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Daily Digest Saturday, 31 January 2026

Daily Digest: Saturday, 31 January 2026

Saturday, 31 January 2026: Battery storage investment surges while recycling scales up, as Jupiter Power secures $500M and Solarcycle launches its Georgia plant, highlighting the intertwined growth of clean energy and circular solutions.

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Articles
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Categories

Today's Summary

Today's digest underscores the accelerating momentum in battery storage and recycling. Jupiter Power closed a $500 million credit facility to expand its US BESS projects, while battery recycler Redwood received significant financing from Google, specifically targeting growth in its energy storage division. This coincides with China reporting a record 200GWh of new energy storage deployed in 2025 and battery storage claiming 46% of Australia's massive 64GW energy investment pipeline. In recycling operations, SOLARCYCLE commenced operations at its new Cedartown, Georgia facility, a significant step in scaling PV panel recycling, reported by both Waste360 and E-Scrap News. Meanwhile, WM's strong Q4 earnings, showing margin strength and optimism for 2026, signal resilience in core waste management. Policy pressures mount as the UK textiles body calls for interim recycler support ahead of EPR, and industry groups urge the EU to ease waste shipment rules before a May deadline. Enforcement also features, with two arrests related to a major illegal waste dump in Kidlington, UK.

Key Developments

Battery Storage & Recycling Boom Fuelled by Big Capital

Jupiter Power's $500M credit facility and Google's backing for Redwood's expansion signal massive investor confidence in BESS and its critical link to battery recycling, driving the clean energy transition.

Solarcycle Scales PV Recycling with Georgia Launch

SOLARCYCLE's Cedartown facility opening marks a key milestone in establishing dedicated, scaled infrastructure for end-of-life solar panel recycling in the US.

Textiles Body Demands Urgent Recycler Support

Amidst wider EPR calls, the UK textiles industry is pushing for 'interim' financial support for recyclers, highlighting the sector's fragility and the need for policy action now.

WM Posts Strong Q4, Bullish on 2026

WM's earnings report showcasing margin strength and steady cash flow reinforces core waste sector stability and provides positive signals for the year ahead.

Wales Hits 68.4% Recycling Rate

Wales continues its leadership in recycling performance, achieving a 68.4% rate for 2024-25, setting a high bar for regional circular economy success.

TOP Today's Stories

Market Snapshot

Capital is flooding into energy storage (Jupiter, Redwood, China/Australia stats) and enabling recycling scale-ups (Solarcycle). This underscores the market recognizing storage as essential grid infrastructure, creating a powerful 'halo effect' for battery recyclers. Simultaneously, core waste players (WM) show resilience, while policy (EPR, waste shipments) and enforcement (illegal dumping) remain critical market shapers. The link between clean energy deployment and responsible end-of-life management is becoming a major investment thesis.

By Category

Industry News (19)

Global Trade (5)

ESG & Sustainability (4)

UK Recycling (2)

Tomorrow's Watch

Watch for further details on the EU's stance on waste shipment rules as the May deadline nears and monitor how the textiles industry's call for interim recycler support is received by UK policymakers.

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Published: 31 Jan 2026, 09:01