IKO's Blair Rubber manufacturing facility in Seville, Ohio has installed a solar energy system on its flat roof as part of its sustainability program Beyond. The installation, completed by Artisun Solar, is the first commercial solar project in Seville and supports IKO's efforts to advance responsible operations across its North American facilities and communities.
Nextpower will acquire Prevalon Energy, an American energy storage supplier, for $365 million. The acquisition aims to help Nextpower become a one-stop-shop for all things utility-scale power. Prevalon provides fully integrated battery energy storage systems (BESS) with its own intelligent control system.
Several companies, including NeoVolta, Goshe Energy Storage, Frontier Power USA, Stella Energy Solutions, and Prevalon Energy, have made recent announcements related to their battery energy storage system (BESS) projects, indicating progress in the US BESS market.
Inclusive leadership is a strategic necessity for building resilient industries during the energy transition, as it generates environments of trust and encourages employees to speak honestly about decisions. Strong companies are built when employees feel comfortable challenging decisions and leaders admit uncertainty and limitations. Leaders must create settings where disagreement is not perceived as personal conflict, separating criticism of ideas from criticism of people.
The German network regulator's decision to maintain grid fee exemptions for battery storage ensures that billions of euros in private investment remain directed into the energy storage market. This decision "restores investor confidence" in the energy storage market. It aims to keep significant amounts of investment within the market.
Nextpower has announced a definitive agreement to acquire Prevalon Energy for up to $365 million in cash and stock, expanding its energy storage capabilities. The acquisition brings Nextpower more than 6 GWh of Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) installed globally and further contracts supporting AI data center infrastructure. The deal marks Nextpower's move into the BESS market as part of its evolution from solar tracking to a full-platform company.
Vietnam's solar sector is experiencing strain due to rapid growth outpacing grid infrastructure, leading to curtailment pressure and testing developer and lender confidence. The country aims to reach 39-43 GW of cumulative solar capacity by 2030, but transmission investment needs are estimated to increase fivefold to meet government targets. Grid constraints and a lack of explicit compensation mechanisms for curtailment risk are major concerns in the sector.
South Australia has awarded agreements for six battery energy storage projects, totaling 1.3GW and 5.336GWh of capacity in the state's first Firm Energy Reliability Mechanism (FERM) tender. The projects will provide additional reliability support to the grid and help address energy security concerns in South Australia. Six battery storage projects were selected from a total of tenders submitted.
The US clean energy sector is experiencing a surge in new projects, with over 50 utility-scale solar, wind, and battery storage initiatives announced in Q1 2026. This growth coincides with a looming federal deadline tied to Trump's big bill act passed last year, prompting companies to accelerate project development. The rapid expansion may be driven by a need to comply with the deadline before it expires.
POET, the world's largest producer of biofuels, has commissioned a 5-GWh multi-day thermal energy storage system at its facility in Big Stone City, South Dakota. The project utilizes batteries from Antora Energy's San Jose, California gigafactory. This is part of a collaboration between POET and Antora to enhance the efficiency and sustainability of POET's bioprocessing operations.
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