Author name: Annita Selwyn

California has once again positioned itself at the forefront of energy policy innovation, this time by becoming the first subnational entity to join the Global Energy Storage and Grids Pledge. Announced by Governor Gavin Newsom on January 2, 2026, the commitment targets a tripling of global energy storage capacity to 1,500 GW, doubling grid investment, and deploying 25 million kilometers of new transmission lines by 2030. This move not only underscores California’s leadership in clean energy but also signals a seismic shift in how states and regions can drive international climate and energy agendas—even as federal policies fluctuate.

A team of researchers from Donghua University and Xi’an Jiaotong University has unveiled a groundbreaking advancement in solid-state battery technology, achieving an ionic conductivity of 1.95 mS cm⁻¹ and a lithium-ion migration number of 0.74—metrics that shatter previous benchmarks and promise to redefine the limits of energy storage. The innovation, centered around an imidazole-based ionized covalent organic framework (COF) nanofiber skeleton gel electrolyte, enables batteries to retain 83.2% of their initial capacity after 300 cycles at a high rate of 5C. This leap forward addresses two of the most persistent challenges in battery science: fast charging and long-term stability, both critical for electric vehicles, grid storage, and portable electronics.