In the rapidly evolving landscape of data centers powered by artificial intelligence, energy storage strategies are undergoing a profound transformation. ZincFive^®, a leader in nickel-zinc battery solutions, has unveiled its third annual 2026 Data Center Energy Storage Industry Insights Report, developed with Endeavor Business Intelligence. This comprehensive study, based on surveys of 150 global industry professionals conducted in early 2026, reveals how AI workloads are reshaping power infrastructure priorities.

Key Trends Emerge

The report identifies surging AI demands as a central force. Notably, 57% of respondents report that AI is driving higher power density needs and smaller footprints, a trend holding steady from 54% last year. Additionally, 52% emphasize managing AI’s dynamic power fluctuations and upholding power quality – a sharp rise from 37% in 2025 – highlighting the urgency for resilient storage solutions.

Cost and safety dominate decision-making. An impressive 84% prioritize total cost of ownership, up from 79% in 2025 and 65% in 2024, while 76% stress battery chemistry safety. AI dynamic power ranks as the second-biggest driver for technology shifts at 49%, after cost (58%). Sustainability also plays a pivotal role, with 70% factoring it into purchases and 46% achieving moderate to significant cost savings from sustainable initiatives.

Prioritizing Battery Features for AI Challenges

When addressing AI-specific power issues, professionals rank power density (38%), safety (37%), uptime (33%), and maintenance ease (32%) as top criteria for battery selection. These insights underscore the need for advanced chemistries like nickel-zinc, which ZincFive champions for its high power density, safety, and sustainability in mission-critical applications.

“As AI workloads continue to transform data center infrastructure, operators are facing new challenges around power density, power quality, and system reliability,” said Tod Higinbotham, CEO of ZincFive. “This year’s report highlights how the industry is adapting to these evolving demands while balancing cost, safety, and sustainability priorities. The findings underscore the growing need for energy storage technologies capable of delivering high power performance, operational resilience, and infrastructure efficiency in the era of AI-driven data centers.”

Implications for the Industry

This report builds on prior editions, tracking consistent yet intensifying trends amid AI’s expansion. Data center operators can download the full 2026 report, along with 2025 and 2024 versions, from ZincFive’s website to inform strategic planning. As AI continues to demand more from power systems, innovations in safe, efficient energy storage will be crucial for maintaining uptime and sustainability goals.

To read the full press release, please click here.

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CATL keeps pushing the boundaries of battery technology. Its latest announcement is about batteries that can charge at 5C.

The post CATL Shares Details Of Next Generation 5C Battery appeared first on CleanTechnica.

CATL keeps pushing the boundaries of battery technology. Its latest announcement is about batteries that can charge at 5C.

The post CATL Shares Details Of Next Generation 5C Battery appeared first on CleanTechnica.

Czechia’s first international conference on solar and flexibility highlighted that the combination of solar with storage and flexibility sources is key to not just Czechia’s, but also Europe’s, secure and competitive electricity system.

Solar Flex Prague, jointly organised by SolarPower Europe, Solární Asociace and Asociace AKU-BAT CZ, welcomed visitors to a snowy Czech capital on Thursday (29 January), bringing together stakeholders from across Europe to discuss how flexibility solutions and storage can be further deployed.

The conference began with a speech from SolarPower Europe CEO, Walburga Hemetsberger, who said that while electrification is a lifeline for Europe, there is dwindling confidence in the energy transition among some politicians, some leading businesses and key players in the defence sector.

“The way out of the doubts is to really bank big time on flexibility, on storage and on electrification. This will show very concrete benefits very quickly, make politicians understand and really feel the benefits,” Hemetsberger told attendees, before adding that the combination of solar with storage and flexibility sources can lower energy system costs by €30 billion by 2030, while strengthening Europe’s security by removing dependency on foreign players. 

Paula Dorado represented the European Commission via video call and told attendees work on an electrification action plan is underway, scheduled for adoption this year. The plan is expected to address barriers and provide a way forward on electrification for different sectors including companies, households and industrial processes, Dorado said.

Throughout the day, speakers were in agreement that storage and flexibility now play an integral role in Czechia’s electricity system. Panellists pointed out that solar-plus-storage projects can be implemented in a matter of months, offering companies the ability to save money or open new revenue streams. Other speakers stressed the idea that renewable sources are uncontrollable is now outdated, explaining that modern solar-plus-storage systems are not only manageable, offering the ability to respond to market prices and the needs of both transmission and distribution system operators, but are shifting from grid-following to grid-forming technologies and contribute to the stability of the electricity system.

Czechia appears ahead of the curve when it comes to deploying co-located storage with smaller-scale solar, with figures published by Czechia’s largest electricity distributor, ČEZ Distribuce, last September sharing 86% of solar plants connected during the first half of 2025 were equipped with energy storage. In contrast, the country’s large-scale solar market sits at a pivotal moment following the implementation of a legal framework for large-scale development and operation last year. During an afternoon session on opportunities and challenges related to storage and the grid, Rene Nedela from Czechia’s Ministry of Industry and Trade said up to 180 GW of BESS applications have been registered, although some are without any project readiness.

Several speakers advised Czechia to look to other countries further down the line of large-scale battery deployment, and in particular its neighbour Germany, whose favourable market environment for batteries has helped attract investors and move flexibility efforts forwards.

Attendees also said flexible solar-plus-storage projects could help to solve any power shortages that arise from the gradual shutdown of coal-fired power plants in Czechia. The Czech government has committed to phasing out coal-fired electricity generation by 2033 and the country’s last deep black coal mine shut down last month.

During the afternoon session, Alexandr Cerny from Czechia’s Energy Regulatory Office introduced proposed changes to Czechia’s energy tariffs, expected to come into force from the start of next year. The changes will restructure current tariff categories, particularly at the higher voltage levels, and are in part designed to reward flexibility in both consumption and generation, holding the potential to help ramp up the deployment of batteries while better integrating renewables to the grid.

Solar Flex Prague was SolarPower Europe’s second conference on flexibility following the inaugural Solar Flex Croatia held last March. A second edition of Solar Flex Croatia will take place in Zagreb on March 17 this year and Hemetsberger told pv magazine work is currently underway preparing the first Solar Flex Italy for later this year.