Vineyard Wind 1 Blade Failure Halts Major Offshore Project
1.) The offshore Vineyard Wind 1 project off Massachusetts suffers significant damage, as one of its 13 MW GE Vernova blades fails during testing, with tons of debris subsequently washing up on Nantucket beaches – 15 miles away. U.S. Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement issues suspension order, stopping all construction and operations.
2.) Energy Information Administration data shows datacenters prime driver of new U.S. electric demand growth in commercial sector, but only a limited number of states affected, while others saw declining demand. Texas, and Virginia led the growth pack.
3.) South Korea’s Hanwha Energy planning on $1.45 bn, 200 MW AI datacenter in Texas that it will lease to an undisclosed “U.S. tech company.”
4.) U.S.-based sodium-ion battery maker Peak Energy secures $55m Series A fund raise to start full-scale production of its sodium battery technology. Peak plans to deploy sodium batteries to six customers participating in pilot programs as early as next year, with domestic, giga-scale battery factory to open in 2027.
5.) Starbucks and Mercedes Benz High-Powered Charging announce joint plan to deploy EV chargers at over 100 U.S.-based Starbucks. Phase 1 to include from four to ten 400 kW chargers at locations along west coast Interstate 5 – the north-south route from Canada to Mexico.