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acquisition, and now leads the downstream research for the Benchmark. She has six years of experience in the battery space and works across electric vehicle, battery, and energy storage markets. Previous experience includes a research position with a Servomex working on paramagnetic sensors and spectroscopy gas analysis. Iola graduated with a First-Class Honours Master’s Degree in Geophysics from University College London","183ff68d-40ee-47d1-9b3c-ee028e22c937",{"id":551,"alt":547,"name":547,"focus":547,"title":547,"source":547,"filename":552,"copyright":547,"fieldtype":553,"meta_data":554,"is_external_url":50},153367097606636,"https://a.storyblok.com/f/287943243085208/852x854/03382be015/iola-h.png","asset",{},"https://www.linkedin.com/in/iolahughes/","author","Head of Research","Battery, BESS, EV and Battery",[],[],[562,772,890,1080,1188,1413,1763,1865,1991,2158,2298,2428,2628,2960,3144,3278],{"id":563,"uuid":564,"name":565,"slug":566,"full_slug":567,"content":568},190616091795513,"4b45f94b-6c0c-435a-95d2-21f947ed2682","China's battery exports reach $40bn in first five months of 2026 as new markets emerge","china-s-battery-exports-reach-40bn-in-first-five-months-of-2026-as-new-markets-emerge","article/china-s-battery-exports-reach-40bn-in-first-five-months-of-2026-as-new-markets-emerge",{"_uid":569,"date":570,"tags":571,"editor":587,"content":597,"excerpt":743,"featured":51,"reporter":744,"component":748,"seo_title":749,"categories":750,"visibility":763,"data_vis_image":764,"featured_image":766,"seo_description":770,"formattedDate":771},"fb56a6e7-c146-4ced-8cd4-5eb8786fcd62","2026-06-23 00:00",[572,575,578,581,584],{"slug":573,"name":574},"china","China",{"slug":576,"name":577},"usa","USA",{"slug":579,"name":580},"australia","Australia",{"slug":582,"name":583},"hungary","Hungary",{"slug":585,"name":586},"germany","Germany",[588],{"slug":589,"name":590,"content":591},"benjamin-roche","Benjamin Roche",{"job_title":592,"image":593,"bio":595,"linkedin":596},"Editor – Energy Transition Supply Chains",{"filename":594},"https://a.storyblok.com/f/287943243085208/800x800/66d6674fb8/benjamin-roche.png","Benjamin is Benchmark's Editor for Energy Transition Supply Chains, covering both upstream products like critical minerals and downstream products including energy storage systems and electric vehicles. He has previous experience covering trade flows, tariffs and the effects of geopolitics on supply chains.","https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjaminrochecontent/",{"type":598,"content":599},"doc",[600,628,650,658,670,692,700,710,718,727,735],{"type":601,"attrs":602,"content":603},"paragraph",{"textAlign":49},[604,611,623],{"text":605,"type":606,"marks":607},"China's ","text",[608],{"type":609,"attrs":610},"textStyle",{"color":547},{"text":612,"type":606,"marks":613},"lithium ion battery ",[614,621],{"type":615,"attrs":616},"link",{"href":617,"uuid":618,"anchor":49,"target":619,"linktype":620},"/article/us-ev-demand-shift-and-bess-growth-who-deployed-the-most-batteries-in-2025-","efc32e74-520d-4632-b92b-53006fecdeef","_blank","story",{"type":609,"attrs":622},{"color":547},{"text":624,"type":606,"marks":625},"exports reached US$8 billion in May 2026, up 37% year-on-year (YOY), bringing the year to May total to $40 billion. That marks a 45% increase on the same period in 2025. According to China Automotive Battery Innovation Alliance (CABIA) data, exports reached 29GWh in May, taking the Jan–May total to 145GWh.",[626],{"type":609,"attrs":627},{"color":547},{"type":601,"attrs":629,"content":630},{"textAlign":49},[631,636,645],{"text":632,"type":606,"marks":633},"The year to May figures reflect a front-loaded quarter. March exports hit a record $9.7 billion, likely driven in part by exporters pulling forward shipments ahead of the 1 April cut to the battery export rebate. Levels ",[634],{"type":609,"attrs":635},{"color":547},{"text":637,"type":606,"marks":638},"normalised in April ",[639,643],{"type":615,"attrs":640},{"href":641,"uuid":642,"anchor":49,"target":619,"linktype":620},"/article/chinese-battery-exports-in-april-remain-strong-despite-changes-to-tax-rebate","3521483c-762d-492a-a0c0-7f5e8e33f44a",{"type":609,"attrs":644},{"color":547},{"text":646,"type":606,"marks":647},"and May, but remain well ahead of the same months in 2025.",[648],{"type":609,"attrs":649},{"color":547},{"type":601,"attrs":651,"content":652},{"textAlign":49},[653],{"text":654,"type":606,"marks":655},"The number of countries importing more than $100 million diversified in May, rising to 18 from 13 in May 2025, while those recording more than $10 million climbed from 47 to 62. The share taken by the top five importers of Chinese batteries dropped from 49% to 45% compared with the same period in 2025, continuing a gradual broadening of the market.",[656],{"type":609,"attrs":657},{"color":547},{"type":659,"attrs":660,"content":662},"heading",{"level":661,"textAlign":49},2,[663],{"text":664,"type":606,"marks":665},"Broader acceleration in consumption",[666,668],{"type":609,"attrs":667},{"color":547},{"type":669},"bold",{"type":601,"attrs":671,"content":672},{"textAlign":49},[673,678,687],{"text":674,"type":606,"marks":675},"The most significant development for 2026 is the acceleration in markets where imports represent genuine domestic demand due to a lack of EV production facilities. Australia, at $2 billion year to May, up 151% compared to the same period in 2025, is the largest of such markets. Its imports are driven by utility-scale and commercial ",[676],{"type":609,"attrs":677},{"color":547},{"text":679,"type":606,"marks":680},"battery energy stationary storage (BESS) deployments",[681,685],{"type":615,"attrs":682},{"href":683,"uuid":684,"anchor":49,"target":619,"linktype":620},"/article/benchmark-battery-energy-stationary-storage-database-surpasses-10000-projects","3e888653-ccc0-48d2-89aa-6b0b4e35e911",{"type":609,"attrs":686},{"color":547},{"text":688,"type":606,"marks":689},". It has no material re-export manufacturing base, unlike the other largest importers of China-made cells such as Germany.",[690],{"type":609,"attrs":691},{"color":547},{"type":601,"attrs":693,"content":694},{"textAlign":49},[695],{"text":696,"type":606,"marks":697},"Chile ($485 million year to May) and Nigeria ($362 million year to May) have both shown strong demand for Chinese battery imports, the vast majority of which can be attributed to the BESS market. Nigeria recorded a monthly high of $97 million in May, the first time it has approached $100 million in a single month, reflecting commercial and industrial BESS demand driven by grid unreliability and growing utility-scale developer activity. Nigeria also has a growing electric two and three-wheeler market, with some players manufacturing domestically and therefore using Chinese batteries, the volume will be relatively small however.",[698],{"type":609,"attrs":699},{"color":547},{"type":701,"attrs":702},"blok",{"id":703,"body":704},"922cb447-18b1-4f2d-b52d-e7980837dac4",[705],{"id":706,"_uid":707,"type":708,"component":709,"fixed_height":547,"use_fixed_height":50,"fixed_height_mobile":547,"fixed_height_tablet":547},"29472967","i-86539281-f776-465a-b2d0-48a232b62af8","visualisation","ContentFlourish",{"type":601,"attrs":711,"content":712},{"textAlign":49},[713],{"text":714,"type":606,"marks":715},"Pakistan ($259 million) and the Philippines ($232 million) are both showing consistent upward trajectories. At smaller scale, Jordan, Kenya, Yemen, and Colombia are each generating steady monthly flows consistent with active BESS market development rather than one-off project deliveries. Uganda, though small in absolute terms ($25 million, +317%), has shown the most consistent growth rate of any frontier market in the dataset.",[716],{"type":609,"attrs":717},{"color":547},{"type":659,"attrs":719,"content":720},{"level":661,"textAlign":49},[721],{"text":722,"type":606,"marks":723},"Manufacturing hubs dominate the top line",[724,726],{"type":609,"attrs":725},{"color":547},{"type":669},{"type":601,"attrs":728,"content":729},{"textAlign":49},[730],{"text":731,"type":606,"marks":732},"The largest importers by value are predominantly manufacturing hubs, countries where Chinese cells are assembled into electric vehicles (EVs) exported to third markets. Among these, the most significant growth in imports of Chinese batteries were for Germany, which led at $5.8 billion year to May, and whose volumes feed the manufacturing lines of BMW, Volkswagen, and Mercedes. Also notable among the top ten is Hungary, whose growth in Chinese imports reflects BYD's Szeged plant and BMW's new Debrecen facility in the country.",[733],{"type":609,"attrs":734},{"color":547},{"type":601,"attrs":736,"content":737},{"textAlign":49},[738],{"text":739,"type":606,"marks":740},"The US was down 26% year to May 2026 compared to 2025 at $3.6 billion, as tariff barriers continue to suppress volumes, though it was the second-largest market by value.",[741],{"type":609,"attrs":742},{"color":547},"China's lithium ion battery exports reached US$8 billion in May 2026, up 37% year-on-year (YOY), bringing the year to May total to $40 billion. That marks a 45% increase on the same period in 2025. According to China Automotive Battery Innovation Alliance (CABIA) data, exports reached 29GWh in May, taking the Jan–May total to 145GWh.\n\nThe year to May figures reflect a front-loaded quarter. March exports hit a record $9.7 billion, likely driven in part by exporters pulling forward shipments ahead of the 1 April cut to the battery export rebate. Levels normalised in April and May, but remain well ahead of the same months in 2025.",[745],{"slug":544,"name":543,"content":746},{"job_title":557,"image":747,"bio":548,"linkedin":555,"markets_covered":558},{"filename":552},"article","China's Jan-May battery exports reach $40bn as new markets emerge",[751,754,757,760],{"slug":752,"name":753},"batteries","Batteries",{"slug":755,"name":756},"gigafactories","Battery & Gigafactory",{"slug":758,"name":759},"ev","EV",{"slug":761,"name":762},"ess","ESS","private",{"id":49,"alt":49,"name":547,"focus":49,"title":49,"source":49,"filename":547,"copyright":49,"fieldtype":553,"meta_data":765},{},{"id":767,"alt":547,"name":547,"focus":547,"title":547,"source":547,"filename":768,"copyright":547,"fieldtype":553,"meta_data":769,"is_external_url":50},129067562556204,"https://a.storyblok.com/f/287943243085208/8d36ef7062/bm-exports.jpg",{},"China's lithium ion battery exports reached US$8 billion in May 2026, up 37% year-on-year (YOY), bringing the year to May total to $40 billion. That marks a 45% increase on the same period in 2025.","Jun 23, 2026",{"id":773,"uuid":774,"name":775,"slug":776,"full_slug":777,"content":778},190162293343134,"b4ea9872-3db7-49a5-81f9-a0fdb95757cc","FERC's large load order puts battery flexibility at the centre of US grid policy","ferc-s-large-load-order-puts-battery-flexibility-at-the-centre-of-us-grid-policy","article/ferc-s-large-load-order-puts-battery-flexibility-at-the-centre-of-us-grid-policy",{"_uid":779,"date":780,"tags":781,"editor":789,"content":793,"excerpt":872,"featured":51,"reporter":873,"component":748,"seo_title":877,"categories":878,"visibility":763,"data_vis_image":880,"featured_image":884,"seo_description":888,"formattedDate":889},"3cdc09a5-8091-4dd5-91a8-403e7412fc87","2026-06-22 00:00",[782,785,786],{"slug":783,"name":784},"data-centres","Data centres",{"slug":576,"name":577},{"slug":787,"name":788},"data-visualisation","Data Visualisation",[790],{"slug":589,"name":590,"content":791},{"job_title":592,"image":792,"bio":595,"linkedin":596},{"filename":594},{"type":598,"content":794},[795,809,816,828,838,845,850,855,862,867],{"type":601,"attrs":796,"content":797},{"textAlign":49},[798,800,807],{"text":799,"type":606},"The US’ Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued one of its most consequential grid actions in years on 18 June, directing all six US regional grid operators to justify or reform their tariffs for connecting large load (>20MW) energy users, such as ",{"text":801,"type":606,"marks":802},"AI data centres",[803],{"type":615,"attrs":804},{"href":805,"uuid":806,"anchor":49,"target":619,"linktype":620},"/article/nextera-acquires-dominion-energy-as-us-data-centre-demand-drives-energy-storage-growth","213c7915-b6a1-48e4-9d82-9a263f102c25",{"text":808,"type":606},", crypto mining and advanced manufacturing facilities. The order aims to accelerate the ability for large loads to connect to the grid while ensuring reliable and affordable electricity for US consumers.",{"type":701,"attrs":810},{"id":811,"body":812},"05f7a154-5aae-422c-88a5-eb6005d24428",[813],{"id":814,"_uid":815,"type":620,"component":709,"fixed_height":547,"use_fixed_height":50,"fixed_height_mobile":547,"fixed_height_tablet":547},"3710733","i-e6ae6d27-3232-4537-a8c9-66e36e46ecee",{"type":601,"attrs":817,"content":818},{"textAlign":49},[819,821,826],{"text":820,"type":606},"For ",{"text":822,"type":606,"marks":823},"battery energy stationary storage (BESS)",[824],{"type":615,"attrs":825},{"href":617,"uuid":618,"anchor":49,"target":619,"linktype":620},{"text":827,"type":606},", three of the five categories of reform set out by the FERC carry direct commercial relevance: accommodating co-location and behind-the-meter generation, providing new transmission services for flexible large loads, and developing processes to study generating facilities serving electrically proximate large loads. A data centre paired with BESS, able to shift or curtail consumption in response to grid conditions, becomes a fundamentally different asset than one drawing fixed baseload power.",{"type":601,"attrs":829,"content":830},{"textAlign":49},[831,836],{"text":832,"type":606,"marks":833},"Benchmark's BESS database",[834],{"type":615,"attrs":835},{"href":683,"uuid":684,"anchor":49,"target":619,"linktype":620},{"text":837,"type":606}," is currently tracking just under 60GWh of announced BESS projects alongside data centres in the US, though 30GWh of that total is associated with Form Energy's long-duration iron-air technology. Benchmark's Q2 2026 BESS forecast projects global BESS demand from data centres to increase by more than 160% by 2030, with the US accounting for nearly half of that growth.",{"type":659,"attrs":839,"content":840},{"level":661,"textAlign":49},[841],{"text":842,"type":606,"marks":843},"New assessment frameworks well-suited for BESS",[844],{"type":669},{"type":601,"attrs":846,"content":847},{"textAlign":49},[848],{"text":849,"type":606},"The Southwest Power Pool (SPP) regional transmission organisation offers the clearest preview of where the broader market is heading. FERC accepted the SPP's High