Data centers and energy are now intertwined conversations, driven by increasing demand for compute power. The rapid growth of AI-driven data centers is fueled by a growing need for electricity to support computing operations. As demand for data storage increases, so does the electricity demand required to power these facilities.

A hybrid latent-sensible storage system improves PVT-driven residential heat pump efficiency by 72.4%, enhancing flexibility and reducing energy density requirements while maintaining high thermal performance. The system combines packed-bed latent heat storage with sensible thermal storage to balance supply and demand, capturing surplus PVT heat and shifting it to demand peaks. Temperature-based routing at the storage-heat pump interface also affects usable heat quality and seasonal performance in this system design.

Confusing ballot language may have misled Ohio voters, leading to the approval of a ban on renewable energy projects in one county, potentially changing its stance on the issue. An analysis of exit poll responses suggests that a majority of voters likely intended to vote against the ban, but the unclear wording of the ballot led to the incorrect outcome. The issue may be related to changes made to the language of the ballot at the last minute, which is under investigation.

The global energy storage sector has reached a milestone with the installation of 112 GW of energy storage capacity in 2025, according to BloombergNEF's Energy Storage Market Outlook for 1H 2026. The growth is driven by increasing demand and investments, with China leading the way in installations and utility-scale projects accounting for 85% of capacity additions. The industry is expected to continue growing rapidly, with cumulative capacity projected to reach 2.9 TW by 2036, a tenfold increase from 2025 levels.

Nauru has signed a memorandum of understanding with Smart Commercial Energy to develop an 18 MW solar and 40 MWh battery solution to power the entire nation. The project aims to reduce the country's reliance on diesel fuel, which is currently its primary source of energy. The deal was signed during the Smart Energy Conference and Exhibition 2026 in Sydney.

Upgraded billing systems are needed to support modern rate designs that aim to reduce grid costs. Existing billing systems may not be able to accurately capture the power behind utility rates, which can lead to inefficiencies and wasted resources. Investing in new billing systems is essential to unlock the benefits of advanced rate design.

Alternate Path has secured EPBC Act approval for a 500MW/2,000MWh battery energy storage system in Victoria, Australia. The developer plans to deploy the facility, known as Murchs Corner, which will generate approximately 2,000MWh of electricity annually. The project is located in Victoria, Australia.

Honda is bringing its Mobile Power Pack e: swappable battery system to the US market for B2B commercial integrations starting as early as June 2026. The technology was first showcased at ACT Expo last week, where Honda announced plans to bring it to market. No specific timeline has been provided for consumer availability of the swap system.

Sunwoda's 5 MWh liquid-cooled energy storage system passed a large-scale fire test under extreme conditions, demonstrating contained thermal runaway in one unit without spreading to adjacent systems. The test was conducted with multiple units packed tightly together, exceeding normal real-world deployment spacing. The results validated the product's performance under rigorous international standards such as UL 9540A and CSA C800.

Nigeria's northern states are identified as optimal areas for agrivoltaic potential due to high solar irradiance and low electricity access rates. The region of Kano, Katsina, and Jigawa could meet mid-century solar demand by installing agrivoltaics on less than 1.5% of cropland. This would allow some of the country's most populous states to utilize less than 1% of existing cropland for agrivoltaics.