Blog Archive - 2026
Why Virtual Power Plants—and Why Now
Or: How the Grid Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Coordination Electricity demand in the United States is growing quickly, and, like most things that grow quickly, it’s making people nervous. Data centers are multiplying like gremlins after midnight, cars are plugging in instead of filling up, factories are electrifying, and the grid is starting to sweat. Some have concluded that the only solution is…
Offshore Wind – Four Themes at IPF 2026
The mood at Oceantic Network’s 2026 International Partnering Forum (IPF) was not what you might expect from an industry under siege. The past year has seen the pipeline of offshore wind projects virtually disappear as the Trump Administration has attempted to revoke project permits, stop project construction, and end offshore wind energy lease sales. And yet the tone at IPF was strikingly hopeful. States and offshore wind developers have…
Illinois becomes 13th state with energy storage procurement goal
With the signature today of Governor JB Pritzker, Illinois becomes the 13th state to adopt an energy storage procurement goal. The Clean and Reliable Grid Affordability Act directs the Illinois Power Agency to procure 3 gigawatts of energy storage by 2030, among other energy-related provisions. Analysis shows that this energy storage mandate could save Illinois…