Impact Large Load Generation Assessment (HILLGA) framework in January 2026, establishing a 90-day interconnection pathway that studies co-located generation and large load in parallel rather than sequentially, and followed that in early June with approval of Conditional High Impact Large Load Service (CHILLS), offering non-firm transmission service to large loads willing to accept curtailment during grid stress.",{"type":601,"attrs":851,"content":852},{"textAlign":49},[853],{"text":854,"type":606},"Together these form a co-location toolkit that pairs speed with flexibility obligations. While neither framework is technology-prescriptive, the curtailment obligations underpinning CHILLS are well-suited to loads with paired battery storage, which can respond to grid stress signals faster and more precisely than most alternative on-site generation options.",{"type":659,"attrs":856,"content":857},{"level":661,"textAlign":49},[858],{"text":859,"type":606,"marks":860},"Order aims to limit costs to ratepayers",[861],{"type":669},{"type":601,"attrs":863,"content":864},{"textAlign":49},[865],{"text":866,"type":606},"Opposition to data centre development is intensifying across the US, with affordability and grid strain among the most cited public concerns. The FERC order's explicit focus on preventing cost-shifting to existing ratepayers, requiring large loads to fund their own network upgrades directly, addressing the argument driving much of that backlash. Co-located BESS strengthens the case further: a data centre that brings its own dispatchable capacity reduces rather than adds to system stress.",{"type":601,"attrs":868,"content":869},{"textAlign":49},[870],{"text":871,"type":606},"FERC's orders give each of the six RTOs 60 days to respond. The pace and design of flexible transmission services will differ by market, and that regional variation will shape where co-located storage investment concentrates first.","The US’ Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued one of its most consequential grid actions in years on 18 June, directing all six US regional grid operators to justify or reform their tariffs for connecting large load (>20MW) energy users, such as AI data centres, crypto mining and advanced manufacturing facilities. The order aims to accelerate the ability for large loads to connect to the grid while ensuring reliable and affordable electricity for US consumers.",[874],{"slug":544,"name":543,"content":875},{"job_title":557,"image":876,"bio":548,"linkedin":555,"markets_covered":558},{"filename":552},"FERC large load order US grid policy boosts battery flexibility",[879],{"slug":761,"name":762},{"id":881,"alt":547,"name":547,"focus":547,"title":547,"source":547,"filename":882,"copyright":547,"fieldtype":553,"meta_data":883,"is_external_url":50},190176550125994,"https://a.storyblok.com/f/287943243085208/923x611/12040ae3bd/screenshot-2026-06-22-101009.png",{},{"id":885,"alt":547,"name":547,"focus":547,"title":547,"source":547,"filename":886,"copyright":547,"fieldtype":553,"meta_data":887,"is_external_url":50},129067331742369,"https://a.storyblok.com/f/287943243085208/c3f6f9d2ee/bm-energy-storage-systems.jpg",{},"The US’ Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) issued one of its most consequential grid actions in years on 18 June, directing all six US regional grid operators to justify or reform their tariffs for connecting large load (>20MW) energy users.","Jun 22, 2026",{"id":891,"uuid":684,"name":892,"slug":893,"full_slug":894,"content":895},184216704050300,"Benchmark battery energy stationary storage database surpasses 10,000 projects","benchmark-battery-energy-stationary-storage-database-surpasses-10000-projects","article/benchmark-battery-energy-stationary-storage-database-surpasses-10000-projects",{"_uid":896,"date":897,"tags":898,"editor":907,"content":917,"excerpt":1050,"featured":51,"reporter":1051,"component":748,"seo_title":1065,"categories":1066,"visibility":1069,"data_vis_image":1070,"featured_image":1074,"seo_description":1078,"formattedDate":1079},"0cab84f2-1ff6-49f0-9e80-9bd9013323a9","2026-06-05 00:00",[899,900,901,904],{"slug":787,"name":788},{"slug":573,"name":574},{"slug":902,"name":903},"north-america","North America",{"slug":905,"name":906},"europe","Europe",[908],{"slug":909,"name":910,"content":911},"matthew-bird","Matthew Bird",{"job_title":912,"image":913,"bio":915,"linkedin":916},"Senior Editor - Supply Chains & Data Visualisation",{"filename":914},"https://a.storyblok.com/f/287943243085208/512x512/14738033ec/matthew-bird.jpeg","Matthew writes, edits and produces content for Benchmark Intelligence and Benchmark Source across the whole mine to grid supply chain. He also acts as a liaison to the press. He has a PhD in electrochemistry from the University of Nottingham.","https://www.linkedin.com/in/birdmatthew/",{"type":598,"content":918},[919,943,974,979,986,991,996,1002,1007,1021,1027,1037],{"type":601,"attrs":920,"content":921},{"textAlign":49},[922,924,932,934,941],{"text":923,"type":606},"The ",{"text":925,"type":606,"marks":926},"battery energy stationary storage",[927],{"type":615,"attrs":928},{"href":929,"uuid":930,"anchor":49,"target":931,"linktype":620},"/article/the-top-energy-storage-cell-suppliers-and-system-integrators-in-2025","dd7b0985-5771-4a9e-b68e-7060e85efa48","_self",{"text":933,"type":606}," (BESS) market has grown significantly over the last five years, with this growth is set to continue. Benchmark’s BESS database has now surpassed 10,000 unique projects, both ",{"text":935,"type":606,"marks":936},"operating",[937],{"type":615,"attrs":938},{"href":939,"uuid":940,"anchor":49,"target":931,"linktype":620},"/article/europe-has-record-quarter-for-energy-storage","acf89f40-3be3-4aef-8011-2f0d5bce1a88",{"text":942,"type":606}," and in the pipeline.",{"type":601,"attrs":944,"content":945},{"textAlign":49},[946,948,954,956,963,965,972],{"text":947,"type":606},"This is nearly nine times the number of projects Benchmark tracked in the May 2022 edition of ",{"text":832,"type":606,"marks":949},[950],{"type":615,"attrs":951},{"href":952,"uuid":49,"anchor":49,"target":931,"linktype":953},"https://www.benchmarkminerals.com/battery-energy-stationary-storage","url",{"text":955,"type":606},". The ",{"text":957,"type":606,"marks":958},"average size of the projects",[959],{"type":615,"attrs":960},{"href":961,"uuid":962,"anchor":49,"target":931,"linktype":620},"/article/is-the-energy-storage-market-shifting-to-longer-duration-capacities-","6c350409-abcd-42f5-a9a4-15e7729cd431",{"text":964,"type":606}," in the database has ",{"text":966,"type":606,"marks":967},"increased significantly",[968],{"type":615,"attrs":969},{"href":970,"uuid":971,"anchor":49,"target":931,"linktype":620},"/article/form-energy-announces-largest-capacity-energy-storage-system-to-date","0ff0e0c5-d9dd-4f8c-9b1b-4aa57cb0e0b4",{"text":973,"type":606},", too, from 193MWh in 2022 to 316MWh today.",{"type":601,"attrs":975,"content":976},{"textAlign":49},[977],{"text":978,"type":606},"“BESS has matured at a dramatic pace over the last five years from a relatively niche technology to the go-to source of much needed flexibility on today's grids,” said Pete Tillotson, a BESS research analyst at Benchmark. “Technological innovation, falling battery costs, intense OEM competition for market share, and the increasing realisation of its multiple benefits and speed of deployment have all contributed to BESS becoming core grid infrastructure.”",{"type":701,"attrs":980},{"id":981,"body":982},"4bce6fab-52b3-4721-b997-57344cdc9282",[983],{"id":984,"_uid":985,"type":708,"component":709,"fixed_height":547,"use_fixed_height":50,"fixed_height_mobile":547,"fixed_height_tablet":547},"29263694","i-81a6bf72-8942-4546-8197-1db8f9eb7617",{"type":659,"attrs":987,"content":988},{"level":661,"textAlign":49},[989],{"text":990,"type":606},"What are the trends in the database?",{"type":601,"attrs":992,"content":993},{"textAlign":49},[994],{"text":995,"type":606},"Click through this interactive data story to reveal what sorts of projects make up the database and where they are.",{"type":701,"attrs":997},{"id":981,"body":998},[999],{"id":1000,"_uid":1001,"type":620,"component":709,"fixed_height":547,"use_fixed_height":50,"fixed_height_mobile":547,"fixed_height_tablet":547},"3698199","i-31a3b391-4b87-4793-9c45-668aec3feee4",{"type":659,"attrs":1003,"content":1004},{"level":661,"textAlign":49},[1005],{"text":1006,"type":606},"How has the BESS market changed over the past five years?",{"type":601,"attrs":1008,"content":1009},{"textAlign":49},[1010,1012,1019],{"text":1011,"type":606},"The BESS market has grown significantly over the last five years, with a~15-times increase in annual ",{"text":1013,"type":606,"marks":1014},"grid-scale",[1015],{"type":615,"attrs":1016},{"href":1017,"uuid":1018,"anchor":49,"target":931,"linktype":620},"/article/china-introduces-national-capacity-pricing-for-gridside-ess-","cf6f633d-0990-45e9-b405-0feefc7463f1",{"text":1020,"type":606}," installations 2021 and 2025. The average size of the projects installed since 2021 has also been increasing. The average grid-scale project in 2025 was 261MWh compared to 68MWh in 2021.",{"type":701,"attrs":1022},{"id":981,"body":1023},[1024],{"id":1025,"_uid":1026,"type":708,"component":709,"fixed_height":547,"use_fixed_height":50,"fixed_height_mobile":547,"fixed_height_tablet":547},"29253869","i-a9a8098c-7bca-45fe-8a5d-9ad4d72cc903",{"type":601,"attrs":1028,"content":1029},{"textAlign":49},[1030],{"text":1031,"type":606,"marks":1032},"This insight draws from Benchmark's granular BESS Service, consisting of detailed forecasts to 2040, system pricing, capacity growth trends and more. By bringing clarity to a rapidly accelerating market, this subscription facilitates smarter investment decisions, strategy planning and execution, and successful commercial outcomes. To learn more, submit your details below and our team will be in touch:",[1033,1035],{"type":609,"attrs":1034},{"color":547},{"type":1036},"italic",{"type":701,"attrs":1038},{"id":1039,"body":1040},"b4f30120-3b86-4f8c-a38b-cb4c1565a288",[1041],{"id":1042,"_uid":1043,"component":1044,"wrap_in_box":50,"redirect_url":1045,"success_file":1047,"default_height":547,"success_message":547,"v2_hubspot_form":50,"success_sub_text":547,"hidden_field_values":1049,"show_on_intelligence":50},"57a99950-73f5-48be-98a4-7324c28e5d0b","i-dcc9d729-77dc-4d24-a120-5cded55104a0","ContentHubspotForm",{"id":547,"url":547,"linktype":620,"fieldtype":1046,"cached_url":547},"multilink",{"id":49,"alt":49,"name":547,"focus":49,"title":49,"source":49,"filename":547,"copyright":49,"fieldtype":553,"meta_data":1048},{},[],"The battery energy stationary storage (BESS) market has grown significantly over the last five years, with this growth is set to continue. Benchmark’s BESS database has now surpassed 10,000 unique projects, both operating and in the pipeline.\n\nThis is nearly nine times the number of projects Benchmark tracked in the May 2022 edition of the BESS database. The average size of the projects in the database has increased significantly, too, from 193MWh in 2022 to 316MWh today.",[1052,1055],{"slug":544,"name":543,"content":1053},{"job_title":557,"image":1054,"bio":548,"linkedin":555,"markets_covered":558},{"filename":552},{"slug":1056,"name":1057,"content":1058},"pete-tillotson","Pete Tillotson",{"job_title":1059,"image":1060,"bio":1062,"linkedin":1063,"markets_covered":1064},"Senior Analyst - BESS",{"filename":1061},"https://a.storyblok.com/f/287943243085208/800x800/bfcfbe219a/pete-tilloston.jpeg","Pete is a Senior Analyst on the downstream team covering the ex-China BESS markets. He works closely on the BESS monthly analysis and reporting as well as the BESS Quarterly Outlook. Pete holds an MSc from Imperial College London in Environmental Technology and a BA in Politics from the University of Exeter.","https://www.linkedin.com/in/pete-tillotson-b09495158/","BESS","Benchmark BESS database surpasses 10,000 projects",[1067,1068],{"slug":761,"name":762},{"slug":752,"name":753},"public",{"id":1071,"alt":547,"name":547,"focus":547,"title":547,"source":547,"filename":1072,"copyright":547,"fieldtype":553,"meta_data":1073,"is_external_url":50},184218836560728,"https://a.storyblok.com/f/287943243085208/1588x1840/c17cadeb60/10k-bess-by-region-2x.png",{},{"id":1075,"alt":547,"name":547,"focus":547,"title":547,"source":547,"filename":1076,"copyright":547,"fieldtype":553,"meta_data":1077,"is_external_url":50},184216876272376,"https://a.storyblok.com/f/287943243085208/1600x1066/78896c6174/2026-01-29-rwe-errichtet-am-kraftwerkstandort-in-lingen-batteriespeicher-mit-400-megawatt-leistung.jpg",{},"The battery energy stationary storage (BESS) market has grown significantly over the last five years, with this growth is set to continue. Benchmark’s BESS database has now surpassed 10,000 unique projects, both operating and in the pipeline.","Jun 05, 2026",{"id":1081,"uuid":642,"name":1082,"slug":1083,"full_slug":1084,"content":1085},178867466693557,"Chinese battery exports in April remain strong despite changes to tax rebate","chinese-battery-exports-in-april-remain-strong-despite-changes-to-tax-rebate","article/chinese-battery-exports-in-april-remain-strong-despite-changes-to-tax-rebate",{"_uid":1086,"date":1087,"tags":1088,"editor":1092,"content":1096,"excerpt":1169,"featured":51,"reporter":1170,"component":748,"seo_title":1174,"categories":1175,"visibility":763,"data_vis_image":1178,"featured_image":1182,"seo_description":1186,"formattedDate":1187},"b80b305f-0742-4a96-a045-bb7d81af5193","2026-05-21 00:00",[1089,1090,1091],{"slug":573,"name":574},{"slug":576,"name":577},{"slug":787,"name":788},[1093],{"slug":589,"name":590,"content":1094},{"job_title":592,"image":1095,"bio":595,"linkedin":596},{"filename":594},{"type":598,"content":1097},[1098,1112,1124,1131,1138,1143,1149,1163],{"type":601,"attrs":1099,"content":1100},{"textAlign":49},[1101,1103,1110],{"text":1102,"type":606},"China’s battery exports remained strong in April, despite expectations of a dip following ",{"text":1104,"type":606,"marks":1105},"frontloading in March",[1106],{"type":615,"attrs":1107},{"href":1108,"uuid":1109,"anchor":49,"target":619,"linktype":620},"/article/chinese-battery-exports-reach-record-high-in-march-as-export-rebate-change-comes-into-force","9e844f68-d321-410c-a193-6417dd87aebd",{"text":1111,"type":606},". That uptick came in anticipation of the reduction in the battery export rebate, which fell from 9% to 6% from 1 April. Yet despite an 18% fall from March in April, lithium-ion battery exports grew 30% in dollar terms year-on-year in April, to US$8 billion, and 42% year-on-year in GWh terms to 31.7GWh.",{"type":601,"attrs":1113,"content":1114},{"textAlign":49},[1115,1117,1122],{"text":1116,"type":606},"Exports