Commonwealth Fusion Systems’ Brandon Sorbom and Helion’s David Kirtley on bringing fusion to the grid at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026

techcrunch.com Sep 28, 2026

Commonwealth Fusion Systems’ Brandon Sorbom and Helion’s David Kirtley on bringing fusion to the grid at TechCrunch Disrupt 2026

Curated by Shubham · TechCapsules · Sep 28, 2026

AI-summarised brief · reviewed before publication

At TechCrunch Disrupt 2026, Commonwealth Fusion Systems’ Brandon Sorbom and Helion’s David Kirtley presented on “Bringing Fusion to the Grid.” CFS is advancing SPARC toward its commercial ARC plant, having secured a $1 billion funding round and applied to the PJM Interconnection. Helion is developing Orion, a 50‑MW plant slated to supply Microsoft by 2028, after heating plasma to 150 million °C and closing a $500 million Series G. Both leaders outlined scientific breakthroughs, remaining technical hurdles, and regulatory steps needed for grid‑ready fusion power.

💡 Why It Matters

· The session signals a pivotal shift from laboratory experiments to real‑world energy delivery, potentially redefining the U.S.
· power grid’s future.

Read full article on techcrunch.com

Urgent need for cybersecurity overhaul as BESS deployment accelerates, Energy Storage Europe…

Energy Storage Europe released a report urging the EU to overhaul its cybersecurity framework for battery energy storage systems (BESS). The study highlights regulatory gaps and inconsistent member‑state implementation that raise costs and slow deployment while exposing grid‑level risks. With BESS capacity already at 50 GW and projected to reach 200 GW by 2030, the organization calls for reclassifying key components as critical, harmonising connectivity standards, and issuing joint guidance under NIS2 and the Cyber Resilience Act.

💡 The rapid BESS expansion turns isolated cyber threats into systemic risks that could destabilise the European grid. A unified regulatory approach is essential to protect critical infrastructure and ensure reliable energy delivery.

cleantechnica.com · Sep 28

Leipzig’s Hydrogen Garbage Trucks Fail The Tuesday Test

Leipzig introduced 16 hydrogen-powered refuse trucks in 2024, yet after two years their average deployment rate fell to 45.6%, far below the 80% typical of conventional units. Technical faults, maintenance, and repair downtime kept the vehicles out of service, prompting the manufacturer to supply conventional replacements. The city’s report underscores that the trucks were not merely prototypes but a functional fleet with dedicated refueling infrastructure, yet their reliability failed to meet everyday operational demands.

💡 The shortfall highlights the gap between hydrogen technology’s promise and its practical viability for municipal fleets, raising questions about cost, maintenance, and scalability that could stall broader adoption.

energy-storage.news · Sep 28

Australia’s NSW grants development consent for 200MWh battery storage system

The New South Wales government has granted development consent for the Deniliquin East battery energy storage system, a 100 MW/200 MWh project by BESS Arctic Pty Ltd through Gransolar Development Australia. Located on 3.53 ha near Deniliquin, the facility will connect to the National Electricity Market and support peak‑time renewable dispatch. Consent limits output to 100 MW and 240 MWh, with fire safety, emergency, and firebreak conditions. The project, valued at AU$118 million, will create up to 52 construction jobs and two operational roles, and includes a AU$600,000 community contribution.

💡 This approval expands NSW’s rapidly growing battery pipeline, reinforcing the state’s commitment to renewable integration and grid resilience. The project’s scale and local job creation demonstrate tangible progress toward meeting climate and energy security targets.

energy-storage.news · Sep 28

Australia’s most powerful battery storage system officially completed

Akaysha Energy announced that its Waratah Super Battery in New South Wales has entered final commercial operation, completing a commissioning phase that included a transformer failure and reduced output periods. The 850 MW/1,680 MWh facility, built on the former Munmorah coal‑site near Budgewoi, is now Australia’s largest battery energy storage system. Owned and operated by Akaysha with backing from BlackRock, the battery works alongside Transgrid’s System Integrity Protection Scheme (SIPS) to inject power and coordinate generator output across 36 transmission lines. The SIPS arrangement enables existing lines serving the Hunter, Sydney and Illawarra regions to carry more renewable energy while the Hunter Transmission Project is under construction. The project attracted over AU$1 billion in private investment and employed 1,000 workers during design and construction.

💡 By pairing the nation’s biggest battery with a real‑time protection scheme, NSW can squeeze extra renewable power onto existing lines, buying critical time for costly transmission projects to finish.

energy-storage.news · Sep 28

Australia’s NSW trials property-level and community battery models to extend solar benefits

New South Wales has launched two funded pilots to broaden distributed solar and battery benefits to households lacking rooftop installations. The Social Housing Virtual Power Plant (VPP) will equip selected Illawarra social‑housing units with solar panels and batteries, linking them to a VPP that exports stored energy when most valuable. The AU$11 million program is funded jointly by the federal and NSW governments and builds on earlier upgrades to 400 homes and 136 rooftop systems. In parallel, Ausgrid, backed by AU$13.2 million from ARENA, is testing a community‑battery network across Sydney and the Central Coast. Large rooftop owners will oversize solar, store excess in shared batteries and supply 32,000 nearby customers during evening peaks, aiming to cut bills by AU$150‑200 per household.

💡 By proving that shared solar and battery assets can deliver measurable bill relief to renters and non‑owner occupants, the pilots demonstrate a scalable path for energy equity in dense urban zones.

cleantechnica.com · Sep 27

Solar, Wind, Battery Storage, And Politics — It’s Complicated

In July 2026, Texas’s ERCOT grid recorded a record 91.1 GW peak demand, surpassing the previous 85.5 GW record. Despite a 100‑degree Houston heatwave, the grid ran without blackouts, thanks to abundant solar, wind, and battery storage. ERCOT’s CEO noted that renewable output exceeded demand, eliminating the need for conservation warnings or emergency declarations. The state’s legislature, dominated by fossil‑fuel interests, attempted to mandate thermal backup for renewables, reflecting ongoing political tension over clean energy.

💡 The Texas case shows how a grid built on cheap fossil fuels can pivot to renewables without compromising reliability, challenging the narrative that renewables are unstable. It also illustrates how political control can still shape energy policy, even as market forces shift toward cleaner sources.