US Electricity Rate Hits 17.45 Cents/kWh, Solar Deployment Needed

Solar is scaling fast: the U.S. added 43.2 GWdc in 2025, solar supplied 54% of all new generating capacity, and Solar Energy Industries Association expects U.S. solar capacity to nearly triple from 279 GWdc at year-end 2025 to 769 GWdc by 2036. Globally, 2025 was a record year with 664 GW of new solar installed and total capacity reaching 3 TW.   Solar is an important part of the net-zero toolbox, especially for large systems such as district energy, campus energy, and data centers. But the conversation cannot stop at new technology, because aging assets are adding to deferred maintenance lists and consuming OPEX dollars.   I have seen that firsthand. One remote university could not find a contractor to service a failing array. Another had to decommission a legacy solar install after a fire, made worse by a design that made repair and replacement nearly impossible.   That is where the Grundfos mindset fits: net zero is not just about adding generation, it is about optimizing the full system lifecycle. Whether it is pumps, controls, or VFDs, the goal is the same — use energy more efficiently and make assets maintainable for the long term.   #NetZero #EnergyOptimization #Decarbonization #FacilityManagement #SolarEnergy #DataCenters #DistrictEnergy

The contraction is 2026. The growth is everything after. Q1 2026 was the strongest first quarter in US energy storage history. 9.7 GWh installed in three months. That happened in the same quarter residential solar installations dropped 15%. SEIA Two markets moving in opposite directions. Same rooftop. Residential storage is forecast to expand at 12% average annual pace through 2030. The storage ITC is intact. US battery manufacturing now has the capacity to supply 100% of domestic demand. Utility DiveUtility Dive The operators building storage portfolios right now are doing so at the bottom of the cycle. That positioning matters more than most people acknowledge in the middle of a contraction. Recovery starts in 2027. The pipeline being built today is what gets you there. #solar #energystorage #residentialsolar #solarenergy #energy (Link in first comment — source: Utility Dive / SEIA Q2 2026 Solar Market Insight — utilitydive.com)

𝗟𝗢𝗡𝗚𝗶'𝘀 𝗣𝗶𝘁𝗰𝗵: 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗯𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗣𝗩 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗕𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲   "The next phase is no longer just about solar but about integrated solar-plus-storage systems." – Dennis She, Vice President at LONGi Solar   The gap he sees today is that many customers still buy PV, batteries, and power conversion equipment from various suppliers. The components are connected, but not really coordinated.   #LONGiONE integrates the PV generator, battery energy storage system (BESS), and power conversion system (PCS) into one coordinated solution. On the BESS side, LONGi designs and integrates everything except the battery cells – treating the cell as a standardized component, while the real value lies in battery management, system control & overall integration.   Around the beginning of 2025, after events such as the blackout in Spain, it was clear that future solar power plants will increasingly be developed as hybrid PV-plus-storage projects.   LONGi entered the storage market by acquiring PotisEdge, a company with strong in-house R&D but without a strong brand, sales, or marketing.   Its latest product, OneBank 2.0, is one of the few AC container solutions on the market with integrated in-house PCS & BMS and supports both AC & DC coupled architectures. The company has its focus on 3 segments: utility-scale, C&I (particularly behind-the-meter), and off-grid & microgrid.   Watch full interview: https://lnkd.in/d9crwUd8 Read full story: https://lnkd.in/d4QxpbHJ #TaiyangNews #SolarPV #EnergyStorage #BESS #LONGi

GlobalData’s new 2026 power battery report delivers key updates on worldwide battery energy storage (BESS): ✅ Global BESS capacity to grow at a 42% CAGR up to 2030. Electrification, industrial & data center needs, cheaper lithium-ion batteries and robust supply chains fuel expansion. ✅ China + US held 74.6% of global installed capacity by end-2025. ✅ U.S. storage hit record highs: 57.6 GWh new additions in 2025; Q1 2026 installations up 32% YoY to 9.7 GWh. Most deployments are utility-scale front-of-meter assets, mainly located in Texas, California and Arizona. Major industry transition: Storage systems are upgrading from 2-hour to 4-hour duration. Higher wind and solar output creates bigger generation-demand gaps, making energy shifting core value of batteries. Four-hour storage has become the regulatory baseline in California, with similar trends seen in the UK and the Middle East. Other highlights ▫️ Solar-plus-storage co-location is standard to lower interconnection costs ▫️ Data centers push greater demand for battery backup and grid balancing #EnergyStorage #BESS #Renewables #GridInfrastructure #SolarWind

Yexio’s Heiligenhaus data centre has added 244kWp of onsite solar, forecast to generate 220MWh a year. At a continuous 2MW load, that equals about 1.3% of annual facility demand.

