The growing chorus of data center development doomsayers has picked up a powerful voice: the Pontiff.

Pope Leo recently published his first encyclical, a five-chapter appeal for the safeguarding of humanity, promotion of truth, dignity of work, social justice, and peace, entitled ‘Magnifica humanitas: On Safeguarding the Human Person in the Time of Artificial Intelligence.’ Its third chapter stresses the need to approach AI with vigilance. The Holy See writes that our current “technocratic paradigm” dictates that choices be driven by efficiency and profit, rather than the greater good of mankind. Humanity is facing a choice, he warns: “Either to construct a new Tower of Babel or to build the city in which God and humanity dwell together.”

“Technology is never neutral, because it takes on the characteristics of those who devise, finance, regulate, and use it,” Pope Leo adds. AI can imitate and simulate a person, but it does not possess a moral conscience, empathy, or affective, relational, or spiritual capabilities.

The Pope urges clarity about responsibilities and accountability at every stage of the development process, including the creation of AI policies and legal frameworks, independent oversight, and user education. He also points out the environmental impact of the facilities powering AI, arguing that they harm Creation (with a capital-C) by consuming large amounts of energy and water.

Meanwhile, far from the Vatican’s walls, opposition to data centers is gaining momentum across the United States for many of the very reasons the head of the Roman Catholic Church outlined. At least 20 projects were canceled in Q1 2026, representing $41.7 billion in investment and 3.5 gigawatts (GW) of demand, smashing records set in the previous quarter. More than 100 documented data center disputes are underway in a fight against Big Tech that has become increasingly non-partisan, with about 7 in 10 Americans opposing construction near them.

We must build for the common good and to strive to “remain human” in these times, Pope Leo advised in his debut encyclical. Amen to that.

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Everyone Remembers Their First

Goshe Energy Storage, a developer, owner, and operator of utility-scale battery energy storage systems (BESS), is celebrating two major milestones: its first asset in the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) market is now fully operational, and the company has secured up to $40 million in investment to support its mission of grid reliability.

The asset, Goshe’s Bexar Energy Storage, is a 100 megawatt (MW) BESS located south of San Antonio, Texas. The company previously closed on $288 million in project-level financing for the endeavor.

The new investment comes from securing a strategic HoldCo debt facility of up to $40 million from S2G Investments’ Special Opportunities team. It will support Goshe’s strategy of acquiring and constructing late-stage development projects, securing financing, and managing them through construction and commercial operations.

“We are incredibly grateful for this partnership with S2G. It provides us with the capital necessary to scale our platform at a time when the U.S. is projected to add a significant volume of new storage capacity,” said Bailey McCallum, CEO of Goshe Energy Storage, citing record-breaking projections for 24.3 GW of new battery storage capacity coming online across the U.S. in 2026. “By focusing on late-stage acquisitions, we move projects through construction efficiently, providing the grid with the stability it urgently needs to absorb greater renewable generation, large loads, weather events, and commodity price shocks.”

The company’s second asset, a 180 MW system, is completing construction and is expected to come online in the next few months. Two additional projects are scheduled to enter construction later this year.

Liberty and Gas Power for All

East Kentucky Power Cooperative (EKPC) recently broke ground on Liberty Station, a new natural gas power plant in Casey County that the co-op says will strengthen electric grid reliability and support growing energy demand in the southern region of the state.

The $500 million infrastructure investment will operate as a peaker plant, providing additional power during periods of high electricity demand and when other regional energy sources are unavailable.

“As energy needs increase both locally and nationally, investments like Liberty Station will help maintain reliable service during periods of high demand and severe weather,” explained EKPC board chair Alan Ahrman.

EKPC said the plant will generate enough electricity to serve about 95,000 Kentucky homes annually. The facility will primarily use natural gas supplied via a nearby interstate pipeline, with ultra-low-sulfur diesel fuel available as a backup fuel source. Two onsite backup fuel tanks will allow the plant to operate at full capacity for up to 72 hours if needed. Additional infrastructure at the site will include:

• A new 161 kilovolt (kV) switching station connected to EKPC’s existing electric transmission line, located less than one mile away
• Two power plant stacks designed with noise mitigation features and positioned at least 1,000 feet from neighboring property lines
• A warehouse and a control and administration building

Construction is expected to begin in June, and the plant should be operating by late 2028.

Saving Money by Harvesting Sunshine

Duke Energy Florida is extolling the virtues of its latest power generation facility, estimating it will save its 2 million customers $250 million over the project’s lifetime.

