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)

Batteries

What's better than a big battery? How about a big battery you can move around

Power Edison is putting megawatt-scale batteries on truck trailers and barges to bring more flexibility to a costly yet valuable energy-storage resource.

By Jeff St. John . 6 December 2021
Electric vehicles

Prototype of electric moped with 90-second charge time set to hit the streets in 2022

The secret sauce is a novel lithium-carbon battery chemistry.

By Jason Deign . 6 December 2021
Energy storage

Energy storage is booming — and flexing its political muscle

The folks storing clean power are flush with cash and winning in Washington.

By Julian Spector . 6 December 2021
Policy & regulation

Jigar Shah's big idea for getting rooftop solar and smart appliances to low-income Americans

How the DOE could marshal its loan guarantees to decarbonize the grid and boost energy equity in one fell swoop.

By Jeff St. John . 23 November 2021
Grid edge

Generac acquires smart thermostat maker ecobee

Ecobee broke with Amazon over customer privacy. Now it's found a home in Generac’s growing clean home energy ecosystem.

By Jeff St. John . 1 November 2021
Electric vehicles

Battery swapping: The killer app for electrifying India's millions of tuk-tuks?

Startup Power Global says modular batteries and swapping stations can cut the cost of transitioning to EVs in developing markets. It has a lot of competition.

By Jeff St. John . 27 October 2021
Video

Video: Hawaii turns to clean energy as coal power goes extinct in the state

The last coal plant in Hawaii will be replaced in part by Kapolei Energy Storage, a big new battery designed to store solar power and feed it back to the grid when it's needed most.

By Julian Spector . 25 October 2021
Video

Hawaii has a one-year deadline to ditch coal. Can it keep the lights on?

The Aloha State’s race to clean up its electricity sector makes it a real-world test case for rapid decarbonization.

By Julian Spector . 25 October 2021
Batteries

Newsletter: A play-by-play from the frontlines of Hawaii's race to replace coal

Plus, a new twist on our newsletter.

By Julian Spector . 25 October 2021
Policy & regulation

Don’t keep doing what you’re already doing

In climate policy and in business, sometimes you’ve gotta do things nobody has tried before.

By Julian Spector . 19 October 2021