The 10 Most Influential Energy Companies of 2026

Base Power has pioneered a unique business model that’s good for both strained power grids and customers who need affordable, reliable back-up power. The Austin, Texas-based energy utility leases homeowners batteries, eliminating the high up-front costs of buying one outright. The batteries can charge directly from the grid, or from homeowners’ solar panels; when energy demand is high, Base sells excess power from these batteries, balancing the grid and keeping customers’ costs low. In just two years since its public launch, Base has raised $1.3 billion to deploy some 10,000 home batteries across Texas. So far, its model has worked especially well in Texas’ largely deregulated energy market where customers can choose their energy provider. But this year, the company began partnering with other utilities to deploy its batteries in regulated markets throughout the state, and it has sights on other parts of the country. In March, Base Power opened its first battery factory, and has broken ground on a second. “Energy is the last great industry that’s gone undisrupted,” says CEO Zach Dell. “Our view is, let’s do to energy what SpaceX did to aerospace and Anduril did to defense and Tesla did to autos.” —Aimee Rawlins