Global BESS capacity tops 250 GW, overtaking pumped hydro for first time
Rystad Energy says it expects global battery energy storage system (BESS) additions to exceed 130 GW/350 GWh in 2026, led by China, the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Germany.
Battery management systems key to deploying batteries in data centers
A new study highlights the critical role of advanced AI-integrated battery management system technologies in monitoring, optimizing, and predicting battery performance for reliable and sustainable data center operations.
Data center survey reveals majority believe renewables and BESS are the ideal energy mix, power issues start in 2027
54% of respondents cited “energy availability and redundancy” as the single greatest obstacle to successful data center development between now and 2030.
Solar-plus-storage for data centers: not a simple switch
Renewables and storage could reliably power data centers, but success requires active grids, coordinated planning, and the right mix of technologies. Hitachi Energy CTO, Gerhard Salge, tells pv magazine that holistic approaches ensure technical feasibility, economic viability, and energy system resilience.
Testing fault at 100 MW battery disrupts Estonia-Finland power link
During testing at Estonia’s 100 MW Kiisa battery park, both EstLink 1 and EstLink 2 tripped, triggering the most severe disturbance to the regional power grid since desynchronization from the Russian electricity system. As a result, nearly 1 GW of capacity was lost within seconds. The park’s owner has since publicly pointed to the battery manufacturer.
EU installs 27.1 GWh of battery storage in 2025 as utility scale leads
The European Union added 27.1 GWh of battery energy storage capacity in 2025, with utility-scale systems accounting for the majority of new installations as residential storage declined amid lower electricity prices and reduced support schemes, according to a new report from SolarPower Europe.
Germany launches instantaneous reserve market, opening door to storage
Germany has launched a market-based mechanism for procuring instantaneous reserve, allowing inverter-based assets and battery energy storage systems (BESS) to participate for the first time, creating new revenue opportunities while raising questions over long-term profitability and regulatory risk.
Key takeaways from Solar Energy Expo in Poland
Solar Energy Expo 2026, Poland’s flagship PV-plus-storage trade fair, returned this month with a small show-floor footprint but a sharp focus on flexibility and market reform, as well as the storage, inverter and grid-forming technologies shaping the nation’s next phase of grid integration.
French IT services provider develops cybersecurity box for PV plants
France-based IT services provider Cyllene has developed the RC-DC4/5G “Cyllene Box,” a network device for PV power plants that manages multiple internet connections, encrypts data, and supports compliance with the European Union Network and Information Security Directive (NIS 2).
Poland draft grid law could slow solar and storage investment, warns industry
The Polish Photovoltaic and Energy Storage Association (PSFiME) says proposed changes to Poland’s energy law could impose high upfront costs on developers, raising market entry barriers and unfairly favouring large, well-capitalized players.
