US Startup Lyten Acquires Europe’s Largest Battery Storage Factory in Poland

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U.S.-based startup Lyten is set to take full ownership of Northvolt Dwa ESS, the largest energy storage systems (ESS) factory in Europe, marking a major expansion of its operations and product offerings. The announcement was made Tuesday as Lyten confirmed plans to restart operations at the Gdansk-based facility immediately.

The acquisition follows the bankruptcy of Swedish battery maker Northvolt’s energy storage division, which filed for insolvency in March. The failure, one of Sweden’s biggest corporate collapses, dashed hopes of developing a strong European competitor to dominant Chinese battery manufacturers. Northvolt had originally shut down the Polish plant in November 2023.

“We plan to immediately restart operations in Poland and deliver on existing and new customer orders,” said Dan Cook, Lyten’s CEO and co-founder.

The 25,000-square-meter facility, which first opened in 2023, houses advanced equipment for manufacturing battery energy storage systems (BESS). It currently supports 6 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of manufacturing capacity, with the potential to scale up to 10 GWh, according to Lyten’s statement. The company added that it already holds contracted orders extending into 2026.

The move positions Lyten as a key player in the European clean energy storage market, where demand for grid-scale battery storage is rapidly growing. The acquisition also offers Lyten a strong foothold in the EU’s strategic push for energy independence and decarbonization.

Financial details of the deal were not disclosed, but completion is expected in the third quarter of 2025.

Malaysia’s Data Centre Boom Faces Setback as Power Tariff Hikes Bite

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Malaysia’s booming data centre industry is under pressure following the implementation of steeper-than-expected power tariff hikes on Tuesday, prompting operators to urgently reassess their business models and cost structures. The increases pose a threat to the country’s ambitions of becoming a regional digital investment hub, especially as it competes with neighbours like Singapore, Vietnam, and Thailand.

Electricity accounts for the majority of operational costs for data centres, and Malaysia’s historically low power rates have been a major draw for global tech giants such as Microsoft and Google. But the new pricing structure, announced last December and detailed last month, is set to raise electricity costs by 10% to 14% for major consumers—particularly those in the ultra-high voltage category.

Gary Goh, director of Sprint DC Consulting, warned that the cost burden could be substantial: “For a 100-megawatt facility, this could translate to an additional $15 million to $20 million annually, excluding the variable fuel surcharge.” The government plans to adjust that surcharge monthly based on fuel prices and exchange rates. For June, the rate is currently zero, according to Tenaga Nasional Berhad (TNB), the national grid operator.

However, uncertainty over tiered pricing bands and how surcharges will evolve is causing anxiety among investors. Many were not prepared for the scale of the increases, prompting a potential “wait-and-see” approach from some firms, industry sources say.

Malaysia is forecast to see the fastest growth in regional data centre energy demand, with its share expected to triple to 21% by 2027, according to a May report by Bain & Co, Google, and Temasek. Yet these recent developments could prompt investors to reconsider their commitments.

Cheam Tat Inn, managing director of Equinix Malaysia, said the new tariff structure shifts a larger share of grid management and infrastructure costs onto larger data centres. Equinix, which runs two data centres in Malaysia, is already exploring alternative energy providers to cushion the impact.

The government has defended the price hikes as essential to support social spending, but industry groups are warning of unintended consequences. Mahadhir Aziz, head of the Data Centre Association of Malaysia, said the government must reconsider its position, especially as competitors in the region offer alternative locations. “Even if companies have invested in land and buildings here, they can still reconsider their investments,” he said.

Tenaga declined to comment, directing questions to the Energy Commission, which has yet to respond.

Judge Rejects Apple’s Bid to Dismiss U.S. Antitrust Lawsuit over iPhone Market Power

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Apple must face a U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) lawsuit accusing it of unlawfully maintaining monopoly power in the U.S. smartphone market, a federal judge ruled on Monday. The decision paves the way for a potentially years-long legal battle over Apple’s business practices.

U.S. District Judge Julien Neals in Newark, New Jersey, denied Apple’s motion to dismiss the case, which centers on how the company allegedly uses technical and contractual restrictions to limit competition. The DOJ, joined by several states and Washington, D.C., argues that Apple has implemented policies that discourage users from switching to rival devices and suppress third-party innovation in areas like apps, smartwatches, messaging, and digital wallets.

An Apple spokesperson responded by saying the company believes the lawsuit is flawed in both fact and law, and vowed to vigorously defend itself in court. The DOJ declined to comment on the ruling.

Apple’s iPhone, the world’s most popular smartphone, generated $201 billion in sales in 2024. The tech giant introduced a new budget iPhone model in February, pricing it $170 higher than the previous version despite added features.

The antitrust case, filed in March 2024, argues that Apple’s practices—including restricting app developer access, imposing high fees, and limiting device interoperability—create unlawful barriers to competition. Apple counters that these policies are necessary for security and innovation, and that being forced to share proprietary technology could undermine its product ecosystem.

This case joins a broader wave of U.S. antitrust actions against major tech companies, spanning both the Biden and Trump administrations. Meta Platforms and Amazon are also facing monopoly lawsuits, while Google-owner Alphabet is battling two separate antitrust cases.