were likely buoyed by the conflict in Iran and its impact on energy prices, with interest in ",{"text":1118,"type":606,"marks":1119},"battery energy stationary storage (BESS) applications spiking",[1120],{"type":615,"attrs":1121},{"href":929,"uuid":930,"anchor":49,"target":619,"linktype":620},{"text":1123,"type":606}," in many markets. While utility-scale BESS can take several years to plan for and deploy, the residential and commercial and industrial market can react quicker to deploy batteries. According to the China Automotive Battery Innovation Alliance (CABIA), BESS exports increased 45% y-o-y in April.",{"type":701,"attrs":1125},{"id":1126,"body":1127},"e4749868-46f8-4f59-b812-ccf9c34751f0",[1128],{"id":1129,"_uid":1130,"type":708,"component":709,"fixed_height":547,"use_fixed_height":50,"fixed_height_mobile":547,"fixed_height_tablet":547},"29069243","i-da394da8-3ca1-4c47-ada3-d5fbe2b29f7a",{"type":659,"attrs":1132,"content":1133},{"level":661,"textAlign":49},[1134],{"text":1135,"type":606,"marks":1136},"Markets broadening for Chinese battery exports",[1137],{"type":669},{"type":601,"attrs":1139,"content":1140},{"textAlign":49},[1141],{"text":1142,"type":606},"Batteries are being exported to a wider array of countries in recent years. Historically linked to countries with EV production facilities and early markets for BESS adoption, the growth of new BESS markets, as well as the increased presence of Chinese finished systems in both the utility and behind-the-meter (BTM) market, is resulting in significant diversification. Until 2025, over half of battery exports were to just five countries. However, as of the first four months of 2026, this proportion has fallen to 42%.",{"type":701,"attrs":1144},{"id":1126,"body":1145},[1146],{"id":1147,"_uid":1148,"type":708,"component":709,"fixed_height":547,"use_fixed_height":50,"fixed_height_mobile":547,"fixed_height_tablet":547},"29069069","i-9e463903-2128-4d2a-98f5-649045f5728f",{"type":601,"attrs":1150,"content":1151},{"textAlign":49},[1152,1154,1161],{"text":1153,"type":606},"While strong growth has been seen across nearly all regions in 2026 to date, Oceania has seen particularly strong growth of close to 200% on the back of Australia’s booming residential and utility-scale BESS market. The US is the ",{"text":1155,"type":606,"marks":1156},"only region with imports down",[1157],{"type":615,"attrs":1158},{"href":1159,"uuid":1160,"anchor":49,"target":619,"linktype":620},"/article/us-battery-imports-fall-to-five-year-low-after-section-301-tariffs-raised-to-25-","3a93dd71-07f9-4d99-82c4-f907a3d0771b",{"text":1162,"type":606}," year-to-date, a result of ongoing trade barriers including tariffs and other protectionist measures.",{"type":701,"attrs":1164},{"id":1126,"body":1165},[1166],{"id":1167,"_uid":1168,"type":708,"component":709,"fixed_height":547,"use_fixed_height":50,"fixed_height_mobile":547,"fixed_height_tablet":547},"29069440","i-9ba68c93-37f4-4581-9b5a-49aacaf2f5c3","China’s battery exports remained strong in April, despite expectations of a dip following frontloading in March. That uptick came in anticipation of the reduction in the battery export rebate, which fell from 9% to 6% from 1 April. Yet despite an 18% fall from March in April, lithium-ion battery exports grew 30% in dollar terms year-on-year in April, to US$8 billion, and 42% year-on-year in GWh terms to 31.7GWh.",[1171],{"slug":544,"name":543,"content":1172},{"job_title":557,"image":1173,"bio":548,"linkedin":555,"markets_covered":558},{"filename":552},"Chinese battery exports in April strong despite tax rebate change",[1176,1177],{"slug":752,"name":753},{"slug":755,"name":756},{"id":1179,"alt":547,"name":547,"focus":547,"title":547,"source":547,"filename":1180,"copyright":547,"fieldtype":553,"meta_data":1181,"is_external_url":50},178870237211217,"https://a.storyblok.com/f/287943243085208/735x692/ff5512bd01/screenshot-2026-05-21-112443.png",{},{"id":1183,"alt":547,"name":547,"focus":547,"title":547,"source":547,"filename":1184,"copyright":547,"fieldtype":553,"meta_data":1185,"is_external_url":50},129070825513410,"https://a.storyblok.com/f/287943243085208/1edc84deec/bm-qingdao-port-china-scaled-1.jpg",{},"China’s battery exports remained strong in April, despite expectations of a dip following frontloading in March. That uptick came in anticipation of the reduction in the battery export rebate, which fell from 9% to 6% from 1 April.","May 21, 2026",{"id":1189,"uuid":1190,"name":1191,"slug":1192,"full_slug":1193,"content":1194},173596051486739,"a1118b56-c6a4-429b-8aff-ec5895a872cb","The fast charging competition between CATL and BYD","the-fast-charging-competition-between-catl-and-byd","article/the-fast-charging-competition-between-catl-and-byd",{"_uid":1195,"date":1196,"tags":1197,"editor":1207,"content":1211,"excerpt":1384,"featured":51,"reporter":1385,"component":748,"seo_title":1191,"categories":1399,"visibility":763,"data_vis_image":1405,"featured_image":1407,"seo_description":1411,"formattedDate":1412},"aaa9e898-0841-4914-a956-c98bb72d298b","2026-05-06 00:00",[1198,1201,1204],{"slug":1199,"name":1200},"byd","BYD",{"slug":1202,"name":1203},"catl","CATL",{"slug":1205,"name":1206},"charging","Charging",[1208],{"slug":589,"name":590,"content":1209},{"job_title":592,"image":1210,"bio":595,"linkedin":596},{"filename":594},{"type":598,"content":1212},[1213,1236,1253,1262,1270,1277,1285,1293,1301,1309,1318,1340,1362,1370,1378],{"type":601,"attrs":1214,"content":1215},{"textAlign":49},[1216,1222,1231],{"text":1217,"type":606,"marks":1218},"Both CATL and BYD have made announcements renewing their commitment to ",[1219],{"type":609,"attrs":1220},{"color":1221},"windowtext",{"text":1223,"type":606,"marks":1224},"fast charging",[1225,1229],{"type":615,"attrs":1226},{"href":1227,"uuid":1228,"anchor":49,"target":619,"linktype":620},"/article/infographic-comparing-ev-charging-networks-worldwide","d4873e1a-a71e-4dea-8f82-e099ff0f8879",{"type":609,"attrs":1230},{"color":1221},{"text":1232,"type":606,"marks":1233}," this year, pushing faster, ultra-high charging speeds up to 15C even as existing technologies have approached the refuelling time of internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles.",[1234],{"type":609,"attrs":1235},{"color":1221},{"type":601,"attrs":1237,"content":1238},{"textAlign":49},[1239,1248],{"text":1240,"type":606,"marks":1241},"Competition between the two firms",[1242,1246],{"type":615,"attrs":1243},{"href":1244,"uuid":1245,"anchor":49,"target":619,"linktype":620},"/article/is-byd-using-lmfp-for-blade-2-0-and-what-would-this-mean-for-manganese-","27a25c0a-b17f-46c1-a750-10f514e8bb13",{"type":609,"attrs":1247},{"color":1221},{"text":1249,"type":606,"marks":1250}," on charging speed, highlighted again at CATL’s 2026 Tech Day event last month, comes as progress on energy density has slowed for lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries.",[1251],{"type":609,"attrs":1252},{"color":1221},{"type":659,"attrs":1254,"content":1255},{"level":661,"textAlign":49},[1256],{"text":1257,"type":606,"marks":1258},"Fast charging replacing density as key battleground",[1259,1261],{"type":609,"attrs":1260},{"color":1221},{"type":669},{"type":601,"attrs":1263,"content":1264},{"textAlign":49},[1265],{"text":1266,"type":606,"marks":1267},"Following the launch of BYD’s Blade II earlier this year, CATL introduced Shenxing III, widely seen as a competitive response. Both batteries use LFP-based chemistries and have ultra-fast charging capabilities.",[1268],{"type":609,"attrs":1269},{"color":1221},{"type":701,"attrs":1271},{"id":1272,"body":1273},"cc8dbb00-070d-4901-9ec2-2c039e4ab4ed",[1274],{"id":1275,"_uid":1276,"type":708,"component":709,"fixed_height":547,"use_fixed_height":50,"fixed_height_mobile":547,"fixed_height_tablet":547},"28835236","i-a5247011-f038-4de4-a9c8-caba4bc4536f",{"type":601,"attrs":1278,"content":1279},{"textAlign":49},[1280],{"text":1281,"type":606,"marks":1282},"Benchmark battery technology analyst Xin Chen noted that CATL has not framed Shenxing III as representing a step-change in energy density, where LFP is likely approaching a practical ceiling.",[1283],{"type":609,"attrs":1284},{"color":1221},{"type":601,"attrs":1286,"content":1287},{"textAlign":49},[1288],{"text":1289,"type":606,"marks":1290},"CATL's previous, fifth-generation LFP cells achieved an energy density of 205Wh/kg, which is very close to the theoretical limit of LFP.",[1291],{"type":609,"attrs":1292},{"color":1221},{"type":601,"attrs":1294,"content":1295},{"textAlign":49},[1296],{"text":1297,"type":606,"marks":1298},"“Making further gains is increasingly difficult without a change in chemistry or system design,” Xin added. “As a result, the development focus is likely shifting toward alternative directions, with fast charging, low-temperature performance, and lifecycle durability emerging as the new competitive frontiers.”",[1299],{"type":609,"attrs":1300},{"color":1221},{"type":601,"attrs":1302,"content":1303},{"textAlign":49},[1304],{"text":1305,"type":606,"marks":1306},"In this context, CATL has positioned Shenxing III with a significantly higher peak charging capability (up to 15C) compared with BYD (8C). Yet 8C charging is already approaching the refuelling time of an ICE vehicle, and there is a well-recognised trade-off between ultra-fast charging and cycle life degradation.",[1307],{"type":609,"attrs":1308},{"color":1221},{"type":659,"attrs":1310,"content":1311},{"level":661,"textAlign":49},[1312],{"text":1313,"type":606,"marks":1314},"Addressing cell degradation",[1315,1317],{"type":609,"attrs":1316},{"color":1221},{"type":669},{"type":601,"attrs":1319,"content":1320},{"textAlign":49},[1321,1326,1335],{"text":1322,"type":606,"marks":1323},"Fast charging is associated with both ",[1324],{"type":609,"attrs":1325},{"color":1221},{"text":1327,"type":606,"marks":1328},"accelerated degradation",[1329,1333],{"type":615,"attrs":1330},{"href":1331,"uuid":1332,"anchor":49,"target":619,"linktype":620},"/article/fast-charging-increasingly-driving-ev-battery-degradation","46750879-a447-41c0-be37-caf7180c42b5",{"type":609,"attrs":1334},{"color":1221},{"text":1336,"type":606,"marks":1337}," via lithium plating and elevated battery temperatures during charging. The two firms are both looking to reduce heat generation and improve heat dissipation, though they are each taking different technical approaches.",[1338],{"type":609,"attrs":1339},{"color":1221},{"type":601,"attrs":1341,"content":1342},{"textAlign":49},[1343,1348,1357],{"text":1344,"type":606,"marks":1345},"CATL’s Shenxing III reduces internal resistance to around 0.25 mΩ, reportedly among the lowest in the industry. ",[1346],{"type":609,"attrs":1347},{"color":1221},{"text":1349,"type":606,"marks":1350},"BYD’s Blade II",[1351,1355],{"type":615,"attrs":1352},{"href":1353,"uuid":1354,"anchor":49,"target":619,"linktype":620},"/article/byd-launches-much-anticipated-blade-2-battery","bbd6953f-b16b-4e77-967f-8242cfad5d74",{"type":609,"attrs":1356},{"color":1221},{"text":1358,"type":606,"marks":1359},", meanwhile, improves electrochemical efficiency through electrolyte optimisation and enhanced solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) formation, which also helps reduce internal resistance by improving ion transport.",[1360],{"type":609,"attrs":1361},{"color":1221},{"type":601,"attrs":1363,"content":1364},{"textAlign":49},[1365],{"text":1366,"type":606,"marks":1367},"On heat dissipation, both companies are upgrading thermal management systems. CATL uses a shoulder-region cooling design that enhances heat extraction at the tab area, where localised heating is most severe. BYD leverages the intrinsic thermal advantage of its blade cell architecture, which provides a larger heat dissipation surface. This is further enhanced in its Blade II battery through double-sided direct liquid cooling.",[1368],{"type":609,"attrs":1369},{"color":1221},{"type":601,"attrs":1371,"content":1372},{"textAlign":49},[1373],{"text":1374,"type":606,"marks":1375},"Beyond cell and system-level optimisation, CATL also adopts a distinct approach to fast charging infrastructure compared with BYD. BYD’s flash-charging stations are designed with a relatively simple architecture, enabling easier installation and deployment. In contrast, CATL has introduced the ‘Choco-Swap’ battery charging station, which offers both ultra-fast charging and battery swapping. These stations function not only as charging hubs, but also as distributed energy storage and grid-balancing node.",[1376],{"type":609,"attrs":1377},{"color":1221},{"type":701,"attrs":1379},{"id":1272,"body":1380},[1381],{"id":1382,"_uid":1383,"type":708,"component":709,"fixed_height":547,"use_fixed_height":50,"fixed_height_mobile":547,"fixed_height_tablet":547},"28836073","i-50ddbc7a-4fe0-40bd-876d-a8e1cc8be484","Both CATL and BYD have made announcements renewing their commitment to fast charging this year, pushing faster, ultra-high charging speeds up to 15C even as existing technologies have approached the refuelling time of internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles.