Headlines | News
US DOE turns to coal for baseload and supply reliability
USA Coal power
The US Department of Energy says it will provide up to $500 m in Defence Production Act funding to support 13 American coal-fired power plants and new coal export infrastructure. The package includes up to $425 million for twelve projects aimed at strengthening the coal fleet, plus up to $75 million for the West Gateway Terminal Project in Oakland, California. The West Gateway terminal would be a
rail-served marine export facility able to handle more than 10 million tons of bulk commodities a year. DOE says it would expand West Coast export capacity and support energy shipments to allies including Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Vietnam and Malaysia. Energy secretary Chris Wright said the funding is intended to reinforce national security by supporting coal generation, domestic supply chains and export capability. DOE Under-secretary Kyle
DTE to deploy 6 GWh of storage on Michigan grid
USA Energy storage
Detroit-based DTE Energy has announced a $1.6 billion investment in Michigan’s clean energy future through a partnership with LG Energy Solution Vertech to deploy Michigan- made battery storage systems across the state. The agreement covers eight projects scheduled for development over the next two years and is expected to generate approximately $2.3 billion in economic impact. Together, the projects will deliver 1.5 GW / 6 GWh of battery storage capacity, enabling the grid to store excess electricity and dispatch it during periods of peak demand. DTE said the systems will improve grid reliability, ease network congestion and support Michigan’s clean energy goals. The utility also highlighted the role of battery storage in supporting data centre growth and local manufacturing. According to
DTE, the systems will help accommodate increasing electricity demand without affecting service for existing customers. The company noted that the Oracle data centre project in Saline Township is being designed so that the batteries alone can satisfy a portion of Michigan’s 2030 energy storage requirements.
The investment forms part of DTE’s broader strategy to strengthen Michigan’s energy infrastructure and manufacturing ecosystem. The company said it spent roughly $2.9 billion with Michigan-based businesses in 2025, supporting local supply chains and industrial development. DTE also reported investing nearly $4 billion during the year to modernise infrastructure and expand cleaner energy resources, underscoring its long-term commitment to grid reliability and the state’s clean energy transition.
Hydrostor advances Quinte A-CAES project
Canada Energy storage Global long-duration energy storage developer Hydrostor has announced initial development has taken place of the Quinte Energy Storage Centre, an advanced compressed air energy storage project in Greater Napanee, Ontario. The
announcement follows the project’s receipt of a Municipal Support Resolution from Greater Napanee after more than a year of consultation with the town, residents and local officials. Hydrostor said the project will now move into the permitting process, with further work needed to secure municipal, provincial and federal approvals. The project is being developed with the Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte, who will be an Indigenous equity partner.
Hydrostor says the facility is expected to deliver significant economic benefits to both the local and provincial economy over its projected 50-year operating life, contributing more than CA$1.4 billion to Canada’s GDP. The project will receive partial funding support from the Canada Growth Fund, which has made available a US$50 million convertible development loan facility to help finance development costs across its Canadian projects, and lands as Ontario moves to procure up to 800 MW of long-duration energy storage to support grid reliability. Hydrostor’s A-CAES technology stores energy by compressing storing air. The company has a broad 7 GW global pipeline of projects advancing across Canada, the USA, Australia and the UK.
Haustveit said the terminal fills a key infrastructure gap and would improve access to global markets while strengthening energy partnerships in the Indo-Pacific. The announcement marks a clear shift toward using federal industrial policy to preserve coal as part of the US energy and export system, with DOE framing the projects as a way to bolster baseload reliability, supply chain resilience and strategic energy leverage.
‘Global coal investment reaches 14- year high’
Worldwide Coal power FutureCoal, an international non-profit, non-governmental association based in London and created to represent the global coal industry, has commented on the IEA’s World Energy Investment 2026 report, which shows global coal investment reaching US$180 billion in 2026, the highest level since 2012 and 4% higher than 2025. The association argues that these figures reflect a renewed focus on energy security, supply resilience and system reliability as opposed to being led by an ideological approach.’.
China accounts for 70% of global coal investment, while India is expanding coal production, transport infrastructure and gasification to reduce dependence on imported fuels and industrial feedstocks. The report also notes continued investment in Southeast Asia and sustained spending on coking coal for steel production. FutureCoal chief executive Michelle Manook said energy security comes from “diversity, reliability and affordability,” and claimed countries are investing in technologies that improve coal’s performance while lowering emissions. The organisation also said 90% of new coal-fired capacity expected online in 2026 will use ultra-supercritical or supercritical technology. The group linked these trends to its Sustainable Coal Stewardship framework, which promotes more efficient and lower-emission use of coal across the value chain. It also pointed to coal-related policy and funding in China, India and the United States as evidence that coal remains central to power, industrial development and grid reliability.
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