Today’s headlines: Another offshore wind payoff deal, data centers grab electrical equipment, and more

This roundup of U.S. energy news headlines is part of our Canary Media Daily newsletter. Sign up to get it in your inbox each morning.

WIND

• French utility​Engie is in talks with the Trump administration to secure a similar deal to TotalEnergies, in which the company would be paid to abandon its U.S. offshore wind leases. (Reuters)

DATA CENTERS

• Data centers purchased more electrical equipment in the first three months of 2026 than they did all last year, according to GE Vernova. (E&E News)

SOLAR

• Chinese solar exports hit a record 68 GW in March, double the previous month, as war in the Middle East sent fossil fuel prices soaring. (Ember)

BATTERIES

• Tesla reports its battery deployments fell 15% in the first quarter compared to the year before, an unexpected drop that has analysts questioning the future of the company’s previously growing sector. (Bloomberg)

POLICY

• Democrats on the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee push back against a DOE proposal that would further cut funding for solar and wind while subsidizing coal plants and fossil fuels. (Inside Climate News)

AFFORDABILITY

• State legislators explore ways to rein in multimillion-dollar utility CEO salaries as customers face rising bills. (E&E News)

• Maryland is just one of a handful of states that have targeted energy-efficiency funds in an attempt to curb rising power bills — a strategy that advocates say will cost residents in the long term. (Latitude Media)

CARBON CAPTURE

• As Microsoft and other tech companies retreat from their carbon removal investments, the industry may find success as it embeds in mining, agriculture, and other industrial applications. (Latitude Media)