Batteries’ data center advantage
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3 November 2026 • Supported by
Good morning! Lots of data center developers and utilities are building out gas power to satisfy the AI boom, but a new report might convince them to think differently. Jeff St. John dives into research that outlines the benefits of batteries over fossil fuels, and maps ways states can convince utilities and tech companies to seek out storage.
Meanwhile, tribal communities that are trying to replace fossil fuels with cleaner, cheaper alternatives are at a standstill. The Trump administration is holding up or has outright eliminated millions of dollars of grants for tribal climate and renewable energy projects, continuing a legacy of underinvestment in Indian Country. Joseph Lee has the story.
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TODAY'S TOP NEWS
ELECTIONS
- As voters head to the polls today, pivotal gubernatorial races, utility regulatory seats, and ballot measures are at stake that will determine America’s clean energy and climate future. (Latitude Media)
- Average gasoline prices across the nation are at the highest they’ve ever been on an Election Day. (Washington Post)
ELECTRIC VEHICLES
- A group of major automakers is pushing U.S. legislators to enact a permanent ban on Chinese vehicle imports as the rest of the world rapidly adopts cheap Chinese-made EVs. (Semafor)
FINANCE
- The world’s biggest banks have generated about $3 billion of revenue so far this year from financing climate projects, marking the fifth straight year these institutions are making more money on clean projects than from fossil fuel producers. (Bloomberg)
FOSSIL FUELS
- New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill (D) tells port operators that they risk “millions of dollars in penalties” if they accept Russian diesel imports that the Trump administration is welcoming. (New York Times)
STORAGE
- Exelon officials say the company’s utilities are tentatively planning to build between 1.5 and 3.5 GW of energy storage in the U.S., not including a 500-MW project already slated for New Jersey. (Utility Dive)
DATA CENTERS
- More companies are pursuing novel ways to satisfy data center power demand, including by repurposing old airplanes’ jet engines — an inefficient and heavily polluting solution. (New York Times)
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