The Duck Curve#energy storage
GridLab: V2G could supply 30% of California's utility-scale storage target
A GridLab, Kevala, and E3 report released in August 2026 and announced on August 18 finds that enrolling 10 percent of the 9.7 million light-duty EVs California projects for 2036 in vehicle-to-grid programs could supply 30 percent of the state's cumulative utility-scale storage procurement target, if V2G resources are accredited on a comparable basis with grid-scale storage. The report recommends replacing California's fragmented demand-flexibility programs with standardized products that pay only for measured performance, below verified avoided costs.
Saudi Arabia signs 2 GW of battery storage deals in its first BESS tender
The Saudi Power Procurement Company signed storage service agreements on August 20, 2026 for the first group of four battery storage projects: 2,000 MW of four-hour storage (8,000 MWh) representing more than SAR 4.35 billion (about $1.16 billion) in investment. Three plants went to a consortium of Saudi Energy, ACWA Power, and Al Sharif Contracting; the fourth to a consortium of Engie and Haji Abdullah Alireza & Co.
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11 GW-plus Northwest plan, Austria's storage pivot, Walmart's 100th charger
Three developments from August 13 to 21, 2026: the Northwest Power and Conservation Council's draft Ninth Power Plan calls for more than 11 GW of new generation and more than 5 GW of storage by 2032; Austria plans to redirect residential solar subsidies toward battery storage from 2027, guided by a ministry-commissioned study that finds up to 8 GW of market-oriented battery capacity economically useful by 2030; and Walmart's company-owned fast-charging network, delivering up to 400 kW, reached 100 stores across 20 states.
Sage Geosystems puts its 3 MW Texas geothermal plant in service
Sage Geosystems placed its SMECI enhanced geothermal facility in Christine, Texas in service on August 19, 2026, after more than 120 days of grid-connected operation. The company says the 3 MW plant held water losses below 10 percent across cycles and matched its reservoir model's predictions, results it is now applying to a planned commercial project at an Ormat site in Nevada.
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US grid batteries near 52 GW after three years of 70% annual growth
US utility-scale battery storage reached nearly 52 GW of nameplate capacity by mid-2026, after ending 2025 at 43.6 GW and adding 8.3 GW in the first half of 2026, according to EIA inventory data published August 7, 2026. Growth averaged 70% a year over the last three years, and operators report plans for another 54 GW by the end of 2028.
New Jersey proposes 10-year payments for up to 150 MW of home batteries
The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities released a straw proposal on August 19, 2026 for Phase 2, Block 1 of the Garden State Energy Storage Program: up to 150 MW of behind-the-meter home batteries earning performance-based payments of up to $200 per kilowatt-year over 10 years, administered by the state's four electric utilities, with enrollment targeted to open by July 2027.
Anthro Energy breaks ground on 12,000-ton electrolyte plant in Louisville
Anthro Energy broke ground on a polymer electrolyte plant in Louisville, Kentucky, the company announced on August 19, 2026. The $42 million facility is expected to produce about 12,000 metric tons a year, enough to support up to 25 GWh of lithium-ion battery production, with operation targeted for late 2027.