California sees sustained decline in natural gas use as solar output rises
California’s electricity mix is shifting as utility-scale solar generation nearly doubles its 2020 output and battery storage increasingly displaces natural gas during evening peaks, according to new data from the US Energy Information Administration (EIA).
Community-based energy trading system for home solar-plus-storage
A research team led by Washington State University has developed a cloud-based system for trading and sharing energy from solar panels and batteries within a neighbourhood. The concept displayed potential energy cost savings of around 12% over a five-day test period.
US energy offices folded into new structure at Department of Energy
The US Department of Energy (DoE) has removed renewable energy, grid modernization, and carbon-management units from its organizational chart and consolidated them into the Office of Critical Minerals and Energy Innovation, a shift confirmed in newly published federal documents.
Solar sidewalks cut urban emissions 98%, claim scientists
A Concordia University modeling study in Canada finds that photovoltaic sidewalks could power local electric mobility, reduce urban emissions by 98%, and shift rooftop use toward agriculture under a 15-minute-city framework.
The Hydrogen Stream: Inpex launches blue hydrogen, ammonia demonstration plant in Japan
As Inpex launches its hydrogen park in Japan, ITM Power announces a possible delivery of 710 MW of electrolysers to Germany’s Stablegrid and Shell works on a 100 MW electrolyser in Germany.
Skyven Technologies commissions steam-generating, industrial heat pump
The company’s demonstration centre in Dallas, Texas, showcases its Arcturus steam-generating heat pump, which it says is eight times more efficient than natural gas boilers and six times more efficient that electric boilers and thermal energy storage.
US startup Unigrid adopts contract manufacturing model for batteries
Unigrid is pursuing a contract manufacturing strategy for its sodium-ion batteries, drawing on semiconductor foundry practices to shorten development timelines while shifting most production to underutilized Asian factories.
United States recall targets 25,000 EcoFlow Delta Max 2000 units
The US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) says EcoFlow is recalling about 25,030 Delta Max 2000 power stations after six reported fires caused more than USD 850,000 in property damage.
SEIA warns 13 GW of Texas solar and storage at risk
The Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) says new federal permitting, tax, and grant policies place more than 13,000 MW of planned solar and battery capacity in Texas at risk of failing to come online in 2026, with far larger volumes exposed in 2027.
Solar provides predictable income stream for farms
Solar farm leases provide stable, predictable income that helps financially secure family farms and boosts rural tax revenues with minimal land impact, said a report from the SEMA Coalition.
