US orders recall of 10,500 Tesla Powerwall 2 battery systems
Tesla says its recall and replacement effort stems from a contained battery-cell defect that has raised safety concerns in both the United States and Australia.
Poland raises permit-free energy storage limit to 30 kWh
Poland’s lower house of parliament, the Sejm, has passed amendments to the Building Law to remove the requirement for building permits to construct energy storage facilities with capacities of up to 30 kWh.
Europe to require grid-forming capability for new storage, renewables above 1 MW
The European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity (ENTSO-E) says new EU rules will make grid-forming functions mandatory for large-scale storage and renewable plants.
California legislation sets new safety standards for battery storage
TWAICE says California’s Senate Bill 283 will shift developers’ focus from hardware redesign to proactive documentation and data-driven safety compliance.
‘Catastrophic failure’ at Waratah Super Battery in Australia
A key infrastructure asset at one of the world’s biggest batteries has reduced operations and delayed completion for more than six months, with few details made public regarding the critical asset.
Fothermo debuts immersion heater for excess PV power
The German company said its new device features a DC input supporting up to 3 kW of photovoltaic power. The heating output can be continuously adjusted between 0 W and 1,000 W. Priced at €549 ($635) including VAT, the heating element is designed for hot water storage tanks with capacities of up to 500 L.
Eco Stor breaks ground on Germany’s largest battery storage project
Eco Stor says construction has begun on a 300 MW/714 MWh battery storage facility in Förderstedt, Saxony-Anhalt, now the largest such project under development in Germany.
Spain approves new decree to accelerate storage and grid modernization
Spain’s Council of Ministers has approved a royal decree to promote energy storage, accelerate electrification, and tighten oversight of the national grid, says the Ministry for the Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge (MITECO).
Four-year testing finds heat pumps run efficiently even in older homes
Researchers at Fraunhofer ISE have tested various types of heat pumps in existing buildings across Germany over four years, finding that the systems achieved seasonal performance factors between 2.6 and 5.4. The team also showed that PV-driven heat pumps can boost self-consumption rates, particularly when paired with battery storage.
Australia’s PowerCap enters US with sodium-ion batteries
Australia’s PowerCap has entered the US market with its sodium-ion stationary storage systems and plans to build a manufacturing facility to serve customers across the Americas.
