BloombergNEF: US midterm results likely a ‘net positive’ for BESS despite data centre headwinds

energy-storage.news Nov 10, 2026

BloombergNEF: US midterm results likely a ‘net positive’ for BESS despite data centre headwinds

Curated by Shubham · TechCapsules · Nov 10, 2026

AI-summarised brief · reviewed before publication

BloombergNEF analyst Derrick Flakoll reports that the U.S. midterm election, which gave Democrats control of both chambers, is likely a net positive for the battery energy storage system (BESS) sector. He dismisses concerns that new state governors could use air permits to block data‑centre development, noting such permits rarely halt projects. Flakoll explains that BESS projects can still qualify for federal tax credits if built before 2033 and sourced domestically. He also downplays the Bipartisan American Affordability and Jobs Act’s impact on interconnection queues, suggesting it focuses on federal permitting rather than regional grid processes. Despite regulatory uncertainties, Flakoll expects stronger renewable and storage standards in newly Democratic‑led states to boost BESS demand, with limited friction from tighter data‑centre rules.

💡 Why It Matters

· The election’s outcome could accelerate BESS deployment, a key component for grid stability amid rising renewable penetration.
· This shift may reshape the energy storage market and influence future federal and state policy directions.

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‘Walk to Stop the SERPent Pipeline’: Connecticut Groups Protest Proposed Eversource Pipeline

On November 7, 2026, 50 Sierra Club Connecticut supporters and allied groups walked seven miles from Hurd State Park to Eversource Headquarters in East Hampton, protesting the utility’s proposed Southeast Resilience Pipeline (SERPent). The walk aimed to highlight potential harms to public health, energy affordability, climate, and the Connecticut River, which the pipeline would cross. Protesters cited corporate profit motives, environmental racism, and the risk of locking Connecticut into fossil‑fuel dependence. The event drew local media attention and amplified calls for a transition to cleaner energy.

💡 The protest underscores growing community pressure on utilities to prioritize environmental stewardship over short‑term profits, challenging the expansion of fossil‑fuel infrastructure that threatens public health and climate goals.

techcrunch.com · Nov 9

Fervo now has $12B in orders for its geothermal power tech

Fervo reported $11.9 billion of contracted revenue in Q3, up from $7.2 billion a quarter earlier, as it moves toward completing its first large geothermal plants. The company will finish a 396 MW project for Google at Utah’s Cape Station by the end of 2028, joining a 100 MW plant already on the grid. The site, once thought capable of 4 GW, now holds potential for 8.4 GW. Fervo’s modular “GeoBlock” wells, each 15 MW, have produced blocks of 33 MW and 50 MW, matching data‑center demand and allowing phased delivery. Despite a $43.7 million operating loss, Fervo holds $1.9 billion in cash and $301.6 million debt, giving it runway to lower plant costs, which fell to $5,500 per kilowatt for the Google deal, positioning it as a core AI power supplier.

💡 Scalable geothermal capacity lets hyperscalers secure carbon‑free electricity on their own timelines, fast‑tracking sustainable AI expansion.

teslarati.com · Nov 9

Tesla begins groundworks on $10B ‘Project Crystal Sun’ in Texas

Tesla has begun earthworks on a 3,000‑acre site in Fort Bend County, Texas, marking the first physical step of its $10 billion Project Crystal Sun. Drone footage released by S.E. Robinson, Jr. shows crews clearing land, staging equipment and leveling the property, while an existing homestead is being repurposed for the effort. The vertically integrated solar complex will produce silicon ingots, wafers, coated cells and finished modules, with construction slated for 2026‑2028 and commercial output targeted for the first quarter of 2029. Public filings filed in July under Texas’s Jobs, Energy, Technology and Innovation Act outline a workforce of 9,712 permanent jobs by 2033, rising from about 1,900 in the first year, and a peak of roughly 1,147 construction jobs. Local incentives, including school‑tax limits and county abatements that could extend equipment tax breaks for up to 35 years, have cleared major regulatory hurdles.

💡 The project positions Texas as a central hub for a fully domestic solar supply chain, accelerating U.S. renewable‑energy manufacturing capacity.

cleantechnica.com · Nov 9

EVs Displace 5 Times More Oil Globally Than They Did 5 Years…

Five years after COP26, Transport & Environment reports that electric vehicles now displace five times more oil than they did in 2017, cutting global oil use by 1.2 million barrels per day. Battery electric cars, up from 6.6% to 25% of new sales, now account for 4.2% of the global fleet. Electric buses and trucks also contribute, with buses at 5% of the fleet and trucks at 1%. The shift is seen as essential for energy security and emission reductions, with projections of 5.8 million barrels displaced by 2034.

💡 The rapid rise in EV adoption directly throttles oil demand, reducing the likelihood of future supply shocks. This trend also accelerates the broader energy transition, offering grid flexibility and significant CO₂ savings.

techcrunch.com · Nov 8

Coordinated disturbances haunt grids worldwide. Here’s how researchers solved the mystery.

Researchers identified that synchronized minute‑by‑minute state‑of‑charge checks by battery energy storage systems and data‑center UPS units cause regular frequency sags on power grids worldwide. By deploying over 80 smart meters at Forschungszentrum Jülich, the team observed identical 60‑second drops on a local transformer, mirroring global grid data. Analysis of Irish grid records showed a fourfold increase in these sags as data‑center UPS usage rose, confirming the phenomenon’s link to synchronized battery monitoring. The findings highlight a preventable, widespread grid disturbance.

💡 The discovery reveals that routine battery management practices can subtly destabilize national grids, exposing a hidden vulnerability in modern power systems. Adjusting UPS monitoring intervals could avert cumulative frequency swings that threaten grid reliability.

cleantechnica.com · Nov 8

Bigger than Godzilla!

Fortescue Metals Group is installing 89‑metre wind turbine blades—the longest in the world—at the Nullagine Wind Farm in Western Australia’s Pilbara region as part of its “real zero by 2030” decarbonisation plan. The blades will arrive by ship at Port Headland, where the company has upgraded infrastructure to minimise traffic disruption and will provide regular community updates. The turbines will feed a green grid that also includes 1.5 GW of solar, 900 MW of wind and 5 GWh of battery storage, delivering 6 MW robotic fast chargers capable of recharging 240‑ton electric dump trucks in under 30 minutes. Fortescue, the fourth‑largest iron‑ore producer, aims to cut emissions by 26 % while securing energy independence for its 200 million‑ton annual output.

💡 By pairing record‑size turbines with rapid‑charge infrastructure, Fortescue demonstrates a scalable, off‑grid energy model that could redefine power supply for remote, high‑intensity industries.