Schneider Electric and Kraken partner to boost grid flexibility and accelerate grid connections

ethicalmarketingnews.com Jul 12, 2026

Schneider Electric and Kraken partner to boost grid flexibility and accelerate grid connections

Curated by Shubham · TechCapsules · Jul 12, 2026

AI-summarised brief · reviewed before publication

Schneider Electric and Kraken announced a strategic partnership aimed at accelerating the adoption of electricity‑demand flexibility for distribution system operators and utilities worldwide. The collaboration will combine Schneider’s real‑time grid‑visibility tools, including the One Digital Grid Platform and EcoStruxure DERMS, with Kraken’s AI‑driven platform that coordinates electric vehicles, home batteries, heat pumps, utility‑scale storage and industrial loads. Together they intend to monitor congestion, forecast demand and shift consumption in real time, enabling faster connections for data centers and large industrial customers while postponing costly network upgrades. Analysts estimate demand‑side flexibility could generate up to $1 trillion annually. By improving utilization of existing capacity, the partnership seeks to lower system costs, curb consumer bills and support the broader energy transition globally today.

💡 Why It Matters

· By unlocking real‑time demand flexibility, the deal gives grid operators a tool to meet exploding data‑center loads without new transmission lines, directly accelerating renewable integration.

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SwRI, SMU Collaborate to Advance Solid-State Batteries

Southwest Research Institute and Southern Methodist University have partnered to develop more stable solid-state battery designs, addressing critical degradation issues at the anode-electrolyte interface. Unlike traditional lithium-ion batteries that use flammable liquid electrolytes, solid-state variants employ solid materials and lithium metal anodes, offering higher energy density, faster charging, and improved safety for electric vehicles. However, current prototypes suffer from unstable interfaces where reactive lithium forms damaging dendrites, accelerating performance decline. The collaboration, funded by a $128,896 SPARKS grant, combines SwRI’s thin-film deposition expertise with SMU’s battery development strengths. Researchers will engineer ultra-thin films of metals, oxides, and alloys to stabilize the interface and reduce resistance. Led by Dr. John Hemmerling, Dr. Jianliang Lin, and Dr. Rong Kou, the team aims to establish quantitative relationships between interfacial chemistry and long-term electrochemical performance. Although the initial work is proof-of-concept, the scalable deposition techniques could facilitate future commercial manufacturing, potentially overcoming the primary technical hurdles preventing widespread adoption of next-generation energy storage solutions.

💡 By targeting the specific chemical instability that causes dendrite formation, this research addresses the primary barrier preventing solid-state batteries from replacing liquid electrolytes in electric vehicles. Success here could unlock the inherent safety and energy density advantages of solid-state technology, moving it from laboratory prototypes to scalable manufacturing.

cleantechnica.com · Jul 13

Renewables, Led By Solar, Were Largest Source of Energy Supply Growth Globally…

The 75th Statistical Review of World Energy shows total energy supply (TES) surpassed 600 EJ in 2025, up 1.7 % from 2024, with renewables delivering the largest share of growth for the first time outside a recession. Solar accounted for 71 % of renewable expansion, achieving 30 % year‑on‑year growth and reaching an 8.7 % share of global power generation, overtaking wind (8.4 %) and nearing nuclear (8.8 %). Despite this, fossil fuels still supplied 86 % of TES and grew in absolute terms, driving a 1.1 % rise in global CO₂ emissions, largely due to U.S. policy and AI data‑center demand. Europe’s renewable surge displaced coal and gas, cutting gas use by 15 % and coal by 38 % since 2021, saving an estimated €72 bn in fossil‑fuel imports. Pakistan’s behind‑meter solar capacity jumped to 23.4 GW from 2.1 GW in 2021, spurred by high electricity prices and falling panel costs.

