In 2026, utility-scale energy storage projects in the U.S. will face headwinds that could slow the pace of a technology that is fast becoming a global grid staple, warns columnist Dej Knuckey.

The Trump administration has ordered all offshore wind generation construction halted and has stalled some onshore wind projects.

As NV Energy prepares to file its next integrated resource plan ahead of schedule in April, the company says it will take longer than previously planned to reduce its reliance on short-term market purchases.

The degree of risk and uncertainty springing from indifferent or outright obstructive new federal policies in 2025 has trimmed planned solar deployment.

The demand for energy storage capacity is driving a flurry of proposals for new pumped storage hydropower while proposals for new conventional facilities are limited to small-scale projects.

Commercial nuclear energy in the U.S. begins 2026 with strong momentum toward future expansion, but it will be years before new-build capacity comes online and possibly a decade or more before a significant amount of new gigawatts is added to the grid.

There is growing excitement about geothermal energy in the Western United States, with billions invested in the industry, but panelists at a Western Governors’ Association workshop said supply chain issues and permitting complexity remain significant challenges.

With support from the Trump administration and demand from data centers, 2025 and now 2026 are high times for the U.S. natural gas sector.

DOE is exceeding its authority by using Federal Power Act Section 202(c) to keep the J.H. Campbell coal plant in Michigan running under several consecutive “emergency” orders, opponents argued in recent court filings with the D.C. Circuit.