The article showcases 10 global leaders driving energy storage innovation through financing, building large-scale projects, and implementing cutting-edge technologies. These individuals are pivotal in advancing renewable energy solutions and addressing climate change by enhancing the efficiency and reliability of energy storage systems. Their work is crucial in transitioning towards a cleaner and more sustainable energy future, ultimately shaping the future of energy storage on a global scale.
Category: Industry, Materials & Waste
Cut Emissions:
– Improve Materials
– Improve Processes
– Cut Fugitive Emissions
– Use Waste as a Resource
– Shift Energy Sources
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REPORT: U.S. Adds 20 GWh of Energy Storage Capacity in Q2, Largest Quarter on Record
The U.S. energy storage industry has experienced significant growth in the first 18 months of the Trump administration, with utility-scale energy storage capacity nearly doubling and demand outpacing expectations. States like Arizona, Texas, and Utah are leading in new storage installations, with Arizona pairing solar resources with storage to meet rising demand and lower electricity costs. Battery energy storage is crucial for supporting grid reliability, especially during extreme heat periods in states like Texas and California. Additionally, the U.S. has set domestic manufacturing records with new battery cell and module facilities, ensuring more batteries are made in the United States. SEIA, the national trade association for the solar and solar + storage industries, is advocating for policies that create jobs and promote competition in the solar industry, with a focus on transitioning to a clean energy economy.
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Wind giant gets green light to plug batteries into turbines, build Australia’s first grid-scale wind-storage hybrid
Goldwind Australia has received approval to co-locate batteries with three-quarters of the turbines at a wind farm in New South Wales, marking Australia's first grid-scale hybrid wind and battery project. The project will include 53 turbine locations with battery energy storage systems, providing a 222.6 MW rated BESS with an installed energy storage capacity of 1,063 MWh. This approval is a significant milestone for the Australian renewables transition, as more projects are combining PV and battery storage to improve grid stability and optimize performance. Co-locating battery storage with wind turbines can lower infrastructure costs, make longer duration storage competitive, enable direct storage in the battery during low market prices, support weak grid connections, and provide black-start capability in case of a blackout. The DC-coupled BESS design by Goldwind allows for efficient storage capability while utilizing existing construction footprints, offering benefits such as reduced costs, increased revenue potential, and better grid integration.
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From Tony Stark to Obi Wan Kenobi: Meet 4 (of 7) West Gate Fellows and Their Technologies
The National Laboratory of the Rockies has welcomed seven new West Gate fellows, including Boris Chubukov of Big Blue Technologies Inc., who is focused on making magnesium production affordable in the U.S. The fellows are working on innovative solutions to reduce dependence on foreign supplies, such as creating magnesium and cement domestically. Another company, GeoKiln, is developing a new approach to hydrogen production using the Earth's geology. Additionally, Last Wave Energy is revolutionizing battery technology by creating ultralight batteries with up to 95% less inactive material. Orva Energy is working on sodium-ion batteries as a more affordable and sustainable alternative to lithium-ion batteries, with the goal of addressing energy challenges and creating jobs.
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Uniper advances NorthStarH2 into basic engineering
Uniper has partnered with AFRY, Carbon Clean, Siemens Energy, and Topsoe to develop the NorthStarH2 e-methanol production facility in Östersund, aiming to decarbonize sectors like transport and the chemical industry. The plant will use renewable electricity and biogenic carbon dioxide to produce 115,000 tonnes of e-methanol annually, reducing emissions and Europe's reliance on imported fossil fuels. Carbon Clean, with expertise in carbon capture technologies, has deployed systems globally, including their CycloneCC technology, to help industrial emitters reduce CO2 emissions. Uniper, a key player in Europe's energy supply, is investing in renewables, hydrogen, and low-carbon energy carriers to drive the transformation of the energy system towards sustainability.
https://www.carbonclean.com/en/press-releases/uniper-carbon-clean
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Storing renewables with firebrick thermal batteries
Electrified Thermal Solutions has developed the Joule Hive Thermal Battery (JHTB) to electrify heavy industry by storing off-peak electricity as heat and releasing it on demand to furnaces, kilns, or boilers. The E-brick can store heat at temperatures up to 1,800 C and output temperatures can be adjusted from 200 C to 1,800 C. With a focus on the levelized cost of heat (LCOH) and beating natural gas prices in certain markets, the company aims to deliver the lowest-cost, highest-value thermal battery on the market. They recently installed a 20 MWh commercial system at the Southwest Research Institute in Texas and have raised $24.3 million in funding across six rounds. Thermal storage solutions like the JHTB could be particularly valuable in solar-heavy grids, converting curtailed solar energy into useful industrial heat.
https://www.pv-magazine.com/2026/08/31/storing-renewables-with-firebrick-thermal-batteries/
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Environmental News Network – How Duke University Is Working to Make AI More Sustainable
Duke University researchers are developing energy-efficient AI technologies to address climate change by improving climate modeling, weather forecasting, protecting oceans, and modernizing energy systems. They are expanding their AI infrastructure with a focus on minimizing power and water consumption and carbon emissions, committed to advancing AI responsibly to help society understand and respond to a changing planet while making AI itself more sustainable.
https://www.enn.com/articles/78299-how-duke-university-is-working-to-make-ai-more-sustainable
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From Breakthrough to Battery Factory: Closing the “Missing Middle” in U.S. Battery Commercialization
American research labs have developed innovative battery technologies, but few have been commercially manufactured in the US. The deployment of battery storage is expanding the grid's ability to store and deliver electricity, supporting the clean energy transition. The "missing middle" in the commercialization ecosystem hinders the scaling of promising battery technologies. Shared commercialization infrastructure, like the Carolina Institute for Battery Innovation and Georgia Tech's Advanced Battery Center, can bridge the gap between research and commercial production. Developing domestic manufacturing capacity for batteries is crucial for US economic competitiveness in the clean energy sector. The importance of shared commercialization infrastructure in the Southeast's growing battery industry is highlighted, emphasizing the need for consistent manufacturing processes and quality. This shared infrastructure serves as a training ground for professionals and connects organizations across the battery ecosystem, ultimately reducing risks and making promising technologies more attractive to investors and partners, thus strengthening the US battery manufacturing ecosystem.
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Environmental News Network – Australian-Developed Technology Promises Solution for Methane Emissions
UTS researchers are collaborating with Howden to pilot technology that can reduce methane emissions from mining by over 90%. The project, taking place at UTS Tech Lab, aims to utilize state-of-the-art catalytic process technology and heat exchangers to optimize this unique combination and significantly mitigate methane emissions. In addition to targeting emissions from mines, the project will also focus on reducing methane emissions from landfill sites, waste disposal units, energy providers, and high-density energy users like data centers.
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Commodity Certificates as a Necessary Mechanism to Scale Solutions and Decarbonise Hard-to-Abate Sectors
The section highlights the challenges in accessing green steel, cement, and chemicals, proposing commodity certificates as a solution to support lower-carbon production without physically receiving the product. These certificates create a revenue stream for producers of near-zero emissions solutions, overcoming the current "green premium" cost of production. Building trust and integrity in commodity certificates is crucial, requiring common accounting frameworks, digital registries, and collaboration between stakeholders. Sector-wide platforms with shared rules can accelerate decarbonization efforts, emphasizing the need for integrity in designing certificates to shape the future market effectively.