Stacey Karpel

Today in #RenewableEnergy news, California’s Community Choice Aggregators are leading the way on energy storage "Starting with the launch of the state’s first California’s Community Choice Aggregator (CCA), Marin Clean Energy in 2010, CCAs have led the way on integrating renewable sources into the state’s energy supply mix. With energy storage becoming the conduit through which more renewable energy is getting to the grid during peak times when it’s needed, three recently-announced projects across several CCA territories exemplify the different ways battery energy storage systems (BESS) are changing the grid for the better." Read the full story: https://lnkd.in/giB3WdZM #Local #Community #RenewableEnergy

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The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) is seeking input on building large generation and transmission capacity to advance the administration’s agenda of achieving US energy dominance. In order to develop more grid capacity and keep electricity bills from rising too high, we need to expand transmission infrastructure across the country, and we need to do so with next-generation advanced conductors. #AECC wires can deliver up to three times the capacity of traditional conductors, providing more capacity for less CapEx. As the DOE seeks opportunities for unleashing American energy dominance, we invite them to visit our new manufacturing facility in South Carolina to see how TS Conductor is producing state-of-the-art power lines right here in the US. https://lnkd.in/gZThhip3

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The 21-GW solar farm initiative will "create thousands of jobs and help California meet its statewide renewable energy goals." https://bit.ly/3LvVjyI

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𝐍𝐘𝐒𝐄𝐆 𝐚𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 $𝟏𝟐𝟐 𝐌𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐔𝐩𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐌𝐞𝐲𝐞𝐫 𝐒𝐮𝐛𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐧 𝐃𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐯𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞⚡🛠️💲 The investment is part of Avangrid’s $20 billion in planned investments to modernize critical grid infrastructure through 2030 to meet growing energy demands and protect communities against severe weather events. ❄️🌩️ Avangrid also has approximately 1.5 GW of capacity supporting data centers with an additional 650 MW under construction or starting construction. ♨️ All in all, the company is working on new projects to help meet expected energy demand growth in the future. 💪👷‍♂️💚 𝐃𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐃𝐚𝐧𝐬𝐯𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐞? ❓ https://lnkd.in/eKDaf723 #power #construction #utilities #highvoltage #substations

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EVs will be the biggest contributor to load growth, and helpfully, the biggest source of energy flexibility on the grid. Onward to more affordable, secure energy systems supported by EV flexibility.

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California-based B2U Storage Solutions has launched its first structured finance fund to attract additional investment in its portfolio of seven projects utilizing repurposed electric vehicle batteries for stationary energy storage. #EnergyStorage #ElectricVehicle #Battery

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California’s electricity rates make solar more valuable than most people realize. Beyond reducing kWh usage, solar cuts peak-rate imports, reduces usage-based charges, and softens winter bills—even under NEM 3.0. Here’s a clear breakdown of the “invisible” savings solar delivers in California. https://lnkd.in/ef4-2AMa

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SB Energy receives CEC grant of $25m to purchase Fluence batteries for a portion of 1.6GWh Riverside County BESS #bess #fluence #sbenergy #california

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⚡ Another signal that the US utility-scale solar pipeline remains strong. US IPP Sol Systems has announced the financial close of the 144 MW Blossom Solar Project in Ohio, and the development of the 180 MW Nightfall Solar Project in Texas — representing $634M in project financing. A few quick takeaways from the news: ☀️ 324 MW of new solar capacity across PJM and ERCOT 🏗️ 650+ construction jobs expected across both projects 🏡 Clean power for ~85,000+ homes annually 📅 Texas project targeting 2026 commercial operation Projects like these are a good reminder that large-scale solar deployment continues to move forward across key US power markets — even with policy and supply chain uncertainty. If you're hiring in US renewables or exploring your next opportunity in the sector, feel free to reach out and follow ➡️ H9 Talent Solutions for all live opportunities. #SolarEnergy #RenewableEnergy #EnergyJobs #EnergyTransition #ERCOT #PJM

