TODAY'S LEAD: The clean energy transition, particularly offshore wind, presses forward despite direct administration opposition and local headwinds, signaling an industry determined to execute shovel-ready projects even as a key battery manufacturer scales back its EV workforce. Developers and grid operators are adapting to new realities on the ground, from evolving hail risks to shifting policy frameworks.

KEY DEVELOPMENTS

Court Blocks Trump Bid on Empire Wind: A federal court rejected the Trump administration’s request to extend a stop-work order on the significant Empire Wind offshore project Wind Power Monthly.
Offshore Wind Projects Advance Despite Obstacles: Five U.S. offshore wind farms, including Dominion Energy’s 2.6 GW Coastal Virginia project, continue construction, demonstrating resilience against political pushback Canary Media.
SK Battery America Lays Off 1,000 in Georgia: SK Battery America cut nearly 1,000 workers at its Georgia plant, shifting focus from EV batteries to stationary energy storage due to a cooling EV market Utility Dive.
California Court Upholds NEM 3.0: A California court denied an appeal to reform Net Energy Metering 3.0, preserving the controversial solar compensation framework Solar Power World.
PJM Implements FERC Order 881 for Transmission: PJM became the first grid operator to adopt FERC’s Order 881, utilizing hourly ambient-adjusted ratings for transmission lines to boost grid efficiency Renewable Energy World.

Solar & Storage

Clean energy development continues its relentless, if at times uneven, march across the U.S., with new projects securing financing and existing ones navigating complex regulatory landscapes. PowerBank, a Toronto-based developer, has secured nearly $2 million in funding for its 7 MW Jordan Rd 1 community solar project in Skaneateles, New York PV Magazine USA. Sited on a remediated brownfield, the project has already cleared essential environmental and municipal approvals, underscoring the potential for solar development on degraded land. This micro-scale progress stands in contrast to broader industry trends detailed in a new report from Wood Mackenzie and SEIA, which reveals the U.S. solar industry deployed over 43 GW of new capacity in 2025 Solar Builder. While this represents a 14% downturn from 2024, solar and energy storage combined still accounted for 79% of all new electricity capacity added last year, with solar alone comprising 54%. The deceleration signals the impact of policy challenges, even as the sector remains the dominant force in new power generation. The imperative for robust energy storage solutions gains new urgency as SK Battery America announced the layoff of nearly 1,000 workers at its Georgia plant Utility Dive. Citing cooling EV market conditions, the company is reorienting its strategy toward stationary energy storage solutions. This pivot by a major manufacturer highlights the growing demand for grid-scale energy storage and its critical role in balancing intermittent renewables, even as the EV market faces a period of recalibration. On that front, Base Power is launching a 100 MW virtual power plant (VPP) program in North Texas, partnering with Denton County Electric Cooperative (CoServ) Energy Storage News. This initiative will deploy residential energy storage systems, creating a distributed network capable of providing significant grid flexibility. Such VPPs are becoming increasingly vital for managing decentralized energy resources and providing resilience, particularly in dynamic markets like Texas. Meanwhile, utility-scale solar projects face evolving climate risks. VDE Americas has upgraded its Hail Risk Model for large-scale solar arrays, incorporating updated wind data to enhance early warning and tracker stow strategies PV Magazine. This comes as hail damage, especially east of the Rockies, accounts for a significant portion of solar industry losses, making improved risk mitigation indispensable for asset protection. Insurers are also taking note: Beazley will acquire kWh Analytics, a U.S. renewable insurance specialist, to expand its data-driven underwriting capabilities for solar and energy storage projects PV Magazine. This acquisition seeks to combine Beazley's financial strength with kWh Analytics' extensive asset performance and loss data to offer more scalable coverage for developers.

Wind Energy

Offshore wind projects are demonstrating remarkable resilience against political headwinds, continuing to advance despite the Trump administration's vocal opposition. A federal court delivered a significant win for developers by rejecting the Trump administration's request to prolong a stop-work order on the Empire Wind project off the coast of New York Wind Power Monthly. This ruling clears a substantial regulatory hurdle and signals judicial limits on executive-imposed delays for critical infrastructure. This legal victory is part of a broader trend: five offshore wind farms, including Dominion Energy’s monumental 2.6 GW Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind project, are progressing towards completion milestones across the U.S. Canary Media. These projects continue to navigate complex permitting and construction challenges, showcasing the industry's determination to bring generation online despite overt political pressure from Washington. However, the Global Wind Energy Council's chief, Ben Backwell, warns that local disinformation remains the most damaging impediment to wind projects Wind Power Monthly. While Backwell's comments focused globally, his observation is acutely relevant in the U.S., where community opposition and misinformation frequently delay or derail projects, emphasizing the ongoing struggle for social license even as technical and financial hurdles are overcome.

Policy & Markets

The policy landscape continues to evolve, creating both certainty and new challenges for the clean energy sector. In California, a state court upheld the controversial Net Energy Metering 3.0 (NEM 3.0) program, rejecting an appeal to reform the framework Solar Power World. This decision locks in the current, less favorable compensation structure for rooftop solar in the nation's largest solar market, placing additional pressure on residential installers and potentially slowing future deployment. Meanwhile, grid operators are beginning to implement federal directives aimed at improving transmission efficiency. PJM has become the first grid operator to implement FERC's Order 881, adopting hourly ambient-adjusted ratings for transmission lines Renewable Energy World. Effective March 4, this change allows transmission lines to carry more power during cooler periods, maximizing existing infrastructure and potentially reducing congestion for renewable energy projects seeking grid interconnection. Such technical improvements are critical for realizing the full potential of new generation. International developments also bear watching as a bellwether for technology trends. Envision Digital, a major Chinese turbine manufacturer, installed its first overseas 8 MW wind turbine in Sweden Wind Power Monthly. While outside North America, the move indicates a continued push by global players to deploy larger, more efficient turbines, a trend that will inevitably influence U.S. project design and supply chains.

LOOKING AHEAD

Offshore Wind Permitting Battles: Expect continued legal challenges and executive interference attempts against offshore wind projects as the Trump administration seeks to slow development.
EV Battery Manufacturing Shift: Monitor further announcements from battery manufacturers like SK Battery America regarding workforce adjustments and strategic reorientation towards grid storage or other sectors.
NEM 3.0 Impact in California: Watch for Q2 2026 data on California rooftop solar installations to fully assess the market impact of the court's decision to uphold NEM 3.0.

Today's Quick Answers

Q: What does the court's rejection of the Empire Wind stop-work order mean for other offshore wind projects?

A: This ruling sets a crucial precedent, signaling that direct administrative attempts to unilaterally halt approved projects may face judicial resistance. It provides a measure of regulatory certainty for the five offshore wind farms currently under construction, offering developers a stronger footing against politically motivated delays.

Q: How does SK Battery America's shift to stationary energy storage impact the broader U.S. clean energy transition?

A: The layoff of nearly 1,000 workers due to cooling EV demand underscores the volatility in the EV market but simultaneously highlights the robust and growing demand for grid-scale battery storage. This strategic pivot by a major manufacturer validates the urgent need for domestic battery production focused on stationary applications, critical for grid stability and integrating more renewables, suggesting a growing divergence between EV and utility-scale battery market trajectories.

THE BOTTOM LINE: The U.S. clean energy sector, particularly offshore wind and grid storage, is demonstrating fundamental resilience against federal political opposition and market volatility, pushing forward key projects and adapting supply chains to meet evolving grid needs.