45
Solar Is Still Carrying the Renewable Buildout, but Integration Is the Real Test
Solar is driving global renewable capacity growth, but its value depends on grid access, storage and demand timing.
46
Wind Power Growth Is Becoming a Grid and Permitting Story
Wind remains central to clean power growth, but transmission access and permitting increasingly shape project timelines.
50
Battery Storage Moves From Renewable Add-On to Grid Planning Tool
Battery storage is becoming a planning tool for grids facing solar growth, peak demand and fast-changing loads.
55
U.S. Gas Prices Stay Range-Bound Even as Power Demand Rises
EIA forecasts show U.S. gas prices staying relatively flat in 2026 despite higher power demand and growing exports.
56
LNG Export Growth Is Pulling U.S. Gas Further Into Global Markets
Rising U.S. LNG exports are making domestic gas prices more exposed to global demand, weather and infrastructure constraints.
60
EIA Sees Summer Electricity Growth Met Mainly by Renewables
EIA forecasts higher U.S. summer electricity generation in 2026, with solar and wind supplying much of the growth.
63
AI Data Centers Are Turning Power Access Into a Competitive Constraint
AI data center growth is making power availability, interconnection and local grid capacity strategic constraints.
65
Data Center Water Risk Is Becoming an Energy Policy Question
AI data center siting is raising water and energy policy questions, especially in drought-exposed regions.
67
Grid-Interactive UPS Systems Could Make Data Centers More Flexible
Research on AI data centers points to storage layers that can support reliability while providing grid flexibility.
71
Clean Energy Supply Chains Are Now a Policy Priority, Not a Side Issue
IEA Energy Technology Perspectives 2026 puts supply-chain resilience and industrial competitiveness at the center of clean energy policy.