\n\nCompetition between the two firms on charging speed, highlighted again at CATL’s 2026 Tech Day event last month, comes as progress on energy density has slowed for lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries.",[1386,1396],{"slug":1387,"name":1388,"content":1389},"xin-chen","Xin Chen",{"job_title":1390,"image":1391,"bio":1393,"linkedin":1394,"markets_covered":1395},"Analyst - Battery Technology",{"filename":1392},"https://a.storyblok.com/f/287943243085208/512x512/bd01e707af/xin-chen.jpeg","Xin holds a PhD in Chemistry from the University of St Andrews and has over five years of research experience in developing cathode materials for sodium-ion and potassium-ion batteries. Currently, as a new battery technology analyst, Xin contributes to the New Technology Report and manages a comprehensive database tracking emerging battery technologies. My work also supports BESS, EV, and silicon-based anode products, providing detailed technology highlights for reports such as the BESS Outlook, EV & Battery Forecast, and other industry publications.","https://www.linkedin.com/in/xin-chen-battery/","New Technology, BESS, EV, Silicon Anode",{"slug":544,"name":543,"content":1397},{"job_title":557,"image":1398,"bio":548,"linkedin":555,"markets_covered":558},{"filename":552},[1400,1401,1404],{"slug":752,"name":753},{"slug":1402,"name":1403},"battery-technology","Battery Technology",{"slug":758,"name":759},{"id":49,"alt":49,"name":547,"focus":49,"title":49,"source":49,"filename":547,"copyright":49,"fieldtype":553,"meta_data":1406},{},{"id":1408,"alt":547,"name":547,"focus":547,"title":547,"source":547,"filename":1409,"copyright":547,"fieldtype":553,"meta_data":1410,"is_external_url":50},129064587089142,"https://a.storyblok.com/f/287943243085208/005d0156fa/bm-a-new-ford-mustang-mach-e-gt-x-electric-vehicle-parking-at-electrify-america-ev-charging-station.jpg",{},"Both CATL and BYD have made announcements renewing their commitment to fast charging this year, pushing faster, ultra-high charging speeds up to 15C even as existing technologies near the refuelling time of internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles.","May 06, 2026",{"id":1414,"uuid":930,"name":1415,"slug":1416,"full_slug":1417,"content":1418},171841961546330,"The top energy storage cell suppliers and system integrators in 2025","the-top-energy-storage-cell-suppliers-and-system-integrators-in-2025","article/the-top-energy-storage-cell-suppliers-and-system-integrators-in-2025",{"_uid":1419,"date":1420,"tags":1421,"editor":1470,"content":1474,"excerpt":1736,"featured":50,"reporter":1737,"component":748,"seo_title":547,"categories":1750,"visibility":1069,"data_vis_image":1754,"featured_image":1758,"seo_description":547,"formattedDate":1762},"3a730302-9186-4cce-a997-cb5cc4a579ae","2026-05-01 00:00",[1422,1423,1424,1427,1430,1433,1436,1439,1442,1445,1448,1451,1454,1457,1460,1463,1466,1469],{"slug":1202,"name":1203},{"slug":1199,"name":1200},{"slug":1425,"name":1426},"tesla","Tesla",{"slug":1428,"name":1429},"hyperstrong","HyperStrong",{"slug":1431,"name":1432},"fluence","Fluence",{"slug":1434,"name":1435},"eve-energy","EVE Energy",{"slug":1437,"name":1438},"gotion","Gotion",{"slug":1440,"name":1441},"calb","CALB",{"slug":1443,"name":1444},"rept-battero","REPT Battero",{"slug":1446,"name":1447},"cornex","Cornex",{"slug":1449,"name":1450},"hithium","HiTHIUM",{"slug":1452,"name":1453},"envision","Envision",{"slug":1455,"name":1456},"huawei","Huawei",{"slug":1458,"name":1459},"sunwoda","Sunwoda",{"slug":1461,"name":1462},"sungrow","Sungrow",{"slug":1464,"name":1465},"great-power","Great Power",{"slug":1467,"name":1468},"crrc","CRRC",{"slug":787,"name":788},[1471],{"slug":909,"name":910,"content":1472},{"job_title":912,"image":1473,"bio":915,"linkedin":916},{"filename":914},{"type":598,"content":1475},[1476,1510,1545,1553,1575,1611,1632,1640,1648,1656,1664,1672,1680,1688,1701,1709,1717,1726],{"type":601,"attrs":1477,"content":1478},{"textAlign":49},[1479,1485,1493,1498,1505],{"text":1480,"type":606,"marks":1481},"In 2025, over 600GWh of cells were shipped globally for ",[1482],{"type":609,"attrs":1483},{"color":1484},"#000000",{"text":925,"type":606,"marks":1486},[1487,1491],{"type":615,"attrs":1488},{"href":1489,"uuid":1490,"anchor":49,"target":931,"linktype":620},"/videos/behind-the-ai-boom-how-data-centre-demand-is-reshaping-bess-lithium-lfp-and-copper-markets","1573e0e7-8137-439e-b583-f703c3136f5e",{"type":609,"attrs":1492},{"color":1484},{"text":1494,"type":606,"marks":1495}," (BESS) applications, almost double that of 2024 as assessed by ",[1496],{"type":609,"attrs":1497},{"color":1484},{"text":1499,"type":606,"marks":1500},"Benchmark's Battery Energy Stationary Storage Service",[1501,1503],{"type":615,"attrs":1502},{"href":952,"uuid":49,"anchor":49,"target":931,"linktype":953},{"type":609,"attrs":1504},{"color":1484},{"text":1506,"type":606,"marks":1507},".",[1508],{"type":609,"attrs":1509},{"color":1484},{"type":601,"attrs":1511,"content":1512},{"textAlign":49},[1513,1518,1527,1532,1541],{"text":1514,"type":606,"marks":1515},"Combined, the top 10 BESS ",[1516],{"type":609,"attrs":1517},{"color":1484},{"text":1519,"type":606,"marks":1520},"cell suppliers",[1521,1525],{"type":615,"attrs":1522},{"href":1523,"uuid":1524,"anchor":49,"target":931,"linktype":620},"/article/the-top-five-battery-producers-past-present-and-future","5a87817c-f839-49ea-9a92-ccb5a2952b63",{"type":609,"attrs":1526},{"color":1484},{"text":1528,"type":606,"marks":1529}," in 2025 accounted for 90% of cells shipped and all are ",[1530],{"type":609,"attrs":1531},{"color":1484},{"text":1533,"type":606,"marks":1534},"headquartered in China",[1535,1539],{"type":615,"attrs":1536},{"href":1537,"uuid":1538,"anchor":49,"target":931,"linktype":620},"/article/regional-spotlight-china","746036af-b9fc-4d0d-b721-56d0d1094635",{"type":609,"attrs":1540},{"color":1484},{"text":1506,"type":606,"marks":1542},[1543],{"type":609,"attrs":1544},{"color":1484},{"type":601,"attrs":1546,"content":1547},{"textAlign":49},[1548],{"text":1549,"type":606,"marks":1550},"“Notably the Korean cell manufacturers are missing from the top 10,” said Iola Hughes, Benchmark’s Head of Research. “That is likely to change in the coming years with significant commitments now made to BESS, in particular in the US market.”",[1551],{"type":609,"attrs":1552},{"color":1484},{"type":601,"attrs":1554,"content":1555},{"textAlign":49},[1556,1561,1570],{"text":1557,"type":606,"marks":1558},"In its Q1 financial report, ",[1559],{"type":609,"attrs":1560},{"color":1484},{"text":1562,"type":606,"marks":1563},"LGES stated",[1564,1568],{"type":615,"attrs":1565},{"href":1566,"uuid":1567,"anchor":49,"target":931,"linktype":620},"/article/lges-signs-4-3-billion-bess-cell-supply-deal-with-tesla","c9e36cab-5f2c-4a05-9341-1aad24c0277d",{"type":609,"attrs":1569},{"color":1484},{"text":1571,"type":606,"marks":1572}," it is targeting over 50GWh of production capacity by the end of 2026. If it were to produce at this level, LGES would likely climb to within the top 10.",[1573],{"type":609,"attrs":1574},{"color":1484},{"type":601,"attrs":1576,"content":1577},{"textAlign":49},[1578,1587,1596,1601,1603,1610],{"type":1579,"attrs":1580,"marks":1584},"image",{"id":1581,"alt":547,"src":1582,"title":547,"source":547,"copyright":547,"meta_data":1583},190209396198270,"https://a.storyblok.com/f/287943243085208/3348x2475/4b81de7bd0/top-10-bess-cell-suppliers.png",{},[1585],{"type":615,"attrs":1586},{"href":952,"uuid":49,"anchor":49,"target":931,"linktype":953},{"text":1588,"type":606,"marks":1589},"CATL continued to be the top supplier",[1590,1594],{"type":615,"attrs":1591},{"href":1592,"uuid":1593,"anchor":49,"target":931,"linktype":620},"/article/catl-posts-record-results-as-efficiency-and-capacity-expansion-drive-profit-growth","508da94f-bb3a-4c2e-a103-9a22048151f3",{"type":609,"attrs":1595},{"color":1484},{"text":1597,"type":606,"marks":1598}," of BESS cells in 2025, representing 20% of the market. However, this is down from the 29% share the company held in 2024 and 32% share in 2023. Towards the end of 2025, it secured a three-year 200GWh deal to provide cells to system integrator HyperStrong. This deal was expand",[1599],{"type":609,"attrs":1600},{"color":1484},{"text":1602,"type":606},"ed to include 60GWh of ",{"text":1604,"type":606,"marks":1605},"CATL’s sodium ion BESS cells in April 2026",[1606],{"type":615,"attrs":1607},{"href":1608,"uuid":1609,"anchor":49,"target":931,"linktype":620},"/article/hyperstrong-and-catl-sign-three-year-60gwh-sodium-ion-bess-battery-supply-agreement","559ec0b3-b734-4f91-9dcf-4c2548f38fe3",{"text":1506,"type":606},{"type":601,"attrs":1612,"content":1613},{"textAlign":49},[1614,1619,1627],{"text":1615,"type":606,"marks":1616},"HiTHIUM and EVE Energy are both gaining ground on ",[1617],{"type":609,"attrs":1618},{"color":1484},{"text":1203,"type":606,"marks":1620},[1621,1625],{"type":615,"attrs":1622},{"href":1623,"uuid":1624,"anchor":49,"target":931,"linktype":620},"/article/charting-the-evolution-of-catls-revenue-streams","62db0e85-b8ad-4ea7-80c5-d285c4b019c0",{"type":609,"attrs":1626},{"color":1484},{"text":1628,"type":606,"marks":1629},". The two companies took second and third spots, respectively, with around 12% of the market each.",[1630],{"type":609,"attrs":1631},{"color":1484},{"type":601,"attrs":1633,"content":1634},{"textAlign":49},[1635],{"text":1636,"type":606,"marks":1637},"For HiTHIUM, this is a substantial jump from fourth position in 2024 when it represented 9% of BESS cells shipped. The company signed a five-year, 120GWh cooperation agreement in December 2025 with system integrator CRRC.",[1638],{"type":609,"attrs":1639},{"color":1484},{"type":601,"attrs":1641,"content":1642},{"textAlign":49},[1643],{"text":1644,"type":606,"marks":1645},"Although EVE Energy dropped down to third from second in 2024, it is still strongly competitive. In 2025 the company secured more than 10 cell offtakes of at least 1GWh including 50GWh with HyperStrong and 20GWh with Rochenergy. EVE Energy has also had a strong start to 2026, with over 40GWh of offtakes signed in the first quarter.",[1646],{"type":609,"attrs":1647},{"color":1484},{"type":601,"attrs":1649,"content":1650},{"textAlign":49},[1651],{"text":1652,"type":606,"marks":1653},"Another rapidly rising competitor is CORNEX, which has over 400GWh of production capacity under construction with a further 100GWh in the pipeline, though this is for both EV and BESS applications.",[1654],{"type":609,"attrs":1655},{"color":1484},{"type":659,"attrs":1657,"content":1658},{"level":661,"textAlign":49},[1659],{"text":1660,"type":606,"marks":1661},"Who were the top BESS system integrators in 2025?",[1662],{"type":609,"attrs":1663},{"color":1484},{"type":601,"attrs":1665,"content":1666},{"textAlign":49},[1667],{"text":1668,"type":606,"marks":1669},"In 2025, around 460GWh of BESS systems were shipped globally with the market highly dominated by Chinese system integrators. Tesla and Fluence, both based in the US, are the only system integrators in the top 10 which are headquartered outside of China.",[1670],{"type":609,"attrs":1671},{"color":1484},{"type":601,"attrs":1673,"content":1674},{"textAlign":49},[1675],{"text":1676,"type":606,"marks":1677},"BYD overtook Tesla in 2025 to take the top spot for BESS systems, with Tesla now in second place and Sungrow in third. The three companies combined represented around a third of the systems market in 2025.",[1678],{"type":609,"attrs":1679},{"color":1484},{"type":601,"attrs":1681,"content":1682},{"textAlign":49},[1683],{"text":1684,"type":606,"marks":1685},"At the start of 2025, BYD signed to deliver a 12.5GWh BESS project with the Saudi Electricity Company, adding to the 2.6GWh already delivered.",[1686],{"type":609,"attrs":1687},{"color":1484},{"type":601,"attrs":1689,"content":1690},{"textAlign":49},[1691,1696],{"type":1579,"attrs":1692},{"id":1693,"alt":547,"src":1694,"title":547,"source":547,"copyright":547,"meta_data":1695},171852754446729,"https://a.storyblok.com/f/287943243085208/3348x2475/c22864e287/benchmark-top-10-system-integrators-2025.png",{},{"text":1697,"type":606,"marks":1698},"Tesla’s BESS deployments for the full year 2025 reached 46.7GWh, growing 49% year-on-year, according to its annual report. The company says it will begin production of Megapack 3 at its Houston Megafactory in 2026, ramping up to 50GWh of manufacturing capacity. That said, Tesla has had a weaker start to 2026, with Q1 2026 BESS system installations down 15% year-on-year.",[1699],{"type":609,"attrs":1700},{"color":1484},{"type":601,"attrs":1702,"content":1703},{"textAlign":49},[1704],{"text":1705,"type":606,"marks":1706},"BESS systems were the largest revenue segment for Sungrow in 2025, reaching 42% of total revenue surpassing its photovoltaic inverter business which accounted for 36%.",[1707],{"type":609,"attrs":1708},{"color":1484},{"type":601,"attrs":1710,"content":1711},{"textAlign":49},[1712],{"text":1713,"type":606,"marks":1714},"Many smaller Tier 2 and Tier 3 players reduced their net revenues in order to compete for market share leading to a price war and involution. As such, the share of companies outside the top 10 grew to 32% in 2025 compared to 18% in 2024.",[1715],{"type":609,"attrs":1716},{"color":1484},{"type":601,"attrs":1718,"content":1719},{"textAlign":49},[1720],{"text":1721,"type":606,"marks":1722},"The insights in this article were drawn from Benchmark’s Battery Energy Stationary Storage Service. To learn more about this, please fill in the form below and one of the team will be in touch:",[1723,1725],{"type":609,"attrs":1724},{"color":1484},{"type":1036},{"type":701,"attrs":1727},{"id":1728,"body":1729},"885b332e-3048-4002-b8a9-4b4088e47352",[1730],{"id":1042,"_uid":1731,"component":1044,"wrap_in_box":50,"redirect_url":1732,"success_file":1733,"default_height":547,"success_message":547,"v2_hubspot_form":50,"success_sub_text":547,"hidden_field_values":1735,"show_on_intelligence":50},"i-85472cde-6418-4314-a266-2cbd3675a175",{"id":547,"url":547,"linktype":620,"fieldtype":1046,"cached_url":547},{"id":49,"alt":49,"name":547,"focus":49,"title":49,"source":49,"filename":547,"copyright":49,"fieldtype":553,"meta_data":1734},{},[],"In 2025, over 600GWh of cells were shipped globally for battery energy stationary storage (BESS) applications, almost double that of 2024 as assessed by Benchmark Mineral Intelligence, a leading specialist in battery supply chain research.\nCombined, the top 10 BESS cell suppliers in 2025 accounted for 90% of cells shipped and all are headquartered in China.