Batteries

A Massachusetts town uses batteries to help its grid — and its schools

Batteries can serve double-duty, shoring up the grid and providing backup to buildings when the power goes out. This project shows how.

By Jeff St. John . 7 October 2024

A computer rendering of Wakfield Municipal Light & Gas Department's battery and generator 'energy park' — A computer rendering of the Energy Park battery-and-generator project being built in Wakefield, Massachusetts, to provide grid services and backup power for two local high schools. (Wakefield Municipal Gas & Light Department)

Batteries

DOE backs US battery materials production with $107M loan

China dominates the global supply of graphite for batteries. DOE's first vehicle tech loan in a decade will help Syrah Technologies make it in Louisiana.

By Jeff St. John . 18 April 2022
Guides and how-tos

Ask these 10 questions if you want to get rooftop solar

Should you buy or lease solar panels? Go with a big installer or a small one? Add a battery? We'll walk you through the basics.

By Julian Spector . 5 April 2022
Energy storage

Chart: Outpacing even China, the US takes the lead in grid battery investment

Global storage investment grew from $460 million to $4.7 billion in just seven years.

By Julian Spector, Maria Virginia Olano . 4 March 2022
Electrification

New tools and tech to prep your electrical panel for an all-electric home

Solar, batteries, EVs and electric heat pumps can overload home electrical panels. Lots of companies are coming up with solutions.

By Jeff St. John . 22 February 2022
Batteries

People power: Hawaii utility wants to pay households to share clean energy

Hawaiian Electric and rooftop solar installers have agreed on a plan to shore up the state's grid. California, are you watching?

By Julian Spector . 14 February 2022
Podcast

Who will benefit from the lithium land grab in California?

Lithium reserves under the Salton Sea could fuel the battery revolution. But locals are worried they'll be left behind.

Play

By Stephen Lacey . 2 February 2022
Long-duration energy storage

Lithium-ion batteries beat novel long-duration tech in California contest

Community coalition opts for tried-and-true standby over flashy upstarts to provide 8 hours of energy storage.

By Julian Spector . 27 January 2022
Energy storage

How NineDot Energy will use $100M to install distributed batteries in NYC

Investment from private equity firm Carlyle could put the startup’s battery parks on the map — if it can navigate a complex urban energy market.

By Jeff St. John . 21 January 2022
Energy storage

Energy Vault pivots, Ford tantalizes, and more energy storage news

Dispatches from the first solar-storage expo in years.

By Julian Spector . 18 January 2022
Solar

PearlX has a plan to bring solar and batteries to apartment buildings

Multifamily housing lags single-family homes in solar and storage. A novel project aims to reach this market.

By Jeff St. John . 14 January 2022