Recent record-breaking heat in the Northeast pushed power demand close to record levels, highlighting the potential for battery storage to manage such spikes. ISO New England and PJM Interconnection had to activate fossil fuel peaker plants to meet demand. Battery storage could have stored excess power during the day for use during peak times, a method successfully employed in Texas and California.

A major issue facing the AI-energy sector is the timeline mismatch between the urgent demand for data center infrastructure and the slow pace of energy project development. While market participants push for rapid solutions to power data centers, regulatory and permitting processes can take years, creating a disconnect between supply and demand. The lag is exacerbated by long interconnection queues and the challenges of implementing new, creative approaches that regulators are often hesitant to embrace.

US energy companies are significantly increasing capital expenditures to build power plants and transmission lines to meet the rising electricity demand from data centers, according to Jefferies. Utility capital spending is expected to reach $212.1 billion in 2025, a 22.3% increase from the previous year, and is projected to climb further, hitting a record $228.1 billion in 2027, as utilities and private developers ramp up spending to build infrastructure required for the digital era.

The US energy storage market achieved record growth in Q1, adding more than 2 gigawatts across all segments, according to a report by the American Clean Power Association and Wood Mackenzie. Utility-scale storage led the increase with more than 1.5 gigawatts of new capacity, a 57% increase from the previous year. The residential storage market also saw a record 458 megawatts, driven primarily by California and Puerto Rico.

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Chairman Mark Christie emphasizes the need for more dispatchable power resources after grid operators were reportedly on the verge of blackouts during a recent heat wave. "We're simply not building generation fast enough, and we're not keeping generation that we need to keep," Christie said. "Some of our systems really came close to the edge."

CenterPoint Energy has partnered with seven global technology companies to strengthen Houston's electric grid against severe storms as part of the Greater Houston Resiliency Initiative. The collaboration, announced at CenterPoint's inaugural Technology Summit, involves companies such as Climavision, Palantir and Urbint, and focuses on infrastructure upgrades, advanced storm monitoring, enhanced customer communication and faster emergency response.

The House Energy and Commerce Committee has advanced 13 energy-related bills. Key measures include the State Energy Accountability Act and the State Planning for Reliability and Affordability Act, both of which encourage states to adopt policies that enhance energy reliability and affordability. Lawmakers say the reforms are designed to lower utility costs and help consumers manage increasing expenses linked to energy consumption.

Senate Republicans have introduced a revised tax and budget bill that would end the $7,500 tax credit for new electric vehicle sales and leases as well as the $4,000 credit for used EVs by Sept. 30. The bill also seeks to eliminate fines for failing to meet Corporate Average Fuel Economy standards and includes a tax exemption for interest paid on auto loans for US-made cars.

The National Electrical Manufacturers Association has introduced three initial standards specifically designed to guide utilities and equipment manufacturers in the development of digital substations. These standards serve as blueprints to address technical challenges such as fault isolation and restoration, especially in distributed energy resources and looped feeder scenarios. The NEMA standards aim to simplify the adoption of digital substation technologies critical for creating a modern grid.

Researchers at the University of Technology Sydney and the University of Manchester have developed a zinc-ion battery that lasts longer by using the Jahn-Teller effect. The battery can endure 5,000 charge/discharge cycles without degradation, making it a safer and more cost-effective alternative to lithium-ion batteries.

The US and China have finalized a trade understanding first outlined in Geneva, according to US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. The deal includes a Chinese commitment to deliver rare earth materials, in exchange for the US lifting countermeasures, Lutnick said. The agreement is part of a broader White House effort to secure trade pacts with 10 major partners ahead of a July 9 deadline.