May 26, 2026
This week on a post-Memorial Day edition of Projects weeklybattery storage has once again taken center stage in the North American solar world. In Southern California, MN8 Energy LLC has powered a new 100 MW BESS project just north of San Diego. Southeast Texas has also become a battery hotspot, with OCI Energy and CPS Energy working on a storage project near San Antonio, and Spearmint Energy securing project financing for BESS just three hours away in Texas City, near Galveston. Additionally, Google and Enlight Renewable Energy have signed a PPA agreement for the company’s data centers in Oklahoma. Italian energy and sustainability company Enel Group is strengthening its presence in the US by acquiring a series of solar projects in three southern states. And in New York State, PowerBank has added 60 MWh of battery storage with a portfolio of three new projects. Keep reading for all the details!
Enel Group acquires a 287 MW solar portfolio in the Southeast
In an effort to expand its presence in the US, the Italian energy and sustainability technology company Enel Group has acquired a solar energy portfolio spanning three states that form the southeastern coast of the US.
The acquisition consists of a group of seven different solar plants in Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina and is valued at approximately $140 million, Enel representatives said. The deal aims to boost the company’s US operations by involving the company in assets already in use.
Bright spot: Between the seven plants, the acquisition package will yield an annual energy production of approximately 0.4 TWh per year, Enel says. Following the completion of the acquisition, the company estimates a positive net impact of approximately $20 million per year to consolidated EBITDA figures.
This acquisition marks Enel Group’s first foray into each of the three states, but the company already has U.S. operations in other regions, such as the hydroelectric power plant in North Bend, Washington. In the field of solar energy, the company already has the 556 MWdc GulfStar solar power plant in Wharton County, Texas, near Houston.
The tri-state solar agreement is still subject to regulatory approval processes, but is expected to be officially completed by the end of 2026.
MN8 Energy is advancing a 100 MW battery project in Southern California
MN8 Energy LLC has completed construction and energization of the Pome Standalone Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) project, located in Poway, approximately 20 miles north of San Diego.
The 100 MW / 400 MWh battery system is fully outsourced to California Sonoma Clean Power (SCP) under a ten-year agreement. SCP will use the new facility to store energy and later transmit it to the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) market. Located on just under four acres of land in San Diego County’s industrial area, the project adds “critical flexibility and resiliency” to California’s demanding network.
“As renewable energy continues to expand in California, so does the need for flexibility and resiliency,” said Jon Yoder, president and CEO of MN8 Energy. “MN8 is proud to serve the Pome storage project online Sonoma clean power and its customers, providing fast-response capacity that can support California’s electric grid in seconds.”
Bright spot: With the addition of the Pome project, MN8 now has an operational storage portfolio of approximately 1.5 GWh in terms of grid-scale capacity. During its first ten years of operation, the project is expected to generate approximately $20 million in revenue and approximately $28 million in new property tax contributions.
“Battery storage like Pome is how we turn California’s abundance of renewable energy into reliable, affordable energy,” said Geof Syphers, CEO of Sonoma Clean Power. “This project strengthens the electric grid and brings us closer to the 24/7 clean energy future we have been working toward since day one.”
PowerBank adds 60 MWh of battery storage in New York State
Toronto Energy Infrastructure Development Corporation Power Bank Corp. has added 60 MWh of battery storage capacity across three projects in New York State.
By executing three battery leases, known as the Round Hill Rd project, the Montana Rd project and the Genesee Rd project, the company expects to qualify for energy storage incentives. As part of the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA) Retail Storage Incentive Program, businesses are eligible for benefits and compensation at the state level.
Each of the new projects has a capacity of up to 5 MWac, with a discharge time of up to four hours per project. In total, the projects can support up to 60 MWh of combined storage, allowing PowerBank to play a role in one of the fastest growing segments of the energy industry.
Bright spot: The projects will contribute to the global increase in battery storage, PowerBank says, with recent reports saying 108 GW of new capacity was deployed globally last year. In the US alone, the number of batteries installed increased by 52% in 2025 compared to 2024, largely due to the rise of renewable energy sources and the need for greater electricity capacity thanks to AI data centers.