\n",[1738,1747],{"slug":1739,"name":1740,"content":1741},"calvin-xu","Calvin Xu",{"job_title":1742,"image":1743,"bio":1745,"linkedin":1746,"markets_covered":1064},"Analyst - BESS",{"filename":1744},"https://a.storyblok.com/f/287943243085208/512x512/096bdfc0f7/calvin-xu.png","Calvin is a BESS Analyst focusing on China market. He works on daily research of China's BESS projects, legislation and policy analysis. He also works on the monthly and quarterly reports focusing on China market and the OEMs updates. Now he is assisting on the data centre database. Calvin holds a MSc of e-Business Management at University of Warwick. ","https://www.linkedin.com/in/zhengxu0416/",{"slug":544,"name":543,"content":1748},{"job_title":557,"image":1749,"bio":548,"linkedin":555,"markets_covered":558},{"filename":552},[1751,1752,1753],{"slug":755,"name":756},{"slug":752,"name":753},{"slug":761,"name":762},{"id":1755,"alt":547,"name":547,"focus":547,"title":547,"source":547,"filename":1756,"copyright":547,"fieldtype":553,"meta_data":1757,"is_external_url":50},171852754434440,"https://a.storyblok.com/f/287943243085208/3348x2475/86be51ce37/benchmark-top-10-bess-cell-suppliers-2025.png",{},{"id":1759,"alt":547,"name":547,"focus":547,"title":547,"source":547,"filename":1760,"copyright":547,"fieldtype":553,"meta_data":1761,"is_external_url":50},171849521801503,"https://a.storyblok.com/f/287943243085208/5500x3842/752b24de88/energy-storage.jpeg",{},"May 01, 2026",{"id":1764,"uuid":1109,"name":1765,"slug":1766,"full_slug":1767,"content":1768},168578148049563,"Chinese battery exports reach record high in March as export rebate change comes into force","chinese-battery-exports-reach-record-high-in-march-as-export-rebate-change-comes-into-force","article/chinese-battery-exports-reach-record-high-in-march-as-export-rebate-change-comes-into-force",{"_uid":1769,"date":1770,"tags":1771,"editor":1775,"content":1779,"excerpt":1851,"featured":51,"reporter":1852,"component":748,"seo_title":1856,"categories":1857,"visibility":763,"data_vis_image":1859,"featured_image":1861,"seo_description":1863,"formattedDate":1864},"47afca02-341a-4cf4-81c3-e34d00aa96e0","2026-04-22 00:00",[1772,1773,1774],{"slug":573,"name":574},{"slug":579,"name":580},{"slug":576,"name":577},[1776],{"slug":589,"name":590,"content":1777},{"job_title":592,"image":1778,"bio":595,"linkedin":596},{"filename":594},{"type":598,"content":1780},[1781,1793,1798,1803,1810,1818,1823,1828,1833,1843],{"type":601,"attrs":1782,"content":1783},{"textAlign":49},[1784,1786,1791],{"text":1785,"type":606},"China’s ",{"text":1787,"type":606,"marks":1788},"battery exports",[1789],{"type":615,"attrs":1790},{"href":617,"uuid":618,"anchor":49,"target":619,"linktype":620},{"text":1792,"type":606}," grew 48% year-on-year in Q1, according to newly released trade data, while they hit a record high in March. It was a notably strong quarter at a time where seasonality typically translates to weaker numbers.",{"type":601,"attrs":1794,"content":1795},{"textAlign":49},[1796],{"text":1797,"type":606},"According to General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China (GACC) data, USD value exports of goods under HS code 8507.60 increased by 55% in Q1 2026, hitting USD$23.95 billion.",{"type":601,"attrs":1799,"content":1800},{"textAlign":49},[1801],{"text":1802,"type":606},"Battery export data from the China Automotive Battery Innovation Alliance (CABIA), meanwhile, showed a 48% y-o-y increase to 84GWh. This is the second strongest quarter to date following Q4 2025, where 93GWh was installed. March 2026 was particularly strong, setting a new record for a single month of 36GWh.",{"type":701,"attrs":1804},{"id":1805,"body":1806},"7833ad4a-223e-47c8-a506-b66ce4228f9d",[1807],{"id":1808,"_uid":1809,"type":708,"component":709,"fixed_height":547,"use_fixed_height":50,"fixed_height_mobile":547,"fixed_height_tablet":547},"28644058","i-7a32fe59-233a-41a0-ac45-af30b6bfc7e7",{"type":659,"attrs":1811,"content":1813},{"level":1812,"textAlign":49},1,[1814],{"text":1815,"type":606,"marks":1816},"Regulatory changes having an effect",[1817],{"type":669},{"type":601,"attrs":1819,"content":1820},{"textAlign":49},[1821],{"text":1822,"type":606},"From April 1, the export rebate on batteries has been cut from 9 to 6%, and this will be further cut to 0% by the end of the year. The March surge is likely a pull-forward of sales to get ahead of this tax change.",{"type":601,"attrs":1824,"content":1825},{"textAlign":49},[1826],{"text":1827,"type":606},"However, several new export markets saw strong growth in the first quarter. Notably, Oman saw a significant jump, with USD value of exports to the country increasing 5,000% in the first quarter. Most of this was in March, when exports hit $293 million. Assuming a modest AC system BESS price of $120/kWh, this would be over 2GWh of batteries.",{"type":601,"attrs":1829,"content":1830},{"textAlign":49},[1831],{"text":1832,"type":606},"Exports to Australia also increased by 241% in the first quarter, with March a record month for Chinese exports to the country, hitting $586 million. Australia is in the midst of a BESS boom, with over 8GWh of utility scale storage entering operation in Q1, while a residential market surge continued on from 2025.",{"type":601,"attrs":1834,"content":1835},{"textAlign":49},[1836,1841],{"text":1837,"type":606,"marks":1838},"The US is the key outlier",[1839],{"type":615,"attrs":1840},{"href":1159,"uuid":1160,"anchor":49,"target":619,"linktype":620},{"text":1842,"type":606},", with the export values decreasing 35% y-o-y on the back of ongoing trade tensions and significant pre-buying that took place at the end of 2025. More broadly, 23 countries saw exports of over $100 million in March 2026, compared to just 12 countries in March 2025.",{"type":601,"attrs":1844,"content":1845},{"textAlign":49},[1846],{"type":1579,"attrs":1847},{"id":1848,"alt":547,"src":1849,"title":547,"source":547,"copyright":547,"meta_data":1850},168640901441416,"https://a.storyblok.com/f/287943243085208/1588x1444/3b44db3832/china-march-battery-exports-usd-2x-3.png",{},"China’s battery exports grew 48% year-on-year in Q1, according to newly released trade data, while they hit a record high in March. It was a notably strong quarter at a time where seasonality typically translates to weaker numbers.\n\nAccording to General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China (GACC) data, USD value exports of HS8507.60 increased by 55% in Q1 2026, hitting USD$23.95 billion.",[1853],{"slug":544,"name":543,"content":1854},{"job_title":557,"image":1855,"bio":548,"linkedin":555,"markets_covered":558},{"filename":552},"Chinese battery exports reach record high in March",[1858],{"slug":752,"name":753},{"id":49,"alt":49,"name":547,"focus":49,"title":49,"source":49,"filename":547,"copyright":49,"fieldtype":553,"meta_data":1860},{},{"id":1183,"alt":547,"name":547,"focus":547,"title":547,"source":547,"filename":1184,"copyright":547,"fieldtype":553,"meta_data":1862,"is_external_url":50},{},"China’s battery exports grew 48% year-on-year in Q1, according to newly released trade data, while they hit a record high in March. It was a notably strong quarter at a time where seasonality typically translates to weaker numbers.","Apr 22, 2026",{"id":1866,"uuid":940,"name":1867,"slug":1868,"full_slug":1869,"content":1870},166819471361874,"Europe has record quarter for energy storage","europe-has-record-quarter-for-energy-storage","article/europe-has-record-quarter-for-energy-storage",{"_uid":1871,"date":1872,"tags":1873,"editor":1881,"content":1885,"excerpt":1976,"featured":51,"reporter":1977,"component":748,"seo_title":1867,"categories":1981,"visibility":763,"data_vis_image":1983,"featured_image":1985,"seo_description":1989,"formattedDate":1990},"f9b41397-084b-4620-9185-4e027cf8c216","2026-04-17 00:00",[1874,1875,1878,1879],{"slug":905,"name":906},{"slug":1876,"name":1877},"uk","UK",{"slug":585,"name":586},{"slug":1880,"name":1064},"bess",[1882],{"slug":589,"name":590,"content":1883},{"job_title":592,"image":1884,"bio":595,"linkedin":596},{"filename":594},{"type":598,"content":1886},[1887,1908,1913,1934,1941,1946,1951,1956,1961,1966,1971],{"type":601,"attrs":1888,"content":1889},{"textAlign":49},[1890,1892,1899,1901,1906],{"text":1891,"type":606},"New ",{"text":1893,"type":606,"marks":1894},"installations of utility-scale storage",[1895],{"type":615,"attrs":1896},{"href":1897,"uuid":1898,"anchor":49,"target":619,"linktype":620},"/article/global-bess-installments-increase-29-y-o-y","97c1dbbb-810f-4732-bbc5-3300ed5257d0",{"text":1900,"type":606}," in Europe more than doubled in the first quarter of 2026 compared to ",{"text":1902,"type":606,"marks":1903},"Q1 2025",[1904],{"type":615,"attrs":1905},{"href":617,"uuid":618,"anchor":49,"target":619,"linktype":620},{"text":1907,"type":606},". Over 6.5GWh was installed in the first three months of the year, with over half of that coming online in March. Notably, March saw more capacity installed than the full year of 2023.",{"type":601,"attrs":1909,"content":1910},{"textAlign":49},[1911],{"text":1912,"type":606},"In 2023, Benchmark tracked 90 utility-scale projects entering operation, compared to 75 in the first quarter of 2026.",{"type":601,"attrs":1914,"content":1915},{"textAlign":49},[1916,1918,1925,1927,1932],{"text":1917,"type":606},"The average size of European projects has increased significantly in recent years, helping boost the ",{"text":1919,"type":606,"marks":1920},"battery demand",[1921],{"type":615,"attrs":1922},{"href":1923,"uuid":1924,"anchor":49,"target":619,"linktype":620},"/article/us-bess-cell-demand-outstripping-north-american-production-until-2028-despite-tariffs","e10ddd56-09be-471c-ab8b-7f1503670661",{"text":1926,"type":606}," figure. In Q1 2026 the average size was 91MWh, compared to just over 40MWh in 2023. Notably, however, average project size in Europe remains significantly ",{"text":1928,"type":606,"marks":1929},"smaller than elsewhere",[1930],{"type":615,"attrs":1931},{"href":1566,"uuid":1567,"anchor":49,"target":619,"linktype":620},{"text":1933,"type":606},", with the global average size coming in at 201MWh in the first quarter.",{"type":701,"attrs":1935},{"id":1936,"body":1937},"6f0f8036-4c03-4fff-9fda-f5f11378de56",[1938],{"id":1939,"_uid":1940,"type":708,"component":709,"fixed_height":547,"use_fixed_height":50,"fixed_height_mobile":547,"fixed_height_tablet":547},"28556401","i-6aeaf655-c4fb-41b4-afc5-644748c06612",{"type":659,"attrs":1942,"content":1943},{"level":1812,"textAlign":49},[1944],{"text":1945,"type":606},"UK installed Europe’s first giga-scale project",{"type":601,"attrs":1947,"content":1948},{"textAlign":49},[1949],{"text":1950,"type":606},"At a country level, the UK led new operational capacity, with over 2.2GWh installed across nine projects. The largest of these was Alcemi Coalburn 1 BESS in South Lanarkshire, Scotland, a 1,000MWh/500MW project that is Europe’s first giga-scale project to enter operation. ",{"type":601,"attrs":1952,"content":1953},{"textAlign":49},[1954],{"text":1955,"type":606},"Giga-scale projects have been becoming more common globally, with 46 such projects entering operation in 2025, compared to 10 in 2024. Two further giga-scale projects are planned in Europe for 2026, with a further 38 planned for completion by the end of 2028. ",{"type":659,"attrs":1957,"content":1958},{"level":1812,"textAlign":49},[1959],{"text":1960,"type":606},"Bulgaria becoming key European market",{"type":601,"attrs":1962,"content":1963},{"textAlign":49},[1964],{"text":1965,"type":606},"Bulgaria and Germany also saw over 1GWh installed in the first quarter, with 1.6GWh and 1.0GWh installed respectively. Bulgaria has emerged as a key market for energy storage in Europe in recent years on the back of its active tender schemes, supportive regulation and EU-supported funding which has resulted in a breakthrough year for grid-scale deployment in the country. ",{"type":601,"attrs":1967,"content":1968},{"textAlign":49},[1969],{"text":1970,"type":606},"In Germany, the residential market has flattened in recent years, though a strengthening grid market has more than compensated for this. The latter has largely been fuelled by strong merchant opportunities and wide price-spread opportunities, though long permitting processes and significant grid connection queues pose barriers to large-scale rapid deployment. ",{"type":601,"attrs":1972,"content":1973},{"textAlign":49},[1974],{"text":1975,"type":606},"In 2025, Europe installed 11.5GWh of utility-scale storage, while the current pipeline for 2026 sits at close to 70GWh, though much of this will be delayed into 2027.","New installations of utility-scale storage in Europe more than doubled in the first quarter of 2026 compared to Q1 2025. Over 6.5GWh was installed in the first three months of the year, with over half of that coming online in March. Notably, March saw more capacity installed than the full year of 2023. \n\nIn 2023 Benchmark tracked 90 utility-scale projects entering operation, compared to 75 in the first quarter of 2026. ",[1978],{"slug":544,"name":543,"content":1979},{"job_title":557,"image":1980,"bio":548,"linkedin":555,"markets_covered":558},{"filename":552},[1982],{"slug":761,"name":762},{"id":49,"alt":49,"name":547,"focus":49,"title":49,"source":49,"filename":547,"copyright":49,"fieldtype":553,"meta_data":1984},{},{"id":1986,"alt":547,"name":547,"focus":547,"title":547,"source":547,"filename":1987,"copyright":547,"fieldtype":553,"meta_data":1988,"is_external_url":50},129067466943219,"https://a.storyblok.com/f/287943243085208/bf619b8374/bm-europe.jpg",{},"New installations of utility-scale storage in Europe more than doubled in the first quarter of 2026 compared to Q1 2025. Over 6.5GWh was installed in the first three months of the year, with over half of that coming online in March.","Apr 17, 2026",{"id":1992,"uuid":618,"name":1993,"slug":1994,"full_slug":1995,"content":1996},158753706739779,"US EV demand shift and BESS growth: Who deployed the most batteries in 2025?","us-ev-demand-shift-and-bess-growth-who-deployed-the-most-batteries-in-2025-","article/us-ev-demand-shift-and-bess-growth-who-deployed-the-most-batteries-in-2025-",{"_uid":1997,"date":1998,"tags":1999,"editor":2015,"content":2019,"excerpt":2138,"featured":51,"reporter":2139,"component":748,"seo_title":2143,"categories":2144,"visibility":1069,"data_vis_image":2148,"featured_image":2152,"seo_description":2156,"formattedDate":2157},"5db5a306-a2b4-483a-b227-2e57a475db22","2026-03-25 00:00",[2000,2001,2004,2005,2006,2009,2010,2011,2014],{"slug":787,"name":788},{"slug":2002,"name":2003},"battery-production","Battery Production",{"slug":1202,"name":1203},{"slug":1199,"name":1200},{"slug":2007,"name":2008},"lges","LGES",{"slug":1440,"name":1441},{"slug":573,"name":574},{"slug":2012,"name":2013},"south-korea","South Korea",{"slug":1434,"name":1435},[2016],{"slug":589,"name":590,"content":2017},{"job_title":592,"image":2018,"bio":595,"linkedin":596},{"filename":594},{"type":598,"content":2020},[2021,2041,2053,2060,2069,2090,2097,2104,2121,2126],{"type":601,"attrs":2022,"content":2023},{"textAlign":49},[2024,2026,2033,2035,2040],{"text":2025,"type":606},"Overall ",{"text":2027,"type":606,"marks":2028},"lithium ion battery demand",[2029],{"type":615,"attrs":2030},{"href":2031,"uuid":2032,"anchor":49,"target":619,"linktype":620},"/article/global-lithium-ion-battery-demand-rose-29-in-2025","96304af2-dffa-4477-9134-47853491eec9",{"text":2034,"type":606}," increased by 30% year-on-year to over 1.6TWh in 2025, compared to 1.3TWh in 2024, and the largest four manufacturers meeting that demand remained at the top of ",{"text":2036,"type":606,"marks":2037},"the rankings",[2038],{"type":615,"attrs":2039},{"href":1523,"uuid":1524,"anchor":49,"target":619,"linktype":620},{"text":1506,"type":606},{"type":601,"attrs":2042,"content":2043},{"textAlign":49},[2044,2046,2051],{"text":2045,"type":606},"There have been shifts among the next-largest players, however, as ",{"text":2047,"type":606,"marks":2048},"increased battery energy stationary storage (BESS) demand",[2049],{"type":615,"attrs":2050},{"href":1923,"uuid":1924,"anchor":49,"target":619,"linktype":620},{"text":2052,"type":606}," and a dip in US electric vehicle (EV) sales growth have affected some South Korean firms in particular.",{"type":659,"attrs":2054,"content":2055},{"level":661,"textAlign":49},[2056],{"text":2057,"type":606,"marks":2058},"Growing BESS demand boosts Chinese