15 August 2026

61 new posts across 4 climate and energy sources — 10 worth your time.

One week of Climate & Energy, 10 stories, as published.

Federal ruling hands virtual power plants a win in PJM

The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has ordered PJM Interconnection to accept statistical sampling as a valid method for measuring the reliability of virtual power plants (VPPs). This regulatory shift allows VPPs to participate more easily in meeting surging energy demand in the nation's largest electricity market.

Why it matters — Accepting statistical sampling instead of requiring individual device telemetry lowers the barrier to entry for residential VPPs to participate in wholesale capacity markets.

Canary Media · 15 August 2026 · Read the original →

Solar & Wind

Why Illinois has struggled to turn old coal sites into solar farms

Illinois's Coal to Solar and Energy Storage Initiative, designed to turn retired coal plants into solar and battery farms, has largely stalled. Despite the presence of existing grid infrastructure, the program has struggled to deploy clean energy as quickly as anticipated.

Why it matters — Reusing retired fossil fuel sites for solar and storage is hindered by complex regulatory frameworks and interconnection bottlenecks, proving that existing grid access alone does not guarantee fast deployment.

Canary Media · 15 August 2026 · Read the original →

Transport & EV

Can public EV chargers be as reliable as gas stations?

This interview with IONNA CEO Seth Cutler explores the technical and economic challenges of building a reliable public EV fast-charging network in the US. It details how utility demand charges, grid connection delays, and site amenities shape the business model of fast charging.

Why it matters — Highlights how utility demand charges and grid interconnection timelines dictate the financial viability and deployment speed of high-power EV charging networks.

Volts · 15 August 2026 · Read the original →

Grid & Transmission

Ontario’s First Electricity Shortfall Isn’t A Capacity Shortfall

Ontario's electricity demand reached 145.6 TWh in 2025, a 4.4% year-over-year increase, with long-term forecasts for 2050 ranging widely from 207 to 297 TWh. The post analyzes why the province's upcoming electricity shortfall is not a simple capacity deficit, but a complex planning challenge driven by wide forecasting uncertainties.

Why it matters — A 90 TWh variance in long-term demand forecasts illustrates the high-risk planning environment grid operators face when deciding on multi-decade transmission buildouts.

CleanTechnica · 15 August 2026 · Read the original →

Policy & Subsidy

Analysis: Weaker EV targets could cost UK consumers £3bn a year by 2030

A Carbon Brief analysis reveals that weakening the UK's electric vehicle targets could cost consumers £3 billion annually by 2030. Additionally, the policy rollback would require importing an extra 17 million barrels of oil in 2030 (an 8% increase in net imports) and add 2.5% to the nation's emissions that year.

Why it matters — Quantifies the macroeconomic trade-offs of delaying EV mandates, linking policy relaxation to a £3 billion annual consumer cost and a 17-million-barrel increase in oil imports by 2030.

Carbon Brief · 15 August 2026 · Read the original →

Data Centre Demand

AI Data Centers Are A Regional US Grid Issue, Not A Global Power Crisis

This post argues that the surge in electricity demand from AI data centers is a highly localized grid challenge rather than a global power crisis. In specific US regions, utilities are facing massive load additions that force rapid changes to generation planning, substation capacity, and transformer procurement.

Why it matters — Grid operators must treat AI load growth as a localized infrastructure bottleneck—affecting specific substations and transformers—rather than a generic system-wide generation shortage.

CleanTechnica · 15 August 2026 · Read the original →

Policy & Subsidy

Q&A: What does China’s 15th five-year plan for coal mean for climate action?

This post covers China's newly published 15th five-year plan for the coal industry, spanning 2026-2030. Released by the National Development and Reform Commission and the National Energy Administration, the document outlines key policy directions for the country's energy transition.

Why it matters — It defines the official policy framework and timeline (2026-2030) for China's coal industry development, which dictates the pace of the country's energy transition.

Carbon Brief · 15 August 2026 · Read the original →

Storage

China Commissions World's Largest Grid-Forming LFP Battery

A 1 GW/4 GWh lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery energy storage project with grid-forming capabilities was connected to the grid in Inner Mongolia, China, on August 3, 2026. This facility, near Mandulatu, is described as the world's largest single-site grid-forming LFP battery storage plant and is expected to discharge approximately 1 TWh of electricity annually.

Why it matters — This demonstrates gigawatt-scale grid-forming battery technology, enabling greater renewable integration and grid stability without traditional generation.

pv-magazine.com · 15 August 2026 · Read the original →

Data Centre Demand

Texas Audits Data Center Grid Interconnections, Halts Approvals

Texas Governor Greg Abbott ordered an audit of up to 300 pending data center projects, representing over 200 GW of proposed load, pausing new grid interconnections until the audit is complete. The Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) is facing more than 474 GW of proposed load, with data centers accounting for approximately 90% of these requests, significantly exceeding ERCOT's record peak demand of 91 GW set in July.

Why it matters — This introduces significant uncertainty and potential delays for new data center projects in ERCOT, forcing developers to re-evaluate grid reliance and power procurement strategies.

Utility Dive · 15 August 2026 · Read the original →

Storage

US Utility-Scale Battery Storage Capacity Reaches 52 GW

Utility-scale battery storage capacity in the United States reached nearly 52 GW by mid-2026, with 8.3 GW added in the first six months of the year. The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) reports that operators anticipate bringing an additional 54 GW of battery storage capacity online over the next two and a half years, including 14 GW in the second half of 2026, 26 GW in 2027, and 14 GW in 2028.

Why it matters — The rapid and projected growth of utility-scale battery storage provides critical flexibility and reliability to the US grid, supporting increased renewable energy integration.

eia.gov · 15 August 2026 · Read the original →

Eventually, every transition plan runs directly into the interconnection queue.

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