PowerBank is currently initiating a screening analysis of the interconnection process, officials said. Pending grid interconnection approval, the company is working to complete the permitting process for each project.
OCI, CPS Energy break ground on the Alamo City BESS project
OCI energy, CPS energyand project teams kicked off their Alamo City Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) project on May 19.
Located in southeastern Bexar County on the outskirts of San Antonio, the project will be one of the largest of its kind in the region once completed. The battery system is expressly designed to boost the San Antonio area of the Texas energy grid during peak times, the companies say.
“This project represents an important step forward toward achieving a more resilient, reliable energy system that San Antonians can be truly proud of,” said OCI Energy President Sabah Bayatli, president. “This groundbreaking achievement reflects years of thoughtful coordination, planning and hard work – and once completed, it will help the electric system better manage peak demand events.”
Bright spot: The 120 MW/480 MWh project will be able to power approximately 30,000 households for up to four hours. The battery will be able to take some of the pressure off the statewide electrical grid, allowing energy to be delivered efficiently and switched from one electricity source to another.
Rudy D. Garza, president and CEO of CPS Energy, says storage is a “critical part” of the two companies preparing for the future, both in the short and long term. The project is expected to become commercially operational in 2027, the two companies said.
“Projects like Alamo City BESS give us the flexibility to meet growing demand, integrate more diverse energy sources and ensure our community has reliable power when it matters most,” he said.
Spearmint Energy secures project financing for the Red Egret BESS project
Large-scale battery storage company Spearmint energy has completed $450 million in financing to support its Red Egret project in Texas City, Texas, near Galveston.
The full financing package includes a construction facility, an investment tax credit transfer and preferred equity for the company. That construction facility will cost approximately $225 million and will be provided by a consortium of several banks, the company says First Citizens Bank And Investec.
Bright spot: Construction has already begun on the project and will be the fourth project undertaken by the Minnesota company M.A. Mortenson Co. will build for Spearmint. Furthermore, once completed in 2027, the project will push Spearmint’s portfolio over the 1.5 GWh mark across four different projects.
Spearmint founder, president and CEO Andrew Waranch says the company currently operates 350 MW / 700 MWh on the ERCOT network in Texas alone. Red Egret will be critical to the company, he says, as it works to relieve the state’s troubled power grid with increased electrification and other major projects taking up much of its capacity.
“As aging grid infrastructure meets unprecedented growth in electricity demand, this financing supports Spearmint’s ability to increase energy resiliency in ERCOT through battery energy storage systems,” he said. “Through our development of Red Egret, we are working to strengthen reliability and deliver safe, cost-effective power to homes and businesses in Texas City and the entire Texas Gulf Coast.”
Enlight, Google signs PPA for data center operations in Oklahoma
Israeli solar and wind energy project developer Illuminate renewable energy has signed a power purchase agreement with Googling for the tech giant’s data center technology in Oklahoma.
Led by Clenerathe US-based subsidiary of Enlight, the agreement revolves around the company’s upcoming Solstice project. The team, based in Oklahoma, expects the project to be completed in 2029, at which point the site will supply Google with 200 MWac of solar energy. Enlight also plans to include an 800 MWh battery energy storage capacity expansion for Solstice in a later construction phase.
Enlight CEO Adi Leviatan says the Solstice project and associated PPA “mark a new chapter” for Enlight and Clēnera’s work in the US.
“By signing this agreement with Google, we are expanding our U.S. customer base from utilities to large commercial customers, including the fast-growing data center sector,” he said. “These customers require high-quality, high-capacity projects that can be delivered quickly and with certainty. Enlight and Clēnera have built the capabilities, pipeline and track record to meet this demand, and we believe this agreement is just the beginning of a significant growth opportunity for our U.S. operations.”
Bright spot: Will Conkling, director of energy and power at Google, says his company is committed to sustainable growth for its AI data centers. The company adds that Solstice will provide all power for the company’s data center needs in the Sooner State, without the need for external power.
“This new agreement with Clēnera will help bring more energy generation online in Oklahoma, contributing to a more robust, affordable and reliable energy system for all,” Conkling said.
Tags: batteries, BESS, projects, Projects Weekly, storage, utility scale