firms",[2059],{"type":669},{"type":601,"attrs":2061,"content":2062},{"textAlign":49},[2063,2067],{"text":1203,"type":606,"marks":2064},[2065],{"type":615,"attrs":2066},{"href":1592,"uuid":1593,"anchor":49,"target":619,"linktype":620},{"text":2068,"type":606},", BYD, LG Energy Solution and China Aviation Lithium Battery (CALB) have stayed in the top four, fulfilling over 60% of EV and BESS demand. EVE Energy, much of whose supply went to BESS applications, climbed from eighth to fourth place. Growth in EV demand for Samsung SDI and Panasonic, who came in at fifth and sixth respectively in 2024, did not stop them from dropping to eighth and ninth in 2025.",{"type":601,"attrs":2070,"content":2071},{"textAlign":49},[2072,2074,2081,2083,2088],{"text":2073,"type":606},"Significantly, this is the first year when a top ten cell supplier made that list solely through ",{"text":2075,"type":606,"marks":2076},"BESS production",[2077],{"type":615,"attrs":2078},{"href":2079,"uuid":2080,"anchor":49,"target":619,"linktype":620},"/article/battery-manufacturers-ramp-up-cell-size-to-meet-growing-bess-capacity-demands","8a3561ee-39d5-443e-abf1-4148319e3650",{"text":2082,"type":606},", with Hithium climbing to tenth place without supplying EV cells. This is a trend Benchmark expects to continue as Hithium and smaller BESS player Cornex, which came in at 16",{"text":2084,"type":606,"marks":2085},"th",[2086],{"type":2087},"superscript",{"text":2089,"type":606},", carry out their expansion plans in the coming years. CATL, meanwhile, remained the largest BESS supplier despite slower growth in 2025 compared to 2024.",{"type":701,"attrs":2091},{"id":2092,"body":2093},"69ba5742-9b87-430b-ae6e-1f6a8015f115",[2094],{"id":2095,"_uid":2096,"type":708,"component":709,"fixed_height":547,"use_fixed_height":50,"fixed_height_mobile":547,"fixed_height_tablet":547},"28208825","i-cb27e670-437f-4be3-aa52-e02c162d87ea",{"type":659,"attrs":2098,"content":2099},{"level":661,"textAlign":49},[2100],{"text":2101,"type":606,"marks":2102},"South Korean players take US EV hit",[2103],{"type":669},{"type":601,"attrs":2105,"content":2106},{"textAlign":49},[2107,2114,2116,2119],{"text":2108,"type":606,"marks":2109},"Chinese companies like EVE and Gotion",[2110],{"type":615,"attrs":2111},{"href":2112,"uuid":2113,"anchor":49,"target":619,"linktype":620},"/article/chinese-presence-in-tier-1-increases-further-with-calb-eve-svolt-and-gotion","14469f1d-ea5f-4dc8-9961-37e30cde238d",{"text":2115,"type":606}," have climbed the ranks as South Korean players like Samsung SDI – which did nevertheless produce 10GWh more than in 2024 – and EV battery maker SK On have fallen. SK On registered the largest drop, from seventh to 12",{"text":2084,"type":606,"marks":2117},[2118],{"type":2087},{"text":2120,"type":606}," place, as it reduced production.",{"type":601,"attrs":2122,"content":2123},{"textAlign":49},[2124],{"text":2125,"type":606},"The US, a major export market for South Korean firms, saw slower EV demand growth as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) reduced government support for the sector and new tariffs on imports were implemented.",{"type":601,"attrs":2127,"content":2128},{"textAlign":49},[2129,2131,2136],{"text":2130,"type":606},"South Korean players are expected to grow in 2026 as they ",{"text":2132,"type":606,"marks":2133},"increase their production of lithium iron phosphate (LFP) cells",[2134],{"type":615,"attrs":2135},{"href":1566,"uuid":1567,"anchor":49,"target":619,"linktype":620},{"text":2137,"type":606}," after focusing until now on nickel cobalt manganese (NCM) chemistries, which are less utilised in BESS installations.","Overall lithium ion battery demand increased by 30% year-on-year to over 1.6TWh in 2025, compared to 1.3TWh in 2024, and the largest four manufacturers meeting that demand remained at the top of the rankings.\n\nThere have been shifts among the next-largest players, however, as increased battery energy stationary storage (BESS) demand and a dip in US electric vehicle (EV) sales growth have affected some South Korean firms in particular.",[2140],{"slug":544,"name":543,"content":2141},{"job_title":557,"image":2142,"bio":548,"linkedin":555,"markets_covered":558},{"filename":552},"Who deployed the most batteries in 2025?",[2145,2146,2147],{"slug":752,"name":753},{"slug":761,"name":762},{"slug":758,"name":759},{"id":2149,"alt":547,"name":547,"focus":547,"title":547,"source":547,"filename":2150,"copyright":547,"fieldtype":553,"meta_data":2151,"is_external_url":50},158754527084287,"https://a.storyblok.com/f/287943243085208/719x786/9430174592/battery-supplier-leaderboard-2025.png",{},{"id":2153,"alt":547,"name":547,"focus":547,"title":547,"source":547,"filename":2154,"copyright":547,"fieldtype":553,"meta_data":2155,"is_external_url":50},129069422055138,"https://a.storyblok.com/f/287943243085208/c31afce037/bm-lithium-ion-waste-batteries.jpg",{},"Overall lithium ion battery demand increased by 30% year-on-year to over 1.6TWh in 2025, compared to 1.3TWh in 2024, and the largest four manufacturers meeting that demand remained at the top of the rankings.","Mar 25, 2026",{"id":2159,"uuid":1160,"name":2160,"slug":2161,"full_slug":2162,"content":2163},155971691903915,"US battery imports fall to five-year low after Section 301 tariffs raised to 25%","us-battery-imports-fall-to-five-year-low-after-section-301-tariffs-raised-to-25-","article/us-battery-imports-fall-to-five-year-low-after-section-301-tariffs-raised-to-25-",{"_uid":2164,"date":2165,"tags":2166,"editor":2180,"content":2184,"excerpt":2277,"featured":51,"reporter":2278,"component":748,"seo_title":2282,"categories":2283,"visibility":763,"data_vis_image":2288,"featured_image":2292,"seo_description":2296,"formattedDate":2297},"34848775-9960-4854-b79b-ad7ea509f78d","2026-03-17 00:00",[2167,2169,2172,2173,2176,2177,2178,2179],{"slug":2168,"name":451},"lfp",{"slug":2170,"name":2171},"ncm","NCM",{"slug":1880,"name":1064},{"slug":2174,"name":2175},"tariffs","Tariffs",{"slug":902,"name":903},{"slug":576,"name":577},{"slug":573,"name":574},{"slug":787,"name":788},[2181],{"slug":589,"name":590,"content":2182},{"job_title":592,"image":2183,"bio":595,"linkedin":596},{"filename":594},{"type":598,"content":2185},[2186,2198,2211,2224,2231,2238,2243,2249,2254,2261,2266,2272],{"type":601,"attrs":2187,"content":2188},{"textAlign":49},[2189,2191,2196],{"text":2190,"type":606},"Total US lithium ion battery demand is expected to reach 182GWh in 2026, with 37% of this coming from the battery energy stationary storage (BESS) market. Yet the US ",{"text":2192,"type":606,"marks":2193},"remains heavily dependent on Chinese battery imports",[2194],{"type":615,"attrs":2195},{"href":1923,"uuid":1924,"anchor":49,"target":619,"linktype":620},{"text":2197,"type":606}," for its energy storage needs as a result of China’s continued grip on supply of lithium iron phosphate (LFP) cells, even as new tariffs push Chinese battery imports to their lowest level since 2021.",{"type":601,"attrs":2199,"content":2200},{"textAlign":49},[2201,2203,2210],{"text":2202,"type":606},"It marks a major difference from cell supply in US electric vehicle (EV) production, where there is greater use of nickel cobalt manganese (NCM) batteries for which there are ",{"text":2204,"type":606,"marks":2205},"stronger North American supply chains",[2206],{"type":615,"attrs":2207},{"href":2208,"uuid":2209,"anchor":49,"target":619,"linktype":620},"/article/who-were-the-top-cell-suppliers-in-the-bess-market-in-h1-2025","856c6f80-c683-4faf-95f5-f1b762deeac3",{"text":1506,"type":606},{"type":601,"attrs":2212,"content":2213},{"textAlign":49},[2214,2216,2222],{"text":2215,"type":606},"Higher US Section 301 ",{"text":2174,"type":606,"marks":2217},[2218],{"type":615,"attrs":2219},{"href":2220,"uuid":2221,"anchor":49,"target":619,"linktype":620},"/article/china-and-us-agree-to-cut-tariffs-offering-the-us-battery-industry-some-respite","95297446-8816-4a48-b4e3-abba49776a09",{"text":2223,"type":606}," on Chinese imports – raised to 25% from 7.5%, bringing the total tariff rate in January to 48.4% before a subsequent drop to 38.4% – on LFP cells are aimed at driving growth in US LFP supply. There has been a drop of over half in US battery imports from China in January after frontloading in December 2025, with the value falling to a five-year low of $475 million. But it will take longer for North American LFP supply to grow in response, with a 25GWh jump to 54GWh expected in 2027.",{"type":701,"attrs":2225},{"id":2226,"body":2227},"5c646f8c-1019-472e-97a4-56a4bcf15621",[2228],{"id":2229,"_uid":2230,"type":620,"component":709,"fixed_height":547,"use_fixed_height":50,"fixed_height_mobile":547,"fixed_height_tablet":547},"3618468","i-874f20a3-a328-434f-8722-46d50d7391ae",{"type":659,"attrs":2232,"content":2233},{"level":661,"textAlign":49},[2234],{"text":2235,"type":606,"marks":2236},"North American LFP supply well below BESS-driven demand",[2237],{"type":669},{"type":601,"attrs":2239,"content":2240},{"textAlign":49},[2241],{"text":2242,"type":606},"The scale of the shift required is visible in the value of imports from China in 2025, which remained above US$500 million for most of the year. Chinese LFP cells dominate BESS installations as a result of safety, cost and life cycle considerations, and the US will continue to rely on battery imports for the BESS market in 2026, with available domestic supply set to be less than a third of demand requirements.",{"type":701,"attrs":2244},{"id":2226,"body":2245},[2246],{"id":2247,"_uid":2248,"type":708,"component":709,"fixed_height":547,"use_fixed_height":50,"fixed_height_mobile":547,"fixed_height_tablet":547},"28097748","i-8594192f-fe2e-45f4-a34b-932026e51dd9",{"type":601,"attrs":2250,"content":2251},{"textAlign":49},[2252],{"text":2253,"type":606},"US lithium ion battery imports were dominated in 2025 by imports for non-EV-related applications. Over 90% of the batteries used in BESS installations in 2026 in the US are expected to utilise LFP cells, according to Benchmark’s BESS Service. China accounts for over 97% of the global supply of LFP battery cells in 2026.",{"type":659,"attrs":2255,"content":2256},{"level":661,"textAlign":49},[2257],{"text":2258,"type":606,"marks":2259},"NCM more heavily used in EV production",[2260],{"type":669},{"type":601,"attrs":2262,"content":2263},{"textAlign":49},[2264],{"text":2265,"type":606},"US manufacturers have diversified away from Chinese supply more successfully in EVs, where NCM and NCA cells are used far more than LFP. Higher tariffs earlier on batteries used in EVs as well as the 30D tax credit, which has now been stopped, have incentivised a quicker move away from Chinese cells.",{"type":701,"attrs":2267},{"id":2226,"body":2268},[2269],{"id":2270,"_uid":2271,"type":708,"component":709,"fixed_height":547,"use_fixed_height":50,"fixed_height_mobile":547,"fixed_height_tablet":547},"28096160","i-95a32dc9-bba4-4f22-b83a-50d837d3fa8a",{"type":601,"attrs":2273,"content":2274},{"textAlign":49},[2275],{"text":2276,"type":606},"Both North American LFP demand and BESS cell supply are expected to grow through to 2030. LFP demand is expected to reach 108GWh as BESS cell supply rises to 100GWh.","Total US lithium ion battery demand is expected to reach 182GWh in 2026, with 37% of this coming from the battery energy stationary storage (BESS) market. Yet the US remains heavily dependent on Chinese battery imports for its energy storage needs as a result of China’s continued grip on supply of lithium iron phosphate (LFP) cells, even as new tariffs push Chinese battery imports to their lowest level since 2021.",[2279],{"slug":544,"name":543,"content":2280},{"job_title":557,"image":2281,"bio":548,"linkedin":555,"markets_covered":558},{"filename":552},"US battery imports hit five-year low after China tariffs rose",[2284,2285,2286,2287],{"slug":752,"name":753},{"slug":758,"name":759},{"slug":761,"name":762},{"slug":755,"name":756},{"id":2289,"alt":547,"name":547,"focus":547,"title":547,"source":547,"filename":2290,"copyright":547,"fieldtype":553,"meta_data":2291,"is_external_url":50},156199089890574,"https://a.storyblok.com/f/287943243085208/1003x707/d4c6eefe8a/lfp-us-reliance.png",{},{"id":2293,"alt":547,"name":547,"focus":547,"title":547,"source":547,"filename":2294,"copyright":547,"fieldtype":553,"meta_data":2295,"is_external_url":50},129065425266346,"https://a.storyblok.com/f/287943243085208/3340a3ef59/bm-batteryfuture.jpg",{},"Total US lithium ion battery demand is expected to reach 182GWh in 2026, with 37% of this coming from the battery energy stationary storage (BESS) market.","Mar 17, 2026",{"id":2299,"uuid":962,"name":2300,"slug":2301,"full_slug":2302,"content":2303},148102673103082,"Is the energy storage market shifting to longer duration capacities?","is-the-energy-storage-market-shifting-to-longer-duration-capacities-","article/is-the-energy-storage-market-shifting-to-longer-duration-capacities-",{"_uid":2304,"date":2305,"tags":2306,"editor":2316,"content":2320,"excerpt":2326,"featured":51,"reporter":2411,"component":748,"seo_title":2415,"categories":2416,"visibility":763,"data_vis_image":2420,"featured_image":2422,"seo_description":2426,"formattedDate":2427},"e3f2fd1e-3bed-4ae4-9a68-163ecfdac4d5","2026-02-23 00:00",[2307,2308,2311,2314],{"slug":1880,"name":1064},{"slug":2309,"name":2310},"bess-systems","BESS Systems",{"slug":2312,"name":2313},"energy-storage","Energy storage",{"slug":2315,"name":2315},"battery",[2317],{"slug":589,"name":590,"content":2318},{"job_title":592,"image":2319,"bio":595,"linkedin":596},{"filename":594},{"type":598,"content":2321},[2322,2330,2339,2346,2360,2368,2382,2390,2403],{"type":601,"attrs":2323,"content":2324},{"textAlign":49},[2325],{"text":2326,"type":606,"marks":2327},"Average energy storage project duration has risen globally over recent years as markets have moved away from predominantly two-hour systems towards four-hour and longer assets. Early battery energy storage system (BESS) deployments are typically optimised for frequency response and short-term balancing, where shorter duration configurations were sufficient to capture available revenues. ",[2328],{"type":609,"attrs":2329},{"color":547},{"type":601,"attrs":2331,"content":2333},{"textAlign":2332},"left",[2334],{"text":2335,"type":606,"marks":2336},"However, as the storage market matures and renewable penetration increases, the role of storage is moving to provide deeper energy shifting and system adequacy services. As a result, four-hour systems are now widely considered the market standard in many mature regions, and there is growing interest in six-hour, eight-hour and even longer-duration