💡 Solar’s rapid scaling is reshaping power markets faster than policy cycles, turning price spikes into a catalyst for mass‑market clean‑energy adoption.

energy-storage.news · Jul 13

Argentina awards 700MW BESS in elevenfold oversubscribed tender

Argentina’s wholesale market operator CAMMESA awarded 700 MW of 4‑hour battery energy storage system (BESS) capacity in the nationwide AlmaSADI tender, selecting 20 projects from 235 bids that together offered 8.3 GW. Genneia captured the largest share with 421 MW across seven sites, followed by DQD Energy with 149.5 MW across eight projects. Smaller allocations went to 360 Energy Solar (68 MW), Intermepro (12 MW) and aluminium producer Aluar (50 MW). The average awarded price fell to US$8,427 per MW per month, with the lowest bid at US$7,632 (Genneia’s 100 MW Bragado I‑II) and the highest at US$9,705 (DQD Energy’s 10 MW Chaco‑Formosa). Prices were notably lower than the previous year’s tender, which ranged between US$10,000‑12,000 per MW per month.

💡 The steep price drop and overwhelming oversubscription signal that Argentina’s storage market is maturing rapidly, positioning the country as a cost‑competitive hub for large‑scale BESS deployment in Latin America.

cleantechnica.com · Jul 13

Split Heat Pump Water Heaters Are Having a Moment, Spurred on by…

Split heat pump water heaters (HPWHs) that separate the compressor from the storage tank are gaining traction in the United States. After a decade with only the SanCO2 model, two new split HPWHs—Ecological’s tall skinny unit and A. O. Smith’s low‑boy options—entered the market in the past year. The Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (NEEA) launched a Hot Water Innovation Prize to push manufacturers toward low‑cost, compact designs that can fit tight spaces typical of apartments, condos and manufactured homes. The prize, judged at ACEEE’s summer study in August, will reward a prototype that balances affordability with performance. NEEA estimates more than two million homes annually could benefit from such compact units, expanding the energy‑saving potential of HPWHs beyond traditional basements and garages nationwide.

💡 By fitting into cramped living spaces, split HPWHs could unlock energy‑saving upgrades for millions of renters who previously lacked viable options.

techcrunch.com · Jul 13

Investors send General Fusion soaring in debut as first publicly traded fusion…

General Fusion began trading on the Nasdaq under ticker GFUZ, becoming the first publicly listed fusion power company. It beat competitor TAE Technologies to market debut. Investors responded positively, driving the stock up 40% from its $12.85 opening price by midday Monday. The listing followed a completed merger with Spring Valley Acquisition Corp. III. While the deal could have raised $230 million, significant redemptions likely reduced net proceeds to under $30 million. However, General Fusion simultaneously raised $108 million from private investors, bringing total cash reserves to approximately $150 million. This funding follows a period of financial strain that included layoffs and a previous failed fundraising attempt. Founded in 2002, the company utilizes magnetized target fusion technology, compressing plasma with liquid lithium. Funding delays have pushed its breakeven milestone from this year to 2028 or later. General Fusion now targets operating its first commercial power plant by approximately 2035, marking a significant step in the commercialization of fusion energy.

💡 General Fusion’s public listing validates the commercial viability of fusion energy despite severe capital constraints and technical delays. The stock’s immediate surge demonstrates strong investor appetite for clean energy alternatives, even when redemptions drastically reduce merger proceeds.

energy-storage.news · Jul 13

Battery storage investment at stake as Australia’s AEMC consults on minimum system…

Australia’s energy market regulator, the Australian Energy Market Commission (AEMC), has opened a consultation on two competing proposals to address minimum system load (MSL) events that occur when high rooftop solar output drives grid demand below safe operating levels. The Reliability Panel suggests automatically setting the NEM spot price to a –AU$1,000/MWh floor during MSL‑3 events to incentivise generators and flexible loads to consume excess power. The Clean Energy Council (CEC) proposes a paid ancillary service market where battery storage, pumped hydro and other flexible loads can bid for load‑reserve contracts, providing AEMO with a transparent, contractual demand‑response tool. The outcome will affect the economics of battery projects such as AGL’s 250 MW Torrens Island BESS, which has already lost arbitrage revenue under ad‑hoc AEMO directives, and could reshape investment risk for new storage capacity across the National Electricity Market.

💡 A clear, market‑based solution could unlock the capital needed for large‑scale batteries, directly supporting grid stability as solar penetration spikes. Without it, storage developers face uncertain revenue streams, threatening the NEM’s transition to a low‑carbon mix.