07/01/2026
We've made remarkable progress in adopting renewable energy. It has grown at an extraordinary pace, and those successes come with new challenges.
Solar is abundant in the middle of the day when the sun is high and shining brightly, yet our energy demand doesn't peak then. It rises in the evening when families are home, when businesses are still running, and the sun has already set. So the Duck Curve is a representation of the mismatch of time between the energy produced by solar versus the energy needed.
What exactly is the Duck Curve, and why is it a problem that needs to be solved?
🚩The Problem 🚩
The Duck Curve creates challenges for utilities because excess solar power is produced when it is least needed, but that power is unavailable during peak demand periods when it is most needed.
The good news is we are already solving the problem with emerging battery storage. We have the tools to bridge this gap which is capturing excess solar in the middle of the day and delivering it when people need it the most, and there are many companies already working on these solutions across the world.
Here's what progress looks like.
🔋The Solution 🔋
The big thing to remember is that this problem is 100% solvable, TODAY. Battery storage is proving to be a critical component, helping balance energy supply and demand. There are innovative, leading battery storage manufacturers and installers that are taking the challenge to capture wasted energy head on.
Here are some of the battery WINS!
Form Energy announced a 300 MW power capacity and 30 GWh of energy storage capacity with Xcel Energy, the largest battery project by energy capacity using long duration storage to cover the gap between midday solar production and evening demand.
MN8 Energy brings a battery storage project with 100 MW of power capacity and 400 MWh of energy storage capacity online in Southern California, giving Sonoma Clean Power more local grid flexibility and reliability.
PowerBank Corporation announced 60 MWh of new battery storage capacity across 3 new projects in Upstate New York, helping store energy for later use and support local demand.
The JAPlanet battery storage system, per JA Solar has already been deployed across Italy, Germany, and the Netherlands, helping commercial and industrial customers add onsite storage to manage power costs and resilience.
Rodan Energy Solutions Inc. helped enable North America's large battery storage projects, including the 300 MW of power capacity and 1,200 MWh Hagersville Battery Energy Storage Park, which support grid stability and peak demand needs.
Tesla signed a 15.3 GWh Megapack supply deal with Intersect Power for solar plus storage projects, helping move surplus solar into evening hours when demand is higher.
Clearway Energy Group highlighted its 147 MW battery retrofit project tied to the Rosamond Central Solar site, showing how storage can capture excess solar and make it available later.
Share and comment your battery storage wins! Let’s get some momentum going!
