-term load growth to surge past its estimates released a year ago.

By Ethan Howland • Jan. 15, 2026

Xcel defends storage ownership in distributed capacity pilot

The Minnesota utility floated modifications to its Capacity*Connect proposal, but it maintained it should own the batteries as it builds out the program. Stakeholders argued for more competition.

By Robert Walton • Jan. 14, 2026

SolarMax Technologies to deploy three utility-scale BESS projects in Texas, Puerto Rico

The combined 400-MW/1-GWh deployments advance a strategic shift toward larger commercial installations amid regulatory and policy changes, the company has said.

By Brian Martucci • Jan. 13, 2026

Illinois sets 3-GW energy storage target, requires utilities to develop virtual power plants

Electricity bills in Illinois rose 15% last year. A new law aims to reduce energy costs by incentivizing new resources, expanding solar and growing efficiency programs.

By Robert Walton • Jan. 9, 2026

Utilities under pressure: 6 power sector trends to watch in 2026

Facing rising demand and aggressive load growth projections, utilities are rolling out massive spending plans. Now they'll have to walk a fine line with regulators and ratepayers.

By Meris Lutz , Robert Walton , Ethan Howland , Diana DiGangi • Jan. 8, 2026

How VPPs can help data centers connect to the grid faster

Virtual power plants can be developed quickly to satisfy data center demand, but reaching the scale required to meet soaring load growth will require new commercial models, according to RMI.

By Jesse Cohen, Mark Dyson and Lauren Shwisberg • Jan. 8, 2026

Honda buying LG Energy Solution’s stake in Ohio EV battery plant building for $2.85B

LG Energy Solution said the deal is intended to “increase the operational efficiency” of its joint venture with Honda. However, press reports and company statements suggest a potential shift to energy storage systems.

By Eric Walz • Jan. 6, 2026

Programmatic alignment is key to scaling residential battery demand response

Utilities, battery manufacturers, technology providers and customers all operate under different incentive structures, writes Uplight’s Sneha Vasudevan.

By Sneha Vasudevan • Jan. 6, 2026

Hydrostor secures key permit for 500 MW, 8-hour California energy storage facility

The installation would be the Canadian company’s first grid-scale deployment of its “advanced compressed-air energy storage” technology.

By Brian Martucci • Dec. 23, 2025

Ford scraps EV plans, shifts to stationary energy storage

Ford will convert plants in Kentucky and Michigan to produce lithium iron phosphate batteries, including 20-foot DC container systems of the type used by data centers, utilities and large-scale industrial and commercial customers.

By Eric Walz • Dec. 17, 2025

2025 on track for record storage deployments: WoodMac

“Despite new federal policies and tariffs, the market fundamentals remain exceptionally strong,” said Allison Feeney, a research analyst at Wood Mackenzie.

By Diana DiGangi • Dec. 17, 2025