News – BEST START

Feature, News
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February 3, 2026
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25 second read

University of St. Thomas Microgrid Center Director: Why Microgrids Matter in the AI Era

Mahmoud Kablan of UST’s Center for Microgrid Research comments on the value proposition that microgrids offer in powering the high energy needs of AI.

Feature, News
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February 3, 2026
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32 second read

H2 Power Generation: Duke Energy Florida Testing Green Hydrogen Mix

Using two solar powered electrolyzers, Duke Energy Florida’s DeBary Hydrogen Production Storage System splits water into hydrogen and oxygen without the carbon emissions often associated with this production.

News
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February 3, 2026
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31 second read

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Awards $54.3 Million Contract for Fort Stewart Airfield Microgrid

David Boland, Inc. was awarded a $54.3M firm-fixed price contract to set up a power plant and microgrid.

News
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February 3, 2026
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24 second read

DOE seeks batteries with four times the juice

“The department’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy office is giving six teams up to $15 million to produce prototypes of manufacturable next-generation energy storage within two years.”

News
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February 3, 2026
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21 second read

Cleantech’s Rough Year Ends On An Up Note

Although this year achieved the lowest annual investment in Cleantech in the last five years, each quarter since Q1 trended upward so it’s not all bad news.

News
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February 3, 2026
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22 second read

Minnesota Commerce Awards $5.3 Million to Strengthen Local Electric Grid Resilience Across the State

28 applicants were funded up to $250,000 per project by the Minnesota Department of Commerce.

News
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February 3, 2026
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35 second read

Smart EV Charging That Works for Homeowners and the Grid

Using Grid Catalyst’s Demonstration Cohort program, NeoCharge partnered with UST’s Center for Microgrid Research tested their smart EV charging software.

News
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December 22, 2025
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20 second read

The Art of the Possible for Delivering Lower Costs and Resilience With Microgrids of All Sizes

Microgrids, along with other distributed energy resources, may supply as much as 50% of generation over the next decade, said panelists at a teleconference organized by the federal Department of Energy Onsite Technical Assistance Partnerships, which offers free resources for onsite energy developers.

News
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December 22, 2025
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27 second read

Smart Transmission Tools Modernize America’s Power Grid

Dynamic line rating allows for a more agile and cost-effective approach to maintaining a reliable grid, increasing power transfer capabilities by 10-40%.

News
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December 22, 2025
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18 second read

First Solar Investing $330M on New Module Finishing Plant in South Carolina

Anticipating higher U.S. energy demand incentivized through the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act”, and having benefitted from credits through the Biden-era Inflation, First Solar intends to build this facility to onshore part of their manufacturing process and create 600 jobs in South Carolina.