Rural and distributed battery energy storage system (BESS) projects could be emerging as critical infrastructure in the US as grid reliability risks intensify nationwide.

Battery storage developer-operator Spearmint Energy has received a site permit for the 150MW/600MWh Midwater Energy Storage Project, in Freeborn County, Minnesota, US.

The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (MPUC) has approved a 200MW expansion of utility Xcel Energy’s Capacity*Connect virtual power plant (VPP) programme.

Recently, utility Xcel Energy announced it would install 30GWh of US startup Form Energy’s iron-air batteries at a data centre in Pine Island, Minnesota, owned by tech giant Google.

Utility Xcel Energy will install 30GWh of US startup Form Energy’s iron-air batteries at a data centre in Pine Island, Minnesota, belonging to tech giant Google.

US utility Xcel Energy plans to build the Midwest’s largest battery energy system (BESS) facility at the Sherco Energy Hub in central Minnesota, US.

US utility Xcel Energy has proposed to build out a 200MW battery storage network across Minnesota, US.

A flurry of large-scale BESS project news in the US from four major developer-operators, coinciding with the country’s largest clean energy trade show RE+.

The Minnesota Public Utilities Commission (PUC) has approved a site permit for Spearmint Energy’s 150MW/600MWh battery energy storage system (BESS) in Kalmar Township.

According to the Q1 2025 US Energy Storage Monitor from Wood Mackenzie Power & Renewables and the American Clean Power Association (ACP), energy storage installations surpassed 12GW in 2024.