Canadian Solar's e-STORAGE Lands $381M Michigan Battery Deal with Apex Clean Energy
Event summary
- e-STORAGE to supply a 75 MW / 381 MWh battery storage system in Michigan, co-located with Apex's Coldwater Solar facility.
- Project includes SolBank 3.0 battery blocks and e-STORAGE’s EQ-S Energy Management System; deliveries begin early 2027.
- Michigan law mandates 2,500 MW of energy storage by 2030 as coal units retire through 2032.
- Canadian Solar reports $3.5B contracted backlog for e-STORAGE as of May 8, 2026.
The big picture
This deal underscores Michigan’s push to replace retiring coal capacity with renewable-backed storage, positioning e-STORAGE as a key player in utility-scale energy transition projects. Canadian Solar’s $3.5B backlog signals strong demand for integrated battery solutions amid tightening grid reliability mandates.
What we're watching
- Regulatory Compliance
- Whether Michigan's aggressive storage targets will drive further utility-scale contracts for Canadian Solar.
- Execution Risk
- The pace at which e-STORAGE can deliver integrated systems amid rising global demand for battery storage solutions.
- Market Positioning
- How Canadian Solar's vertically integrated supply chain will influence its competitiveness in the U.S. storage market.