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The U.S. is projected to add 24 GW of utility-scale battery storage in 2026. That pushes total capacity well beyond 40 GW. Most of the headlines are focused on Texas and California. But the real talent bottleneck is forming on the East Coast. • PJM queue reform is finally unlocking capacity • New York is pushing toward its 6 GW storage mandate • Maryland just passed a 3 GW target • Massachusetts continues to scale aggressively • 6.5 GW deployed across the Carolinas The capital is there. The interconnection is finally moving. But there’s a growing execution risk: The VPs of Development, Interconnection leaders, and Heads of EPC with real utility-scale storage experience are already deployed — and heavily insulated. If you’re an East Coast developer relying on job boards or inbound applicants, you’re competing for a talent pool that barely exists. Scaling a regional BESS pipeline right now requires national access. At Meridian Stone Search, we map and engage leadership talent across the country — either unlocking local operators or bringing in proven leaders from more mature storage markets. Because at this stage of the market: Execution isn’t a capital problem. It’s an access problem. 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘥𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦𝘴 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨. #BESS #UtilityScale #EnergyStorage #MeridianStoneSearch #PJM #NYISO #ExecutiveSearch #RenewableEnergy #ProjectDevelopment

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Xcel Energy will add 1.9 GW of new clean capacity to serve a Google data center - including a 300 MW / 30 GWh battery. Xcel Energy announced it will power a new Google data center in Pine Island, Minnesota under an Electric Service Agreement now filed with the Minnesota PUC for approval. Under the deal, Xcel and Google plan to add 1,900 MW of new clean energy to the grid: ➞ 1,400 MW of wind ➞ 200 MW of solar ➞ 300 MW of long-duration storage The storage includes a 300 MW (30 GWh) iron-air battery from Form Energy. It is designed as a 100-hour system to store excess generation and dispatch it over multiple days. Google will pay for the new service under Minnesota’s large-load regulatory framework, covering grid infrastructure costs tied to the project. 𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗮𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 ➞ This is a large-load tariff structure designed to prevent cost shifts to existing ratepayers. ➞ 1.9 GW of incremental clean build tied directly to a single hyperscale customer. ➞ 300 MW / 30 GWh long-duration storage integrated as firming capacity, not short-duration arbitrage. ➞ Google contributing $50 million toward Xcel’s Capacity:Connect reliability program. ➞ Agreement requires formal approval from the Minnesota Public Utilities Commission. What stands out isn’t just the renewable volume. It’s the structure. Incremental generation, grid upgrades, and long-duration storage are bundled into a single large-load service framework. My read: Minnesota is positioning this as a replicable model. Regulated utilities can serve hyperscale load while aligning with state clean energy goals - without socializing infrastructure risk. Adding 100-hour storage signals a shift. The focus moves from “add more MWh” to securing multi-day reliability in high-renewables systems. 𝗘𝘅𝗲𝗰𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 1) Can long-duration storage clear cost recovery scrutiny at scale if deployed repeatedly for data center load? 2) How quickly can interconnection and transmission upgrades support nearly 2 GW of incremental clean capacity? 3) Will similar large-load tariff models hold in states without Minnesota’s clean energy mandate structure? Active in utility-scale renewable energy generation, storage, or grid? We’re working with teams delivering across these build cycles. #RenewableEnergy #Storage #Grid #VSP

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PG&E CORPORATION FOUNDATION's $73B bet on the grid! California’s largest utility just announced a $73 billion plan to upgrade transmission and distribution with one driver standing out: 𝟏𝟎 𝐆𝐖 𝐨𝐟 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐚 𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐝𝐞𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐱𝐭 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐝𝐞. That number is staggering. Ten gigawatts is enough to: • Power millions of homes, or • Build the equivalent of multiple nuclear plants, entirely for digital infrastructure. The signal here is bigger than California: • Data centers aren’t just customers anymore, they’re shaping utility strategy at the scale of national infrastructure. • Transmission is moving from “back office wires” to the front page of economic development. • And the West Coast is making it clear it doesn’t want to cede the AI build-out to Virginia or Texas. Capital, technology, land, and now the grid are aligning. The question is whether permitting and execution can move fast enough to match the demand curve. Will utilities become the most powerful players in the next phase of AI infrastructure?

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