Here’s how extreme heat can impact the grid and renewables – and what’s being done to protect them
Electrek spoke with Kam Mahdi, CEO of renewable engineering firm Clean Energy Technologies in Costa Mesa, California, about how extreme heat can impact the power grid and renewables, as well as what’s being done to keep them online.
Electrek: The southern US and other parts of the world are currently suffering an extreme heat wave, and it’s expected to continue. How can that kind of heat impact the power grid?
Kam Mahdi: The spike in temperatures inevitably drives up electricity demand, particularly due to the increased use of air conditioning. This additional demand often strains the power grid, sometimes to the point of triggering blackouts or requiring rolling blackouts to stave off a complete grid failure.
Extreme heat can also impair the efficiency of power generation and transmission. Both renewable and conventional power plants may operate less efficiently under high temperatures. Likewise, electricity transmission lines can lose efficiency due to higher resistive losses at elevated temperatures.
Adding to the complexity, these hot and dry conditions also elevate the risk of wildfires, which can wreak havoc on transmission infrastructure. This, in turn, can lead to power outages and exacerbate the challenge of power management across the grid.
Electrek: How can the high temperatures affect solar, wind, and battery storage?
Kam Mahdi: Solar and wind have unique challenges in high temperatures. While sunshine is, of course, needed to generate electricity from solar panels, extreme heat can reduce solar panels’ output efficiency by a margin of 10-25%. That’s because as the solar panel’s temperature rises, the output voltage correspondingly declines, consequently impairing the production of electricity.
Wind energy can also be impacted. Generally, high temperatures can coincide with high-pressure weather systems that lead to calm conditions, reducing wind power generation.
Battery storage systems, particularly lithium-ion batteries, can suffer in high temperatures as well. Excessive heat can accelerate chemical reactions within the battery, leading to faster degradation and reduced lifespan. Additionally, heat can increase the risk of thermal runaway, a condition that can lead to battery failure.
Electrek: Are there innovations that can be utilized to counteract the negative effects of extreme heat on renewables and battery storage?
Kam Mahdi: Engineers worldwide are currently exploring innovative concepts like thermophotovoltaics, which directly convert heat into electricity. They’re also refining solar panel designs, utilizing advanced materials and coatings for enhanced heat resistance.
In the wind energy sector, we are leveraging predictive weather models to manage power generation more effectively during high heat and low wind periods, coupled with the continual improvement of turbine design.
The battery storage industry is now focusing on robust thermal management systems incorporating advanced cooling methods, heat-resistant materials, and improved battery design in order to ensure optimum performance and extended longevity in challenging thermal conditions.
Our company, Clean Energy Technology, is contributing to this collective effort. Our heat recovery solutions enable us to capture and repurpose waste heat – a byproduct of industrial processes and power generation. This process increases efficiency and proves instrumental in managing energy demand, particularly during intense heat periods when power consumption peaks.
It’s important to incorporate a healthy mix of renewables alongside energy storage systems, which can help create a more resilient grid that’s capable of withstanding the strains brought about by extreme heat.
These strategies, combined with energy conservation efforts, are vital in ensuring a reliable energy supply, even in severe heat waves.
Kam Mahdi is a cofounder of Clean Energy Technologies (CETY) who has served as chief executive officer since the company’s inception in September 2015. He spearheaded the acquisition of General Electric Heat Recovery Solutions, positioning CETY as a key competitor in the renewable and energy efficiency sectors. Mahdi holds a bachelor of science in electrical engineering from California State University, Northridge.
Read more: As the US heats up, here’s how you can help prevent blackouts
Photo: Arizona Public Service Electric
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Ford is testing a new electrified Mustang that may not be as electric as it seems. The next-gen Mustang is apparently already in development. Here’s what we know about it so far.
Is Ford launching an electrified Mustang Hybrid?
After postponing around $12 billion in planned spending on electric vehicles in 2023, Ford’s CEO Jim Farley said the company would lean more into hybrids.
