Finnish energy company Fortum has commissioned two large-scale heat pumps in southern Finland that will utilize excess heat from Microsoft's two local data centers, potentially covering around 40% of the area's annual district heating demand. The plants produce up to 180 MW of district heating and 200 MW of electric boiler capacity, with thermal storage capabilities of 800 MWh. This partnership aims to reduce waste heat from the data centers and increase energy efficiency in the region.
BlackRock-backed Akaysha Energy has formed a joint venture with Copenhagen Energy to develop large-scale battery storage sites across Germany, targeting 60% to 80% contracted capacity at the project level. The developer secured an AUD 300 million corporate debt facility from a syndicate of banks, including Deutsche Bank and BNP Paribas, for its projects. Akaysha Energy's managing director, Paul Curnow, stated that lenders require 60% to 80% contracted revenue before committing project debt in the German toll market.
An international research team has developed a hybrid energy system combining photovoltaic-thermal collectors, borehole thermal energy storage, and a dual-source heat pump to supply low-carbon heating for livestock buildings. The full-scale prototype achieved a coefficient of performance (COP) of 4.07 and showed strong seasonal performance, enabling partial self-supply of electricity and heat while reducing reliance on fossil fuels. The system significantly reduces primary energy consumption and is comparable in capital cost to standard geothermal heat pumps.
Korea Electric Power Corp plans to install 95 MW of solar capacity across 500 substation sites nationwide by 2030, using surplus land to meet South Korea's K-RE100 public-sector renewable energy target. The initiative aims to convert idle land at substations into distributed solar generation sites, starting with a 1 MW pilot this year. The project is part of the state power utility's policy and asset-utilization efforts to comply with the government's K-RE100 standard, requiring public institutions to raise their renewable energy use to 60% by 2030.
Wholesale electricity prices in Greece have collapsed, frequently reaching zero or negative levels between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m., leading to significant volumes of renewable generation being curtailed. This has left small- and medium-sized PV asset owners exposed, with many at risk of financial suffocation due to loss of revenue. The situation is expected to worsen, potentially resulting in bankruptcies or forced market exits for up to 7,500 small producers.
Texas gas, coal, and nuclear power plants consume approximately 100 billion gallons of water every year. In contrast, renewable energy sources like solar and wind use barely any water, with battery storage facilities using virtually no water at all. This massive water usage by traditional power plants poses significant environmental concerns.
ESS has added 8.5 GWh of sodium-ion battery storage to its portfolio, marking a move into the short- and medium-duration battery storage market beyond its traditional long-duration energy storage roots. Sodium-ion batteries are an alternative to lithium-ion batteries, with some environmental benefits. This expansion indicates ESS is diversifying its offerings in response to growing demand for flexible energy storage solutions.
The biggest constraint facing AI data centre expansion is not generation, but storage and the unique power usage patterns of these centres. The grid challenge is exacerbated by the need for large batteries, which are difficult to scale due to the limitations of lithium-ion technology. Alternative battery solutions are needed to support the rapid growth of AI-driven data centres.
Queensland has become the first NEM state to discharge over 100GWh from battery storage systems in a single month, marking a significant milestone for energy storage in Australia's National Electricity Market. This achievement is made possible by the rapid growth of utility-scale battery storage projects in the state. The record-breaking discharge sets a new standard for energy storage performance.
Solar and wind power paired with storage can provide "firm" power at costs competitive with fossil generation, according to a report by IRENA. The report found that in high-quality solar and wind zones, optimally configured systems can deliver round-the-clock electricity at costs below typical fossil fuel benchmarks. Co-located solar PV, wind, and BESS are well-positioned to serve demanding users requiring uninterrupted power.
PV Magazine