configurations.",[2337],{"type":609,"attrs":2338},{"color":547},{"type":701,"attrs":2340},{"id":2341,"body":2342},"4b555383-30f0-4f60-9fbf-17ae5927682c",[2343],{"id":2344,"_uid":2345,"type":708,"component":709,"fixed_height":547,"use_fixed_height":50,"fixed_height_mobile":547,"fixed_height_tablet":547},"27606684","i-95c9d85e-30e1-42d1-8cf5-a28306ac4e66",{"type":659,"attrs":2347,"content":2348},{"level":661,"textAlign":49},[2349,2355],{"text":2350,"type":606,"marks":2351},"Why is duration important?",[2352,2354],{"type":609,"attrs":2353},{"color":547},{"type":669},{"text":2356,"type":606,"marks":2357},"  ",[2358],{"type":609,"attrs":2359},{"color":547},{"type":601,"attrs":2361,"content":2362},{"textAlign":2332},[2363],{"text":2364,"type":606,"marks":2365},"Duration determines how long a battery can discharge at its rated power, and therefore how much energy it can deliver when the system needs it most. While short-duration assets are well suited to fast-response ancillary services, longer-duration systems are better equipped for energy shifting, peak demand coverage and supporting reliability during renewable shortfalls.",[2366],{"type":609,"attrs":2367},{"color":547},{"type":659,"attrs":2369,"content":2370},{"level":661,"textAlign":2332},[2371,2377],{"text":2372,"type":606,"marks":2373},"What has pushed this change? ",[2374,2376],{"type":609,"attrs":2375},{"color":547},{"type":669},{"text":2378,"type":606,"marks":2379}," ",[2380],{"type":609,"attrs":2381},{"color":547},{"type":601,"attrs":2383,"content":2384},{"textAlign":2332},[2385],{"text":2386,"type":606,"marks":2387},"The shift towards longer-duration BESS has been driven primarily by falling battery costs, which have reduced the incremental expense of adding additional hours of storage and improved project economics. At the same time, rising renewable penetration has increased the need for multi-hour energy shifting rather than short bursts of ancillary services. Market reforms, capacity mechanisms and the saturation of frequency response revenues in particular markets have further encouraged developers to adopt four-hour and longer configurations to diversify income streams and enhance asset value. ",[2388],{"type":609,"attrs":2389},{"color":547},{"type":659,"attrs":2391,"content":2392},{"level":661,"textAlign":2332},[2393,2399],{"text":2394,"type":606,"marks":2395},"Is this an upside for battery demand?​",[2396,2398],{"type":609,"attrs":2397},{"color":547},{"type":669},{"text":2378,"type":606,"marks":2400},[2401],{"type":609,"attrs":2402},{"color":547},{"type":601,"attrs":2404,"content":2405},{"textAlign":2332},[2406],{"text":2407,"type":606,"marks":2408},"Markets trending to longer duration provides a medium- and long-term upside potential for BESS demand. Even with modest growth in installed power capacity, a shift toward six-hour, eight-hour, or longer systems materially increases total cell demand, reinforcing BESS as a long-term driver of global battery consumption as grids lean more heavily on storage for bulk energy shifting. ",[2409],{"type":609,"attrs":2410},{"color":547},[2412],{"slug":544,"name":543,"content":2413},{"job_title":557,"image":2414,"bio":548,"linkedin":555,"markets_covered":558},{"filename":552},"Is energy storage market shifting to longer duration capacities?",[2417,2418,2419],{"slug":752,"name":753},{"slug":1402,"name":1403},{"slug":761,"name":762},{"id":49,"alt":49,"name":547,"focus":49,"title":49,"source":49,"filename":547,"copyright":49,"fieldtype":553,"meta_data":2421},{},{"id":2423,"alt":547,"name":547,"focus":547,"title":547,"source":547,"filename":2424,"copyright":547,"fieldtype":553,"meta_data":2425,"is_external_url":50},129068131298405,"https://a.storyblok.com/f/287943243085208/5a06b5e2e0/bm-harmony-energy-bess.jpg",{},"Average energy storage project duration has risen globally over recent years as markets have moved away from predominantly two-hour systems towards four-hour and longer assets.","Feb 23, 2026",{"id":2429,"uuid":2430,"name":2431,"slug":2432,"full_slug":2433,"content":2434},147120123892216,"c21d6cbc-4940-49e4-aae0-76ebdb40ed95","NEW REPORT: US adds 58GWh of new energy storage capacity in 2025, largest single year of new battery capacity on record","new-report-us-adds-58-gwh-of-new-energy-storage-capacity-in-2025-largest-single-year-of-new-battery-capacity-on-record","article/new-report-us-adds-58-gwh-of-new-energy-storage-capacity-in-2025-largest-single-year-of-new-battery-capacity-on-record",{"_uid":2435,"date":2305,"tags":2436,"editor":2441,"content":2445,"excerpt":2451,"featured":51,"reporter":2610,"component":748,"seo_title":2614,"categories":2615,"visibility":1069,"data_vis_image":2622,"featured_image":2624,"seo_description":2451,"formattedDate":2427},"2a92f51f-c623-47ed-922d-9fc3b5122696",[2437,2438],{"slug":576,"name":577},{"slug":2439,"name":2440},"solar-energy-industries-association","Solar Energy Industries Association",[2442],{"slug":909,"name":910,"content":2443},{"job_title":912,"image":2444,"bio":915,"linkedin":916},{"filename":914},{"type":598,"content":2446},[2447,2454,2459,2470,2481,2496,2517,2522,2552,2573,2583,2591],{"type":601,"attrs":2448,"content":2449},{"textAlign":49},[2450],{"text":2451,"type":606,"marks":2452},"Inaugural Report Demonstrates Critical Role Energy Storage Plays in Ensuring Grid Reliability and Keeping Energy Prices Down",[2453],{"type":1036},{"type":601,"attrs":2455,"content":2456},{"textAlign":49},[2457],{"text":2458,"type":606},"Feb. 23, 2026",{"type":601,"attrs":2460,"content":2461},{"textAlign":49},[2462,2464,2468],{"text":2463,"type":606},"WASHINGTON, D.C. — ",{"text":2378,"type":606,"marks":2465},[2466],{"type":609,"attrs":2467},{"color":547},{"text":2469,"type":606},"The US energy storage industry installed a record-shattering 57.6 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of new capacity in 2025, the largest single year of new battery capacity additions on record. Despite actions in Washington targeting clean energy, energy storage installations grew 30% from the previous record set in 2024, and are over four times what the industry installed just three years ago.",{"type":601,"attrs":2471,"content":2472},{"textAlign":49},[2473,2479],{"text":2474,"type":606,"marks":2475},"According to the US Energy Storage Market Outlook Q1 2026 (ESMO) released today by Benchmark Mineral Intelligence and the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), ",[2476],{"type":609,"attrs":2477},{"color":2478},"black",{"text":2480,"type":606},"as of 2025, 137GWh of utility scale storage has been installed in the United States. 19GWh of commercial and industrial (C&I) storage has been installed and 9GWh of residential storage has been installed.",{"type":601,"attrs":2482,"content":2483},{"textAlign":49},[2484,2489,2491],{"text":2485,"type":606,"marks":2486},"Despite actions in Washington targeting clean energy",[2487],{"type":609,"attrs":2488},{"color":2478},{"text":2490,"type":606},", over 60 GWh of energy storage is expected to be installed by 2030.",{"text":2492,"type":606,"marks":2493}," This rapid deployment will help lower energy costs, enhance reliability, and boost American energy independence.",[2494],{"type":609,"attrs":2495},{"color":2478},{"type":601,"attrs":2497,"content":2498},{"textAlign":49},[2499,2504,2510,2515],{"text":2500,"type":606,"marks":2501},"“The US energy storage market has entered a new phase of sustained, high volume-deployments,\" ",[2502],{"type":609,"attrs":2503},{"color":547},{"text":2505,"type":606,"marks":2506},"said Iola Hughes, Head of Research at Benchmark Minerals.",[2507,2509],{"type":609,"attrs":2508},{"color":547},{"type":669},{"text":2511,"type":606,"marks":2512}," “As policy, manufacturing and market demand align, storage is playing a pivotal role in meeting peak demand, reducing price volatility and improving overall system resilience. At a time of rising electricity demand, driven in part by the growth of data centers and AI infrastructure, energy storage will be critical to ensuring the grid ",[2513],{"type":609,"attrs":2514},{"color":547},{"text":2516,"type":606},"can scale reliably and efficiently.”",{"type":601,"attrs":2518,"content":2519},{"textAlign":49},[2520],{"text":2521,"type":606},"Two-thirds of all utility scale energy storage capacity installed in 2025 was built in states won by President Donald Trump, including 9 of the top 15 states for new installations. Texas is set to overtake California in 2026 as the largest energy storage market in the country.",{"type":601,"attrs":2523,"content":2524},{"textAlign":49},[2525,2530,2535,2537,2542,2547],{"text":2526,"type":606,"marks":2527},"Standalone storage made up nearly 30GWh of new capacity added in 2025, while storage paired with solar accounted for 20GWh. The residential energy storage sector added 3.1GWh in 2025, marking a 51% year-on-year increase.",[2528],{"type":609,"attrs":2529},{"color":547},{"text":2531,"type":606,"marks":2532}," Expansion of virtual power plant programs in states such as Massachusetts, Texas, Arizona, and ",[2533],{"type":609,"attrs":2534},{"color":2478},{"text":2536,"type":606},"Illinois",{"text":2538,"type":606,"marks":2539}," ",[2540],{"type":609,"attrs":2541},{"color":2478},{"text":2543,"type":606,"marks":2544},"are ",[2545],{"type":609,"attrs":2546},{"color":547},{"text":2548,"type":606,"marks":2549},"driving residential storage deployment, which helps states cut costs, manage peak demand, and strengthen grid resilience.",[2550],{"type":609,"attrs":2551},{"color":2478},{"type":601,"attrs":2553,"content":2554},{"textAlign":49},[2555,2557,2562,2568],{"text":2556,"type":606},"“This record-brea",{"text":2558,"type":606,"marks":2559},"king year for energy storage is just the beginning of its rise as a cornerstone of America’s energy future,”",[2560],{"type":609,"attrs":2561},{"color":547},{"text":2563,"type":606,"marks":2564}," said Darren Van’t Hof, Interim President and CEO of the Solar Energy Industries Association. ",[2565,2567],{"type":609,"attrs":2566},{"color":547},{"type":669},{"text":2569,"type":606,"marks":2570},"“Whether it’s paired with solar or standing on its own, energy storage lowers consumer costs, makes the grid more reliable, and keeps the power on in homes during outages. Deployment is rising fast, but without a course correction from federal actions targeting the industry, Americans will face higher electricity prices and a less resilient energy system.”",[2571],{"type":609,"attrs":2572},{"color":547},{"type":601,"attrs":2574,"content":2575},{"textAlign":49},[2576,2581],{"text":2577,"type":606,"marks":2578},"In 2025, battery cell manufacturers pivoted from EV manufacturing towards dedicated energy storage production, converting existing lines and changing future plans. As of 2025, l",[2579],{"type":609,"attrs":2580},{"color":2478},{"text":2582,"type":606},"ithium ion battery cell manufacturing for stationary electricity storage applications has risen to over 21GWh according to SEIA’s Solar and Storage Supply Chain Dashboard, which is enough to power the city of Houston from sunset to sunrise. And American manufacturing facilities now have the capacity to manufacture 69.4GWh of battery energy storage systems.",{"type":601,"attrs":2584,"content":2585},{"textAlign":49},[2586],{"text":2587,"type":606,"marks":2588},"The Energy Storage Market Outlook has been produced in collaboration with SEIA, combining Benchmark’s proprietary grid and behind the meter data on US energy storage deployment, with SEIA’s industry-leading policy and market expertise. Together, the two organisations will jointly deliver in-depth analysis of current market conditions and forward-looking forecasts designed to support industry leaders, investors, manufacturers, utilities, and policymakers.",[2589],{"type":609,"attrs":2590},{"color":547},{"type":601,"attrs":2592,"content":2593},{"textAlign":49},[2594,2600],{"text":2595,"type":606,"marks":2596},"For more information on the product ",[2597,2599],{"type":609,"attrs":2598},{"color":547},{"type":1036},{"text":2601,"type":606,"marks":2602},"click here.",[2603,2606,2608,2609],{"type":615,"attrs":2604},{"href":2605,"uuid":49,"anchor":49,"target":931,"linktype":953},"https://www.benchmarkminerals.com/lp/energy-storage-market-outlook-report",{"type":609,"attrs":2607},{"color":547},{"type":669},{"type":1036},[2611],{"slug":544,"name":543,"content":2612},{"job_title":557,"image":2613,"bio":548,"linkedin":555,"markets_covered":558},{"filename":552},"US adds record 58 GWh of New Energy Storage Capacity in 2025",[2616,2617,2618,2619],{"slug":752,"name":753},{"slug":761,"name":762},{"slug":755,"name":756},{"slug":2620,"name":2621},"new-energy","New Energy",{"id":49,"alt":49,"name":547,"focus":49,"title":49,"source":49,"filename":547,"copyright":49,"fieldtype":553,"meta_data":2623},{},{"id":2625,"alt":547,"name":547,"focus":547,"title":547,"source":547,"filename":2626,"copyright":547,"fieldtype":553,"meta_data":2627,"is_external_url":50},147120230126625,"https://a.storyblok.com/f/287943243085208/1920x1080/4509d99943/seia-header-image.png",{},{"id":2629,"uuid":2630,"name":2631,"slug":2632,"full_slug":2633,"content":2634},146014015521971,"42a2536b-f830-4cf1-ac56-b4cc47fed278","US Treasury and IRS release interim PFE guidance for 45X and 48E tax credit eligibility","us-treasury-and-irs-release-interim-pfe-guidance-for-45x-and-48e-tax-credit-eligibility","article/us-treasury-and-irs-release-interim-pfe-guidance-for-45x-and-48e-tax-credit-eligibility",{"_uid":2635,"date":2636,"tags":2637,"editor":2638,"content":2648,"excerpt":2654,"featured":51,"reporter":2942,"component":748,"seo_title":547,"categories":2946,"visibility":1069,"author_company":547,"data_vis_image":2953,"featured_image":2955,"seo_description":547,"author_full_name":547,"author_job_title":547,"formattedDate":2959},"d1be27b8-3591-48cb-8140-34fb523ab367","2026-02-17 00:00",[],[2639],{"slug":2640,"name":2641,"content":2642},"didi-bostock","Didi Bostock",{"job_title":2643,"image":2644,"bio":2646,"linkedin":2647},"Editor - Energy Transition & Economics",{"filename":2645},"https://a.storyblok.com/f/287943243085208/512x512/2c5ca5c1a3/didi-bostock.jpeg","Didi is the Energy Transition & Economics Editor at Benchmark, covering a broad range of markets across the energy transition. His remit spans from downstream sectors such as BESS and EVs, through to midstream such as new technologies and battery production, to upstream critical minerals mining. He also leads on financial analysis across these supply chains, alongside in-depth policy analysis.