Solar arrays sell electrons, while battery systems sell a portfolio⚡ When space allows, solar and battery systems are often developed together. Before the OBBB phased out the 30% federal tax credit for solar, both technologies also shared an incentive. However, when analyzed as separate assets, solar and storage are very different on the revenue side. A typical solar array is a single-revenue-stream asset, generating electricity that gets monetized in one of two ways: consumed onsite to reduce power bills, or sold to an offtaker. Depending on location, a solar array may also earn Renewable Energy Credits (RECs) or other performance-based incentives, but these benefits are now rare. In a few words, solar revenue is based on kilowatt-hours produced. On the other hand, a standalone battery monetizes the differences in energy value and power value across different schedules, while providing services to the grid. In New York, a standalone battery under the VDER framework stacks three main revenue streams: 🔋LBMP (Energy):  The battery charges with affordable off-peak electricity and discharges when Locational-Based Marginal Prices are high, capturing the spread. 🔋 ICAP (Capacity): The battery gets paid for being available to meet peak demand, based on its performance during the most critical hour of summer. 🔋 DRV (Demand Reduction Value): The battery earns based on its electricity injections during the most critical windows in the summer months, which may vary by location. While solar revenue is anchored to one variable, storage revenue is diversified across energy arbitrage, capacity and distribution-level network relief. Ideally, your dispatch strategy should maximize the combined value from the available revenue streams. This involves tradeoffs, since battery revenue streams don’t always align. If you’re planning a BESS project in New York, we can help you assess the income opportunity available in its location. Send us a DM or drop a comment. #EnergyStorage #BESS #VDER #NewYorkEnergy #GridStorage

Global battery storage capacity is set to grow sixfold by 2030 — and the shift to four-hour systems is rewriting the rules. The numbers are staggering. And the market is shifting beneath our feet. GlobalData forecasts global BESS capacity will soar from 224.8 GW (end of 2025) to ~1,300 GW by 2030 — a 42% CAGR and a near sixfold increase . The industry is moving from two-hour to four-hour battery systems. Why? Higher solar and wind penetration creates longer daily mismatches between generation and demand. Moving midday solar into the evening peak is now more valuable than ever . Key trends: 🔹 China + US = 74.6% of global installed capacity at end of 2025 🔹 US market added a record 57.6 GWh in 2025; Q1 2026 installations hit 9.7 GWh (32% YoY growth) 🔹 EIA projects 24 GW of utility-scale batteries will come online in the US in 2026 🔹 Four-hour systems are becoming the baseline for capacity credit and resource adequacy — CPUC programs in California have made them standard 🔹 Co-located solar+storage is becoming default practice, cutting costs and schedule risk "Energy shifting has become the fulcrum of the battery storage value proposition, recasting batteries from ancillary grid-support tools into system-critical infrastructure." — Rehaan Shiledar, GlobalData As renewables scale and data center demand surges, storage is no longer optional. It's the backbone of the new power system. Source: ESS News 📖 Read the full article: https://lnkd.in/gSgY8_9e #EnergyStorage #BESS #BatteryStorage #GridModernization #RenewableEnergy #CleanEnergy #EnergyTransition #USGrid #DataCenters #GlobalData #SNEC

Most people think battery storage only makes sense alongside solar. That's no longer the case. Solar-plus-storage remains the strongest energy infrastructure solution when a facility can support it. But not every building can. Facilities with heavy rooftop mechanical equipment, leased sites, and locations where interconnection is complex or costly are often not viable candidates for solar. Standalone battery storage now gives those facilities a real path forward. Peak demand charges, not total energy use, can account for 30–50% of many commercial electric bills, and intelligent storage can reduce that exposure depending on the facility, even without solar. More facilities than ever have a viable way to lower energy costs, whether that starts with solar-plus-storage or storage as a standalone first step. Read the full article: https://lnkd.in/etQEy6wv $NXXT #BatteryStorage #EnergyStorage #CommercialEnergy #DemandCharges #SolarPlusStorage #EnergyInfrastructure

2026 has witnessed a global shift for solar developers: solar-storage integration is no longer an optional upgrade, but a necessity driven by worldwide regulatory requirements and fluctuating power prices. Many regions now require matched energy storage to obtain grid approval and unlock tax incentives, while standalone solar systems face curtailment risks and missed revenue opportunities. Integrated EMS-managed solar-storage setups can access multiple revenue streams including peak arbitrage and grid auxiliary services, creating clear advantages amid fierce PV market competition. For areas with unstable public power grids, such combined systems also deliver reliable self-supply for factories and commercial facilities. This accelerating transition is fueling growing demand for customized lithium battery PACK and module assembly lines, designed to fit utility-scale, commercial and distributed energy storage projects alike. Feel free to get in touch if you are planning your own energy storage production layout 😊 ~ #BatteryAssemblyProductionLine #EnergyStorageSystem #BatteryManufacturing #SongkeLeading

According to a new report highlighted by Utility Dive, the U.S. is expected to add approximately 445 GW of new generating capacity by 2030, with solar and battery storage accounting for the majority of those additions. The growth is being driven by increasing electricity demand from AI, data centers, manufacturing and electrification. Meeting that demand will require more than new projects. It will require a resilient domestic supply chain and manufacturers that can deliver reliable, high-quality products at scale. At Bila Solar, we're helping build that foundation by manufacturing high-performance solar modules in Indianapolis with the capacity to support utility-scale and commercial projects as demand accelerates. As the industry continues to grow, expanding domestic manufacturing will be essential to strengthening the U.S. energy supply chain, improving project certainty and ensuring developers have access to American-made products when they need them. It's an exciting outlook for our industry and another reminder that investing in U.S. solar manufacturing today is critical to powering the next generation of energy infrastructure. Read the full article: https://lnkd.in/gvHDti9F #BilaSolar #SolarEnergy #AmericanManufacturing #SolarManufacturing #DomesticContent #EnergyInfrastructure #CleanEnergy