By EnergyNow Media.  Excerpt: Global energy storage capacity has tripled in recent years, thanks to an industry that barely existed a decade ago. ...The rapid growth of large-scale energy storage is driven by  plunging battery prices , rising  electricity demand  and a recognition among operators, utilities and public officials that  grids are less reliable  than they once were. “Energy storage has become a linchpin” for avoiding disruptions, says Joseph Williamson, vice president for projects at esVolta LP, the company that developed and owns the Hummingbird facility, which will store electricity delivered by a nearby PG&E substation. EsVolta will sell the energy back to grid customers as needed....  Full article at https://energynow.com/2025/01/giant-batteries-are-transforming-the-worlds-electrical-grids/ .  See also U.S. Power Grids are Vulnerable to Extreme Weather . 

By Closed Loop Partners.  Excerpt: Starbucks, The Coca-Cola Company, PepsiCo, Peet’s Coffee, Yum! Brands and other global and local brands and restaurants are partnering in  The Petaluma Reusable Cup Project  from the  NextGen Consortium , led by the Center for the Circular Economy at  Closed Loop Partners , to activate an unprecedented collaboration to drive reuse. Starting August 5, more than 30 restaurants in the City of Petaluma, CA, will swap their single-use cups for to-go reusable cups to all customers at no cost, and widespread return points will also be available across the city. This program marks a significant milestone for reuse, as the first initiative of its kind that makes reusable to-go cups the default option across multiple restaurants in a U.S. city, with the opportunity to drive more customers to reuse and displace hundreds of thousands of single-use cups. The Petaluma Reusable Cup Project is focused on supporting customers to create return h...