Duke recently announced the completion of the Jumper Creek Solar Complex in Sumter County, a 74.9 MW facility that’s part of the utility’s larger plan to construct 900 MW of solar power in Florida across 12 sites by the end of 2028.

The math is simple: Expanding solar energy helps offset the cost of fuel, such as natural gas, that would otherwise be needed to generate electricity. That creates savings for customers and has (in part) allowed Duke Energy Florida to actually lower rates at a time when most electricity providers are doing the opposite.

“We know our customers are facing increased costs in nearly every category, so it’s critical for us to find ways to reduce long-term energy costs while delivering reliable service,” said Melissa Seixas, Duke Energy Florida state president. “Each of the solar sites that we’re bringing in service is projected to save customers money by reducing our reliance on fuel, one of the largest drivers of energy costs, helping shield customers from fluctuations in fuel prices.”

Once Duke’s dozen solar sites are finished, the utility estimates they’ll save customers about $3 billion by the time they’re decommissioned. Duke Energy Florida is also passing on approximately $65 million in Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) production tax credits in 2025, and that amount will grow each year as more solar is placed in service, reducing residential rates by at least $2.50 per 1,000 kWh on monthly bills.

Energy in Salt?

German hydrogen storage pioneer AKROS Energy GmbH, a wholly owned subsidiary of H2APEX, has inaugurated its pilot plant for chemical hydrogen storage in salt at the H2APEX site in Laage, near Rostock. The project features a containerized conversion system in which AKROS’ proprietary catalyst converts an aqueous solution of potassium bicarbonate (KHCO₃) — widely used in industry as baking powder — together with hydrogen, into potassium formate (KCOOH). The loaded salt is stable, non-toxic, non-flammable, environmentally harmless, and indefinitely storable. At the destination, the reaction is reversed to release hydrogen on demand.

The inauguration marks AKROS Energy’s transition from technology development into market entry, addressing what the company sees as a central barrier to the international hydrogen economy: the safe, scalable long-distance transport and storage of hydrogen.

“We are showing that our technology works at industrial scale,” assessed Johannes Emigholz, CEO of AKROS Energy. “Salt as a hydrogen carrier offers a safe, low-cost, and infrastructure-light pathway to bring hydrogen from regions where it can be produced abundantly to the industrial markets that need it.”

The pilot plant was realized with significant contributions from industry partners Evonik and Siemens, long-term partners for the technology scale-up. It is also the centerpiece of FormaPort, a publicly co-funded R&D collaboration backed by the State of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern and co-financed by the European Union, with partners AKROS Energy (lead), LIKAT, TAB, and Hochschule Wismar.

Everything is Bigger in Texas

European energy company Repsol is adhering to an old American motto with its latest project to achieve commercial operations: everything is bigger in Texas.

Repsol’s 825 MW Pinnington solar project, now electrified, is the largest single renewable project ever to reach Commercial Operation (COD) in the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT). It includes 1.5 million solar panels and will generate enough energy annually to avoid approximately 1 million tons of CO₂ emissions.

According to its developers, Pinnington reached commercial operation 2.5 times faster than other comparable megaprojects. Developed by Repsol and engineered and built by Black & Veatch and its construction subsidiary, Overland Contracting Inc. (OCI), the project was completed at an accelerated pace, supporting approximately 700 local construction jobs.

“Completing the Pinnington solar project on an accelerated timeline — while managing its scale, complexity, and demanding execution environment — is a testament to the strength of our collaboration with Repsol and the dedication of everyone involved,” said Narsingh Chaudhary, president of Black & Veatch’s Fuels & Natural Resources sector. “Most importantly, the project was delivered with a relentless focus on safety, with every hour worked reflecting our shared commitment to caring for our people and the surrounding community.”

“Pinnington sets a new benchmark for renewable energy delivery in the U.S., combining unprecedented scale with exceptional pace. Achieving commercial operations reflects strong execution, a deep safety culture, and the commitment of the teams and partners behind this project,” added Federico Toro, CEO of Repsol Renewables North America.

Repsol entered the American market in 2021, and its total renewable capacity in the U.S. now exceeds 2 GW. In Texas, Repsol’s renewable energy portfolio includes the operational Frye (632 MW), Outpost (629 MW), and Pinnington (825 MW) projects, as well as Pecan Prairie (595 MW), which is under construction.