Energy Digest

The California State Senate passed the Community Renewable Energy Program Act, AB 1813, a workable community solar and storage program. Industry advocates view this as a long-awaited achievement after over a decade of failed efforts by the state. The bill now awaits the governor's signature before moving forward.

The White House has issued an emergency order to secure the bulk-power system. Renewable energy companies Emerald AI, Aspen Power, and Avantus have made notable deals, with Emerald AI raising $150 million, Aspen Power securing an ITC deal on up to 30 projects, and Avantus scoring $300 million for a sequel project in Kern County, CA.

JA Roadshow 2026 will feature battery energy storage systems (BESS) as a key focus, showcasing how storage can support more resilient and reliable energy systems. The roadshow will also highlight JA's latest PV technologies, including the company's performance-enhanced TOPCon platform, DeepBlue 5.0. The event aims to bring integrated energy solutions combining solar and energy storage to customers and industry stakeholders across Europe.

Key facts: Brazil's energy storage industry saw growth at Intersolar South America 2026, with major companies showcasing their battery energy storage systems (BESS), including local partnerships to meet domestic content requirements. Despite this growth, sales have yet to keep pace with supply, with leading suppliers selling between 40 MWh and 100 MWh of storage per month in the first half of the year. The industry is expecting a significant increase in demand for energy storage systems, driven by upcoming auctions and expansion into new markets.

Australia's volatile market structure is ideal for battery storage due to its inherent unpredictability and lack of grid stability. The country's reliance on intermittent renewable energy sources further exacerbates the need for energy storage solutions. This creates a lucrative business opportunity for companies like Wärtsilä, which are capitalizing on Australia's unique market conditions.

Autonomous beyond visual line of sight (BVLOS) drones and physical AI are transforming grid reliability by enabling real-time monitoring of large service territories with enhanced accuracy, reduced costs, and increased efficiency. These long-range drone platforms can fly autonomously over vast areas without human supervision, providing critical data on grid performance and behavior. By deploying these capabilities, utilities can improve grid resilience, reduce maintenance downtime, and enhance overall system reliability.

Hydrogen is receiving excessive attention in the energy-transition information stream, with frequent mentions of fuel-cell trucks, buses, trains, ships, storage projects, and other applications despite having a limited physical deployment. This disproportionate coverage creates an overly optimistic impression about hydrogen's potential as a substantial alternative to traditional energy sources. The actual deployment of hydrogen remains relatively small compared to its media presence.

Thousands of residents in Gary, Indiana lost power for up to two weeks after violent storms and tornadoes struck northwest Indiana this month. A prolonged power outage highlighted the importance of renewable energy sources, such as solar power, to mitigate the impacts of extreme weather events. The "Solar for All" cancellation has underscored the need for alternative solutions to ensure reliable access to electricity during natural disasters.

Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP) has acquired a 104MW grid-forming battery energy storage system (BESS) project in Australia, known as Gawara Baya. The project was previously developed by Windlab.

Junction box failures are a growing concern, with defect rates reaching up to 10% of installed modules, and three main failure modes: poor soldering of the busbar ribbon, failed soldering of the bypass diode inside the junction box, and degraded adhesive or potting compound that allows moisture into the module. These issues can be prevented with proper checks at the factory stage, but lie undetectable once cured and sealed by the potting compound. Early signs of failure may be subtle, such as infrared signatures or cracking in the cover, and left unaddressed can progress to a fire.