Batteries

Long-duration energy storage

The biggest grid storage project using old batteries is online in Texas

Startup Element Energy set out to prove that second-life batteries could deliver cheaper energy storage safely and at scale.

By Julian Spector . 21 November 2024

Startup Element Energy installed 53 megawatt-hours of used electric vehicle batteries in West Texas earlier this year, the largest project of its kind so far. (Element Energy)

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.

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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
Energy storage

Grid energy storage surged in 2021, as we predicted

Your humble correspondent presaged 5 market trends, and they all came to pass.

By Julian Spector . 5 January 2022
Fun stuff

The top 10 Canary Media stories of 2021

Check out our most popular pieces of the year. It turns out that people love unexpected good news about clean energy breakthroughs.

By Julian Spector . 27 December 2021
Energy storage

Big batteries are booming in California, but the outlook for small-scale storage just got more uncertain

A new plan for solar net metering could slow adoption of home batteries — just when the state needs them most.

By Elizabeth McCarthy . 23 December 2021
Policy & regulation

California net-metering proposal would decimate rooftop solar market, industry says

The solar industry is “shocked” by plan to impose new fees for rooftop systems and slash payments for solar fed to the grid. Will the CPUC change course?

By Jeff St. John . 14 December 2021
Long-duration energy storage

Energy Dome is the rare long-duration storage firm that's moving fast

The Italian firm landed a deal for a 100MWh plant just two years after launch.

By Julian Spector . 9 December 2021