FlexGen partners with Lightshift Energy on its 16 battery energy storage projects in PJM, ISO-NE. Six projects have been completed across Massachusetts and Virginia, with another ten under construction, reflecting growing collaboration spanning both new battery energy storage deployments and enhancement of existing assets. * Lightshift develops, owns, and operates the projects while FlexGen provides energy storage software and services, including its FlexGen HybridOS(R) energy management system (EMS). * More than 25MW/85MWh of energy storage already operating in PJM and ISO-NE strengthens local grid reliability and helps lower costs during high-demand periods. * FlexGen's advanced, flexible energy storage software and services enable Lightshift to deploy new assets and modify existing ones as project or grid needs evolve over time. DURHAM, N.C.-(BUSINESS WIRE)-FlexGen Power Systems, LLC. ("FlexGen"), a leading battery energy storage system and energy management software provider, together with Lightshift Energy, a battery storage developer, today announced the continued expansion of their partnership for energy management systems across 16 battery energy storage system (BESS) projects in Massachusetts, Virginia, and Vermont. Six projects have been completed to date, delivering more than 25MW/85MWh of flexible storage capacity to local grids and communities, with another ten projects that will deliver over 55MW/200MWh under construction. FlexGen and Lightshift first partnered in 2024 on the deployment of FlexGen's HybridOS(R) energy management system (EMS) at Lightshift's battery storage project in Groton, MA. Strategically located next to a local substation, the site provides targeted grid support through peak shaving during high-demand periods, bolstering energy reliability and lowering energy costs for the surrounding community. Since then, Lightshift has selected FlexGen's HybridOS for additional projects spanning diverse use cases, battery manufacturers, and utility customers. "Across New England and the PJM region, growing energy demand is driving utilities to explore solutions to strengthen their local grids while reducing costs for residents," said Joe Leavitt, Chief Technology Officer at Lightshift Energy. "Our work with FlexGen has created a strong model for the deployment of battery storage assets across sites with various technologies and unique needs. As we expand our portfolio, we look forward to building on that successful track record as we continue to help utility partners meet growing demand, manage costs for the communities they serve, and strengthen grid reliability and resilience." FlexGen and Lightshift Expand Scope of Partnership with BESS Upgrade The companies have recently expanded the scope of their work together by completing a comprehensive integration of FlexGen's EMS at Lightshift's BESS facility in Danville, Virginia. The Danville BESS site provides flexible capacity to Danville Utilities to support peak shaving and demand response programs during periods of high demand. By executing a complex upgrade of the battery management system (BMS) and EMS and augmenting the site with additional batteries, FlexGen and Lightshift enhanced the site's capacity by 14%, delivering additional grid stability and extending the energy storage asset's lifespan. "It's no longer just about building more battery projects. Meeting our energy needs will require getting more from the assets we already have," said Jason Abiecunas, Executive Vice President of Business Development at FlexGen. "That means finding ways to extend asset life, unlock additional capacity, and ensure we're maximizing the value provided by each site. We're proud of what we've accomplished through our work with Lightshift and look forward to growing that partnership." FlexGen and Lightshift Continue to Grow Partnership with New Projects With the successful EMS partnership on six projects to date, FlexGen and Lightshift plan to continue growing their portfolio of work together through additional projects, such as Danville II, a second 11MW project with Danville Utilities that will act as a peak shaving asset and build on the city's commitment to reducing energy costs for its residents and supporting regional load growth. FlexGen HybridOS will serve as the EMS for the additional ten projects under construction, delivering optimized uptime, performance, and reliability. The software is compatible with 80+ configurations of top-tier batteries and power conversion systems (PCS). Designed to be modular and scalable, FlexGen HybridOS gives operators flexibility over software configurations to meet a wide variety of site, hardware, and regulatory-specific requirements. About FlexGen Power Systems, LLC. FlexGen provides software and services for deploying, managing, and optimizing battery energy storage systems. FlexGen leverages more than 15+ years of software, engineering, and procurement expertise to solve today's toughest energy challenges that enable the transition to a modern electric grid. FlexGen HybridOS(R) energy management software integrates with battery OEMs and offers advanced analytics and AI-driven insights that allow energy storage owners to deploy diverse power market strategies and integrate various generation forms, enhancing grid stability and economic returns. Serving more than 25+ GWh and over 200 energy storage systems enabled by FlexGen, Offshore Source is trusted by the most technically and commercially demanding developers, utilities, government agencies, and industrial companies worldwide. About Lightshift Energy. Lightshift Energy is a utility-scale energy storage developer, owner, and operator headquartered in Arlington, Virginia. Founded in 2019, the company develops impactful standalone energy storage projects that deliver value through advanced analytics and multi-use applications. Through its portfolio approach, Lightshift blends the benefits of transmission scale capacity with local grid resources through aggregation, maximizing value for utility partners and their customers while investing downstream in communities for their direct benefit. For more information, please visit www.lightshift.com. Read the Article on Business Wire: Read More Posted By OffshoreSource

