US tech giant Meta has signed landmark nuclear energy agreements with Vistra, TerraPower, and Oklo, backing up to 6.6 GW of clean power by 2035. From extending the life of existing reactors to funding next-generation designs, the deals underline how nuclear energy is becoming essential to powering Meta’s rapidly expanding AI infrastructure.
A Japanese consortium led by TODA Corporation has launched the nation’s first commercial floating wind farm near Nagasaki. The Goto project uses a world-first hybrid steel-concrete spar design to operate in deep water, serving as a critical pilot for Japan’s goal of 10 GW of offshore wind by 2030.
A consortium led by the China Electric Power Research Institute has created a protection system that isolates grid faults and restores power in just 0.1 seconds. Deployed in China and 12 other nations, the tech is vital for stabilizing grids flooded with renewable energy, reported Science and Technology Daily.
At CES 2026, ESOX Group revealed defense applications for Donut Lab’s solid-state batteries, promising 400 Wh/kg energy density, operation from -30°C to 100°C+, and 100,000 charge cycles. CEO Dan Walmsley says the tech is key to resilient supply chains for allied military drones and UGVs.
The U.S. Department of Energy has awarded $900 million to Orano to support its $5 billion Project IKE, a new uranium enrichment plant in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Set to begin production in 2031, the facility is a direct response to the ban on Russian nuclear fuel imports and is critical for powering America’s planned nuclear energy expansion.
Danish developer European Energy has energized the Kvosted solar and battery park, creating Northern Europe’s largest hybrid facility with a 200 MWh battery. The project is the first step in the company’s plan to deploy more than 1 GW of battery storage across Europe by 2027.
China’s National Automotive Standardization Technical Committee has proposed the world’s first national standard for solid-state EV batteries, defining key terms and setting a strict 0.5% weight-loss rate. The move, backed by industry giants CATL and BYD, aims to solidify China’s lead in the next-generation battery race, with small-scale production targeted for 2027.
China has fully completed Phase I of the world’s largest Hualong One nuclear power base in Fujian, with two reactors now producing 20 billion kilowatt-hours of clean electricity each year. Reported by CCTV, the milestone confirms the large-scale deployment of China’s independently developed third-generation nuclear technology and its growing global competitiveness.
Duke Energy has submitted a first-ever Early Site Permit application to the NRC for a site in Stokes County, North Carolina. This move preserves the option to build advanced small modular reactors, with plans for 600 megawatts of new nuclear capacity potentially online by 2037.
Chinese engineers have powered up the world’s largest vanadium flow battery in Xinjiang, achieving full commercial operation on December 31. This massive, non-flammable liquid electrolyte system is a key milestone for storing wind and solar energy for over ten hours, stabilizing grids reliant on renewables.
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