U.S. Energy Dept. did not detail why it withdrew its conditional loan to Texas-based Microvast made last year for a $500M plant in Kentucky, but the firm's founder disputes Congressional allegations of alleged ties to the Chinese government voiced in letters to the agency since last year.

DOE's push to attract private investors is seen to fast-track commercialization of clean hydrogen, long duration energy storage and advanced nuclear power.

The over-ambitious Cape Wind offshore farm in Massachusetts hit a wall after 15 years, but developers now see new ways to boost water-based wind in the U.S. power mix.