Energy Digest

PowerSecure, a subsidiary of Southern Company, is building a 1.25-MW solar and 21.6-MWh energy storage project for Powder River Energy Corporation in Wyoming to address grid-level peak demand challenges driven by industrial growth and rural load expansion, reducing annual power costs for its members. The project aims to strengthen the system and help PRECorp meet growing electricity demands.

Aventon's Spring Sale has added the Aventure M Mid-Drive All-Terrain Smart e-bike to its lineup at a new low price of $2,699. Anker is offering an Earth Day Sale with exclusive combined savings of up to 30% on various products, including security cameras and power stations. Exclusive bonus savings are also available for orders over $1,000 on certain Anker products.

The City of Cincinnati is developing a 10-MW solar project, Center Hill Solar, on its former landfill site in Winton Hills, transforming it into a major renewable energy investment. The project will be built on city-owned land and marks one of the largest renewable energy investments in the city's history. It also transforms a decades-long-dormant brownfield into a functional solar power producer.

A new study by PACS and NEX suggests that a deeper Philippines-China energy partnership could accelerate the country's shift to renewable energy, unlocking economic and technological gains for both sides. The partnership has the potential to speed up the transition to cleaner energy and create opportunities for growth. China-Philippines cooperation in the renewable energy sector is seen as key to achieving this goal.

Rivian's electric vehicle batteries will be repurposed for stationary energy storage at the company's factory, allowing them to be reused after their original use in EVs. This second-life application could extend the lifespan of the batteries and reduce electronic waste. The move is part of efforts to maximize the utility of Rivian's battery technology.

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office's Patent Trial and Appeal Board has deemed portions of Trina Solar's TOPCon solar technology patents as "unpatentable". Trina Solar claimed that Runergy, Adani Green Energy (Mundra), and Canadian Solar infringed on the patents, but the board ruled against them. The decision renders some of Trina Solar's intellectual property invalid.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has scheduled a decision in June on reforms for data center interconnection, with no specifics mentioned. Chairman Swett expressed puzzlement over PJM's backstop auction, while FERC rejected a renewable developer's $44-million waiver request and eliminated zombie dockets. The agency is expected to make decisions on several open meetings.

Georgia's 2GW Vogtle nuclear plant was completed in 15 years at a cost of $36 billion, roughly equivalent to Texas building 36GW of solar and storage over four years. This has led to ratepayer pain and political fallout in Georgia. The project's high cost has been widely criticized.

Leading corporations are investing in community solar credits to support both environmental and social impact, driving growth in the renewable energy market. To be truly sustainable, the solar industry must address the issue of end-of-life panels, with recycling being a key solution. This involves developing closed-loop systems that can recover valuable materials from retired solar panels.

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has set a June 2026 deadline to rewrite rules governing large loads on the US interstate transmission system, particularly for AI-driven data centers and other massive new power users. This rulemaking could redefine how these entities connect to the grid, addressing growing concerns about power demand and grid resilience. The commission issued its order in April, sparking a high-stakes rulemaking process with significant implications for the US energy landscape.