EV Grid Breakthrough, $2.9M Battery Grant, & Meta’s Massive Nuclear Deal
1.) Utrecht Netherlands launches Europe’s first large-scale Vehicle to Grid car-sharing network. "Utrecht energized" connects EVs to the power grid to support renewable energy balancing.The network will start with a fleet of bi-directional 50 Renault 5 E-Tech electric vehicles, with a plan to scale to 500 cars.
2.) Sodium battery manufacturer Unigrid, Inc. receives $2.9 million grant from California Energy Commission to build 12,000 square foot dedicated sodium battery pilot production facility in San Diego.
3.) Constellation Energy and Meta ink 20-year power purchase agreement for 1,121 MW of energy from Constellation’s Clinton nuclear plant in Illinois. The deal starts June of 2027, when Illinois Zero Emission Credit program expires and will involve re-licensing and output expansion of 30 MW.
4.) Axios reports approximately 1,000 employes, or a third of the overall workforce, have left the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), the agency keep our grids and water and gas utilities cyber-secure.
5.) NYISO raises concerns new renewable capacity isn’t being developed fast enough, says it will need additional fossil fuel generation to maintain resource adequacy.
6.) The American Clean Power Association says the U.S installed 7.4 GW of utility-scale solar, wind and energy storage in Q1, 2025, falling just short of Q1 of 2024’s record 8.1 GW. Florida led with 894 MW of new solar capacity.
7.) Powin, the world’s fourth largest battery storage integrators, says it may have to cut up to nearly 250 employees in Oregon and cease operations by late July, owing to “unforeseen circumstances” in the market.
8.) Saudi Arabia’s massive 2,200 MW Neom green hydrogen and ammonia project – the world’s largest - is now 80% complete, according to industrial gas firm Air Products, co-developer and sole offtaker.