Farley told investors and analysts on the company’s Q3 2023 earnings call that he’s “so thankful we have kept our foot on the gas to freshen our ICE and HEV products as we enter a changing market.”
Ford’s CFO, John Lawler, reaffirmed the company’s plans later that year, saying the company would use hybrids as a bridge to fully electric vehicles.
“With EV adoption slower, hybrids are going to be a bigger part,” Lawler said, adding that Ford “became a little bit complacent” on hybrid tech. Last year, Ford said it would introduce a hybrid version for every gas-powered vehicle in its lineup by 2030.
Ford is apparently making good on its promise with a new Mustang hybrid in development. According to a new report from Ford Authority, the Mustang hybrid, internally code-named S650E, is in development, and prototypes are already being tested.
The report claims the new Mustang has entered the Technology Prove-Out stage, suggesting it will be electrified to some degree.
Whether it will be a traditional hybrid or a plug-in hybrid vehicle (PHEV) remains unclear. Although the company has yet to confirm it, Farley said that a “partially electrified Mustang coupe” was a strong possibility, and Ford’s Performance unit is already testing hybrid powertrains.
Electrek’s Take
Will the new Mustang hybrid sit alongside the Mach-E in Ford’s lineup? Ford’s electric crossover SUV remains one of the top-selling EVs in the US, so it’s unlikely to go anywhere, but it is due for a refresh with so many new rivals entering the market.
Through August, Ford sold 34,319 Mustang Mach-Es (+6.7% YOY) in the US. The gas-powered Mustang continues to fall out of favor, with 31,015 units sold in the first eight months of 2025, 8.3% fewer than during the same period in 2024.
With Hyundai, Stellantis, Honda, and several other global OEMs planning to launch new hybrid models in the US, the Ford Mustang hybrid doesn’t come as a total surprise. We will still have to wait for the official word from Ford, but a new electrified Stang seems more than likely.
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Environment
NYC’s new 15 MPH speed limit for e-bikes goes into effect next month, but cars still get a pass
New York City’s new 15 mph speed limit for electric bikes is officially set to take effect next month, in what city officials claim is a move to improve street safety. But not everyone is convinced the crackdown is targeting the real threat on the roads.
The new limit, approved earlier this year, applies to e-bikes, mopeds, and other micromobility vehicles operating in city bike lanes. Riders caught exceeding 15 mph could face warnings or citations, though the exact enforcement strategy remains murky. The NYPD says it will focus on “education first,” but given the city’s track record, that could just be the calm before the ticket storm.
The rule comes amid growing concerns from some residents and officials about rising speeds among e-bike riders, especially delivery workers who often rely on throttle-equipped bikes to meet tight deadlines. But while the new speed cap is aimed at micromobility vehicles, there’s a noticeable omission: cars, trucks, and SUVs, which continue to be allowed to travel at 25 mph – and in practice, often much faster – even though they pose exponentially more risk to vulnerable road users and are responsible for orders of magnitude more deaths each year.
It’s a move that raises eyebrows and has resulted in thousands of publicly-submitted comments that the New York Department of Transportation has seemingly ignored.
After all, the majority of traffic fatalities in New York City don’t involve e-bikes. They involve cars. And while some e-bike riders certainly ride irresponsibly, the blanket limit nearly cuts in half the more widely accepted e-bike speed limits used around the US, and doesn’t even apply to pedal bikes, which can easily exceed such speeds despite nearly identical average weights when factoring in the vehicle and rider. Not to mention, it ignores the critical role that e-bikes play in reducing traffic congestion and emissions, especially in the delivery and commuting sectors.
So while New York is slowing down its most efficient and sustainable form of urban transport, it’s letting the real heavyweights keep their speed. If the goal is safety, then it’s fair to ask: why aren’t cars being asked to go 15 mph too?
Because once again, it seems the rules are written for the powerful – not the vulnerable.
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