UBS: AI Data Centres to Power Global Energy Storage Boom Over Next Five Years

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The surge in AI data centre power demand across the United States is set to trigger a “boom cycle” for energy storage over the next five years, according to a new report from UBS Securities.

UBS analyst Yan Yishu, speaking at a media briefing in Hong Kong, said global energy storage demand could grow 40% year-on-year in 2026, as the U.S. grid increasingly depends on batteries to manage fluctuations from wind and solar power.

“The demand for AI data centres in the U.S. is very robust, but electricity is the biggest bottleneck,” Yan said. As renewables remain the only U.S. power segment expected to expand significantly in the coming years, large-scale energy storage systems will be critical to balancing intermittent supply with rising consumption.

The U.S. remains a key market for Chinese energy storage firms, which hold about 20% market share there, drawn by high profit margins. However, Yan warned that President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill, which restricts Chinese participation in U.S. energy infrastructure, could pose serious risks to future exports.

Meanwhile, emerging markets including the Middle East, Latin America, Africa, and Southeast Asia are expected to record 30–50% growth rates or higher as renewable integration accelerates.

In China, policy reforms encouraging market-based electricity pricing are also driving new storage investments. Yan noted that a peak-to-valley price gap of 0.4 yuan ($0.06) per kWh is already enough to make standalone storage projects profitable. UBS expects provincial governments to introduce capacity payments, rewarding battery operators for availability during peak demand, further fueling growth.

Vodacom Partners with Elon Musk’s Starlink to Expand High-Speed Internet Across Africa

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Vodacom Group (VODJ.J), South Africa’s largest mobile network operator, has signed a landmark partnership with Elon Musk’s Starlink to deliver high-speed, low-latency broadband to businesses across Africa, the company announced on Wednesday.

The deal aims to bridge one of the continent’s toughest connectivity challenges — extending reliable internet coverage to remote and rural regions where traditional mobile infrastructure remains costly due to sparse populations and difficult terrain.

Vodacom, which serves more than 223 million customers and is majority-owned by Britain’s Vodafone (VOD.L), said it will integrate Starlink’s low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite technology into its network to enhance data relay capacity. The agreement also allows Vodacom to resell Starlink’s equipment and services directly to African customers.

“We continue dealing with multiple satellite providers, including Starlink, where Starlink has been licensed, as well as AST SpaceMobile and Amazon Kuiper,” CEO Shameel Joosub told Reuters following the company’s interim results on Monday.

The move underscores a growing trend among African telecom operators to partner with next-generation satellite companies. Rival MTN Group (MTNJ.J) is also exploring similar deals, while Vodafone has already teamed up with Amazon’s Project Kuiper and AST SpaceMobile (ASTS.O) to strengthen its global connectivity footprint.

By leveraging Starlink’s network of thousands of orbiting satellites, Vodacom aims to deliver faster and more reliable broadband to underserved areas — a critical step in Africa’s digital transformation.

STMicroelectronics CEO Expects Stable Start to 2026 as Inventory Pressures Ease

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STMicroelectronics Chief Executive Jean-Marc Chery said on Wednesday he expects the chipmaker’s first-quarter 2026 revenue to remain at typical seasonal levels, signaling a steady recovery following a weaker-than-expected rebound this year.

Speaking at a Morgan Stanley conference, Chery forecast that first-quarter revenue would decline 10% to 11% from the upcoming fourth quarter, which the company projects at $3.28 billion. However, that still represents around 20% year-on-year growth, highlighting progress in clearing customer inventory.

“This is positive news confirming that we are almost free of material inventory correction,” Chery said, suggesting that the company’s prolonged inventory adjustment cycle is largely behind it.

Analysts surveyed by LSEG expect first-quarter revenue to reach $2.98 billion, in line with Chery’s guidance and roughly 10% lower than the previous quarter.

STMicroelectronics, one of Europe’s largest semiconductor manufacturers, has faced a slow recovery in demand from the automotive, industrial, and consumer electronics markets after an extended downturn marked by excess stockpiling across its customer base.

Shares of the company rose 1.4% at 1113 GMT following Chery’s comments, as investors welcomed signs of a normalization in supply and demand dynamics heading into 2026.