US battery storage reached 52 gigawatts at mid-year; developers have 54 GW more on order through 2028. US utility-scale battery storage capacity reached nearly 52 gigawatts (GW) by the end of June 2026, the Energy Information Administration reported last month, capping three consecutive years in which the sector expanded at an average annual rate of 70 percent. Operators have reported plans to the EIA for another 54 GW of capacity to come online through the end of 2028, a pipeline that, if completed on schedule, would push total national nameplate capacity past 105 GW. Three years of rapid expansion. Utility-scale battery storage capacity in the United States grew at an average annual rate of 70 percent over the last three years, according to the EIA. By the end of 2025 the US power system had 43.6 GW of operational capacity. During the first six months of 2026 alone, operators added another 8.3 GW, bringing the nameplate total to nearly 52 GW, based on the EIA's latest Preliminary Monthly Electric Generator Inventory. Operators anticipate bringing an additional 54 GW of battery storage capacity online over the next two and a half years, according to plans they report to the EIA. Of that total, 14 GW is expected in the second half of 2026 alone. The pipeline breaks down to 26 GW planned for 2027 and 14 GW for 2028, with total national operational capacity expected to pass 105 GW by the end of 2028 if those schedules hold. Projects coming online now. Developer SMT Energy and software-focused storage integrator FlexGen announced the start of operations of a 160 MW/320 MWh energy storage facility in Houston, Texas, adding to a state grid that has emerged as the country's most active market for large-scale storage deployment. The Houston project, known as SMT Houston IV, joins more than 12 projects from SMT and FlexGen built to support the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) grid. The facility is one of several standalone projects entering service across ERCOT as the Texas grid balances rapid load growth with an expanding fleet of solar generators. Solar photovoltaic plants host the largest battery storage capacity units, including AES' Bellefield Solar and Energy Storage Farm in California and Florida Power & Light's Manatee Solar Energy Center in Florida, according to the EIA. The Gemini Solar + Energy Storage project in Nevada, which became fully operational in 2024, carries 690 MW of photovoltaic capacity paired with a 380 MW battery storage system providing 1,400 MWh of dispatchable energy. What is driving the buildout. Battery storage has expanded in close step with utility-scale solar, absorbing midday generation surpluses and dispatching power during the evening demand peaks that solar cannot reach. The EIA pegs utility-scale battery storage growth at an average annual rate of 70 percent over the last three years, driven by rapid utility-scale solar deployment and wholesale price arbitrage, a pace that has outstripped earlier projections and reshaped how grid operators plan their capacity reserves. New federal rules have made domestic supply-chain compliance a condition of tax credit eligibility for storage projects, and a live FERC proceeding is poised to reshape the economics of co-located storage. Import tariffs have raised equipment costs for some developers. Those pressures have not yet slowed the installation pace, though developers and lenders are watching how the FERC proceeding resolves for projects that pair storage directly with data center loads. The DOE's $500 million initiative is aimed partly at reducing the cost exposure that tariffs have created, targeting domestic production of the minerals and cell components that underpin the growing grid fleet. ERCOT has emerged as the country's most active storage market, and analysts project continued rapid expansion there through 2027 as the Texas grid absorbs load growth and integrates increasing volumes of solar generation. Market implications. The EIA's planning filings point to another 54 GW expected online over the next two and a half years. If that pipeline is completed as planned, operational US battery storage capacity would climb past 105 GW by the end of 2028. That trajectory would represent a roughly sixfold increase in battery storage capacity in just four years, a shift that industry analysts say is beginning to move beyond a technology story into a wholesale electricity pricing story. The EIA's long-term outlook identified data-center and EV load as the structural demand drivers that will sustain electricity growth through 2050, a context that gives the storage pipeline its commercial logic: operators need dispatchable assets to cover peaks that are growing faster than traditional baseload additions can match. The agency's next Short-Term Energy Outlook update is expected to reflect any further revisions to the storage build schedule as fall demand data comes in. Hugo Rojas is the editor of GCN. With a Master of Science in Engineering, he specializes in technology, data, and science, and brings a human-centered perspective informed by psychology.