In the wide-ranging conversation, Shaw starts off by describing the year-end rush as a perennial challenge for the battery energy storage system (BESS) sector in the US.

Energy-Storage.news spoke with Noemí Gallardo, Commissioner at the California Energy Commission (CEC), at the US Solar & Storage Finance event in Garden Grove, California, about the growth of BESS within the state.

Utility PG&E has selected six new California microgrid projects for a US$30 million investment, while Massachusetts’ Department of Energy Resources is awarding US$40 million across 36 BESS projects.

Energy-Storage.news Premium speaks with Randolph Mann, CEO at developer esVolta at the 2026 US Battery Asset Management Summit in Garden Grove, California.

Interconnection costs for utility-scale energy storage in California are significantly lower than in other major US markets, with developers also benefiting from network upgrade cost reimbursements unavailable elsewhere, according to a senior executive at Rev Renewables.

Two VPP bills are awaiting California Governor Gavin Newsom’s signature, meanwhile, Octopus Energy US has completed its investment in Uplight.

Scott Murtishaw, executive director at the California Energy Storage Alliance, discusses local opposition, safety misconceptions, and why the state’s containerised projects have proven safe.

Utility Appalachian Power (APCo) is seeking up to 800MW total of energy storage resources via two new requests for proposals (RFPs) in Virginia, US.

California’s Assembly Appropriations Committee advanced two virtual power plant (VPP) bills aimed at reducing energy rates in the US state.

Energy-Storage.news Premium speaks with David Miller, CCO of Gridmatic, about the company’s latest report from CAISO.