Edition - Thursday, February 26, 2026

6.6

The Big Signal

US Grid Battery Storage Hits Record 57 GWh Despite Clean Energy Rollbacks

•The US added a record 57 GWh of battery storage to its electric grid last year, per a SEIA report.
•SEIA projects 21 percent growth in US battery storage by end of 2026, reaching approximately 70 GWh of new capacity.
•Record US battery storage growth occurred despite rollbacks in some clean energy incentives.
•Gogoro, a Taiwanese battery-swapping firm for electric scooters, separately announced a US$32 million network expansion and battery retirement plan.

7.3

•AI data centers are significantly impacting power and water resources globally, as highlighted by multiple reports.
•UPI reports South Korea faces potential shortages due to AI data centers' projected demands exceeding supply over the next decade.
•Bloomberg notes that US data center construction has declined due to permitting and power supply challenges, despite high demand.
•TechXplore reports Pennsylvania's power grid is under strain from AI's increasing electricity consumption.
•TechCrunch highlights public opposition resulting in restrictive policies against AI infrastructure expansion.

7.1

•Iran and the US are resuming nuclear talks in Geneva amidst escalated tensions.
•The US has announced new sanctions on vessels linked to Iran's oil trade.
•Tehran plans to deliver a new proposal on nuclear enrichment at the talks.
•The negotiations are set against a backdrop of increased US military presence in the Middle East.
•Tehran refutes Trump's claims about developing missiles threatening Europe and the US.

6.9

•Nvidia reported fiscal fourth-quarter earnings that surpassed market expectations after the Wednesday market close, according to multiple sources.
•CNBC reported that the earnings beat, combined with other positive AI news, gave markets temporary relief from recent AI investment skepticism.
•DIGITIMES noted that Nvidia's outsized forward guidance helped ease concerns about a potential AI investment bubble.
•Despite the strong results, Nvidia's stock showed minimal movement in extended trading, though analysts described the quarter as impressive.
•The results served as a key indicator for investors evaluating the sustainability of AI-related spending across the technology sector.

6.8

•Engineers discovered a helium leak in the upper stage of the SLS rocket, forcing NASA to roll the vehicle back to its hangar for repairs.
•The earliest projected launch date for Artemis II has been pushed to at least April 1, according to reports.
•The mission aims to send four astronauts on a flyby around the moon, the first crewed lunar mission since the Apollo era.
•NASA has described the planned Orion spacecraft journey as the farthest humans have ever traveled, according to Dezeen.
•The delay is the latest in a series of technical setbacks affecting the Artemis II mission timeline.