\n","https://www.linkedin.com/in/didi-bostock-656342198/",{"type":598,"content":2649},[2650,2658,2680,2688,2697,2705,2713,2721,2730,2738,2746,2765,2773,2781,2789,2798,2818,2842,2850,2857,2865,2885,2893,2925,2934],{"type":601,"attrs":2651,"content":2652},{"textAlign":49},[2653],{"text":2654,"type":606,"marks":2655},"The US Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) have released interim guidance on how Prohibited Foreign Entity (PFE) \"material assistance\" will be treated and calculated under the section 45X production tax credit (PTC) and section 48E investment tax credit (ITC).",[2656],{"type":609,"attrs":2657},{"color":547},{"type":601,"attrs":2659,"content":2661},{"textAlign":2660},"justify",[2662,2667,2675],{"text":2663,"type":606,"marks":2664},"The notice, issued following the adoption of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) in July 2025, aims to answer a central question for the US battery and storage industry: how much PFE content is compatible with claiming federal tax credits. PFEs are defined as companies with excessive Chinese ownership, debt, or involvement in management. Under OBBBA, their role in US ",[2665],{"type":609,"attrs":2666},{"color":547},{"text":2668,"type":606,"marks":2669},"supply chains",[2670,2672],{"type":609,"attrs":2671},{"color":547},{"type":615,"attrs":2673},{"href":2674,"uuid":49,"anchor":49,"target":619,"linktype":953},"https://www.benchmarkminerals.com/supply-chain-data",{"text":2676,"type":606,"marks":2677}," is now a key determinant of tax credit eligibility.",[2678],{"type":609,"attrs":2679},{"color":547},{"type":601,"attrs":2681,"content":2682},{"textAlign":2660},[2683],{"text":2684,"type":606,"marks":2685},"Although the core statutory language was already in OBBBA, the notice operationalises it by turning both 45X and 48E into explicit cost-based supply chain tests tied to origin and control of equipment and components.",[2686],{"type":609,"attrs":2687},{"color":547},{"type":601,"attrs":2689,"content":2690},{"textAlign":2660},[2691],{"text":2692,"type":606,"marks":2693},"Interim safe harbour for PFE \"material assistance\" and supplier certification",[2694,2696],{"type":609,"attrs":2695},{"color":547},{"type":669},{"type":601,"attrs":2698,"content":2699},{"textAlign":2660},[2700],{"text":2701,"type":606,"marks":2702},"The notice establishes interim safe harbour rules for determining whether a project, facility, or eligible component under sections 45X and 48E includes \"material assistance\" from a PFE. Taxpayers must calculate a \"material assistance cost ratio\" (MACR), which measures the percentage of a project or product's cost attributable to equipment, parts, and materials supplied by PFEs. The higher the share of PFE-sourced content, the greater the risk of failing to meet the MACR thresholds set by statute.",[2703],{"type":609,"attrs":2704},{"color":547},{"type":601,"attrs":2706,"content":2707},{"textAlign":2660},[2708],{"text":2709,"type":606,"marks":2710},"The guidance also introduces a conditional certification safe harbour. A taxpayer may rely on a supplier certification regarding PFE status unless the taxpayer knows, or has reason to know, that it is inaccurate. If the taxpayer does know, or should know, that property is PFE-produced or PFE-sourced, all associated direct costs must be treated as PFE-produced or PFE-sourced for MACR purposes.",[2711],{"type":609,"attrs":2712},{"color":547},{"type":601,"attrs":2714,"content":2715},{"textAlign":2660},[2716],{"text":2717,"type":606,"marks":2718},"As for supply chain due diligence, the MACR and certification safe harbour rules require in principle, just the mapping of direct equipment or material suppliers and as a result, no automatic duty to conduct a full supply chain due diligence and for mineral-level tracing, as long as there are no red flags or a vertically integrated taxpayer, which bears more tracing responsibility.",[2719],{"type":609,"attrs":2720},{"color":547},{"type":601,"attrs":2722,"content":2723},{"textAlign":2660},[2724],{"text":2725,"type":606,"marks":2726},"\"Effective control\" and IP arrangements",[2727,2729],{"type":609,"attrs":2728},{"color":547},{"type":669},{"type":601,"attrs":2731,"content":2732},{"textAlign":2660},[2733],{"text":2734,"type":606,"marks":2735},"Pending more detailed regulation, the notice already defines \"effective control\" as the unrestricted contractual right of a counterparty to determine key operational levers of a facility. This includes, for example, the right to dictate the quantity or timing of production; and/or the amount or timing of electricity production or storage activities.",[2736],{"type":609,"attrs":2737},{"color":547},{"type":601,"attrs":2739,"content":2740},{"textAlign":2660},[2741],{"text":2742,"type":606,"marks":2743},"The definition explicitly extends to licensing agreements for the provision of intellectual property (IP) with respect to a qualified facility that are entered into or modified on or after 4 July 2025. This means that PFE-linked IP, licensing, or royalty structures that give a foreign counterparty practical control over operations or sourcing can affect whether a facility or component is treated as having PFE \"material assistance,\" even where physical manufacturing is conducted in the US.",[2744],{"type":609,"attrs":2745},{"color":547},{"type":601,"attrs":2747,"content":2748},{"textAlign":2660},[2749,2755,2759],{"text":2750,"type":606,"marks":2751},"Implications for the ",[2752,2754],{"type":609,"attrs":2753},{"color":547},{"type":669},{"text":2756,"type":606,"marks":2757},"§",[2758],{"type":669},{"text":2760,"type":606,"marks":2761},"45X PTC – Battery Components & Critical Minerals",[2762,2764],{"type":609,"attrs":2763},{"color":547},{"type":669},{"type":601,"attrs":2766,"content":2767},{"textAlign":2660},[2768],{"text":2769,"type":606,"marks":2770},"Under section 45X, battery producers can claim up to $45/kWh in tax credits, split between $35/kWh for cells and $10/kWh for modules. For 45X, the MACR is calculated at the eligible component level and is based on the direct material costs of the component being produced. For cell and module manufacturers, this effectively pulls bill-of-materials sourcing, upstream input origin, and licensing structures into tax credit qualification.",[2771],{"type":609,"attrs":2772},{"color":547},{"type":601,"attrs":2774,"content":2775},{"textAlign":2660},[2776],{"text":2777,"type":606,"marks":2778},"The minimum required share of non-PFE material assistance in battery components is set at 60% in 2026. This threshold then increases by 5 percentage points per year, reaching 85% in 2030. Over time, it will become progressively harder to qualify for 45X while relying on PFE-supplied materials and parts.",[2779],{"type":609,"attrs":2780},{"color":547},{"type":601,"attrs":2782,"content":2783},{"textAlign":2660},[2784],{"text":2785,"type":606,"marks":2786},"Exposure under 45X is not limited to where a component is physically produced. It also extends to who controls the production platform. A US facility that depends on licensed IP, royalty structures, or contractual rights that give a specified foreign entity meaningful operational or sourcing influence could face 45X eligibility risk, even if all manufacturing takes place domestically and equipment is located in the US.",[2787],{"type":609,"attrs":2788},{"color":547},{"type":601,"attrs":2790,"content":2791},{"textAlign":2660},[2792],{"text":2793,"type":606,"marks":2794},"Implications for the §48E ITC – Energy Storage and Battery Projects",[2795,2797],{"type":609,"attrs":2796},{"color":547},{"type":669},{"type":601,"attrs":2799,"content":2800},{"textAlign":2660},[2801,2806,2813],{"text":2802,"type":606,"marks":2803},"Section 48E covers energy storage technologies, including standalone ",[2804],{"type":609,"attrs":2805},{"color":547},{"text":2807,"type":606,"marks":2808},"battery energy storage systems",[2809,2811],{"type":609,"attrs":2810},{"color":547},{"type":615,"attrs":2812},{"href":952,"uuid":49,"anchor":49,"target":619,"linktype":953},{"text":2814,"type":606,"marks":2815}," (BESS). For the 48E ITC, the MACR is assessed at the project level. It is based on the direct costs of manufactured products that are incorporated into the facility or energy storage system. In practice:",[2816],{"type":609,"attrs":2817},{"color":547},{"type":2819,"content":2820},"bullet_list",[2821,2832],{"type":2822,"content":2823},"list_item",[2824],{"type":601,"attrs":2825,"content":2826},{"textAlign":2660},[2827],{"text":2828,"type":606,"marks":2829},"Civil works, foundations, and most construction materials do not materially dilute the MACR denominator; and",[2830],{"type":609,"attrs":2831},{"color":547},{"type":2822,"content":2833},[2834],{"type":601,"attrs":2835,"content":2836},{"textAlign":2660},[2837],{"text":2838,"type":606,"marks":2839},"Structural steel and iron are excluded from the MACR calculation, concentrating the test on the core equipment stack.",[2840],{"type":609,"attrs":2841},{"color":547},{"type":601,"attrs":2843,"content":2844},{"textAlign":2660},[2845],{"text":2846,"type":606,"marks":2847},"This means batteries, power conversion systems, and other manufactured equipment dominate the MACR calculation and therefore determine whether a project passes the PFE thresholds.",[2848],{"type":609,"attrs":2849},{"color":547},{"type":701,"attrs":2851},{"id":2852,"body":2853},"e9bd2b26-1d13-4aef-b23b-fe8a71f2965f",[2854],{"id":2855,"_uid":2856,"type":620,"component":709,"fixed_height":547,"use_fixed_height":50,"fixed_height_mobile":547,"fixed_height_tablet":547},"3587988","i-ab7aae67-3136-4e54-a68d-71967f355078",{"type":601,"attrs":2858,"content":2859},{"textAlign":49},[2860],{"text":2861,"type":606,"marks":2862},"For example, if a storage project uses PFE-produced cells that represent 50% of the manufactured product's direct cost, and the applicable minimum non-PFE share for 2026 is 55%, the project would fail the test and not qualify for 48E under the PFE rules.",[2863],{"type":609,"attrs":2864},{"color":547},{"type":601,"attrs":2866,"content":2867},{"textAlign":2660},[2868,2873,2880],{"text":2869,"type":606,"marks":2870},"Under OBBBA, the new PFE regime applies only to projects that begin construction after 31 December 2025. As a result, 2026 becomes a structural pivot year for sourcing strategies, especially for storage projects that currently rely heavily on Chinese ",[2871],{"type":609,"attrs":2872},{"color":547},{"text":451,"type":606,"marks":2874},[2875,2877],{"type":609,"attrs":2876},{"color":547},{"type":615,"attrs":2878},{"href":2879,"uuid":49,"anchor":49,"target":619,"linktype":953},"https://www.benchmarkminerals.com/cathode",{"text":2881,"type":606,"marks":2882}," cells or other China-linked equipment.",[2883],{"type":609,"attrs":2884},{"color":547},{"type":601,"attrs":2886,"content":2887},{"textAlign":2660},[2888],{"text":2889,"type":606,"marks":2890},"In practical terms, 48E has become an equipment supply chain compliance test:",[2891],{"type":609,"attrs":2892},{"color":547},{"type":2819,"content":2894},[2895,2905,2915],{"type":2822,"content":2896},[2897],{"type":601,"attrs":2898,"content":2899},{"textAlign":2660},[2900],{"text":2901,"type":606,"marks":2902},"Developers must interrogate detailed cost breakdowns and supplier certifications, not just engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) pricing.",[2903],{"type":609,"attrs":2904},{"color":547},{"type":2822,"content":2906},[2907],{"type":601,"attrs":2908,"content":2909},{"textAlign":2660},[2910],{"text":2911,"type":606,"marks":2912},"System integrators must re-evaluate cell origin, power electronics sourcing, and licensing exposure.",[2913],{"type":609,"attrs":2914},{"color":547},{"type":2822,"content":2916},[2917],{"type":601,"attrs":2918,"content":2919},{"textAlign":2660},[2920],{"text":2921,"type":606,"marks":2922},"Investors are likely to underwrite 48E eligibility risk alongside conventional revenue and offtake assumptions.",[2923],{"type":609,"attrs":2924},{"color":547},{"type":601,"attrs":2926,"content":2927},{"textAlign":49},[2928],{"text":2929,"type":606,"marks":2930},"Next steps and forthcoming regulations",[2931,2933],{"type":609,"attrs":2932},{"color":547},{"type":669},{"type":601,"attrs":2935,"content":2936},{"textAlign":2660},[2937],{"text":2938,"type":606,"marks":2939},"The notice confirms that Treasury and the IRS intend to issue comprehensive proposed regulations and further guidance on: the definition of a PFE; and the detailed operation of the material assistance rules. This is expected to take the form of additional notices and proposed regulations that will build on the interim safe-harbour framework. Stakeholders are invited to submit general comments and responses to a list of specific questions by 30 March 2026.",[2940],{"type":609,"attrs":2941},{"color":547},[2943],{"slug":544,"name":543,"content":2944},{"job_title":557,"image":2945,"bio":548,"linkedin":555,"markets_covered":558},{"filename":552},[2947,2948,2949,2952],{"slug":752,"name":753},{"slug":761,"name":762},{"slug":2950,"name":2951},"geopolitics","Geopolitics",{"slug":755,"name":756},{"id":49,"alt":49,"name":547,"focus":49,"title":49,"source":49,"filename":547,"copyright":49,"fieldtype":553,"meta_data":2954},{},{"id":2956,"alt":547,"name":547,"focus":547,"title":547,"source":547,"filename":2957,"copyright":547,"fieldtype":553,"meta_data":2958,"is_external_url":50},146014686025548,"https://a.storyblok.com/f/287943243085208/5272x2965/82430d2802/adobestock_1703316058.jpeg",{},"Feb 17, 2026",{"id":2961,"uuid":2032,"name":2962,"slug":2963,"full_slug":2964,"content":2965},136732961738934,"Global lithium ion battery demand rose 29% in 2025","global-lithium-ion-battery-demand-rose-29-in-2025","article/global-lithium-ion-battery-demand-rose-29-in-2025",{"_uid":2966,"date":2967,"live":51,"tags":2968,"editor":2973,"content":2977,"excerpt":3116,"featured":51,"reporter":3117,"component":748,"seo_title":2962,"categories":3121,"visibility":1069,"author_company":547,"data_vis_image":3134,"featured_image":3138,"seo_description":3142,"author_full_name":547,"author_job_title":547,"formattedDate":3143},"d98b80c8-eb20-4c8d-ac1a-3ffcefbf2ad0","2026-01-15 00:00",[2969,2970],{"slug":787,"name":788},{"slug":2971,"name":2972},"global-demand","Global demand",[2974],{"slug":2640,"name":2641,"content":2975},{"job_title":2643,"image":2976,"bio":2646,"linkedin":2647},{"filename":2645},{"type":598,"content":2978},[2979,2998,3006,3014,3034,3039,3044,3051,3056,3061,3066,3071,3078,3087,3097,3099,3106],{"type":601,"attrs":2980,"content":2981},{"textAlign":49},[2982,2984,2990,2992,2996],{"text":2983,"type":606},"Benchmark Mineral Intelligence, specialising in EV and battery supply chain research and insights, reports that global ",{"text":2985,"type":606,"marks":2986},"lithium ion battery",[2987],{"type":615,"attrs":2988},{"href":2989,"uuid":49,"anchor":49,"target":619,"linktype":953},"https://www.benchmarkminerals.com/lithium",{"text":2991,"type":606}," demand increased by 29% in 2025 to reach 1.59TWh. This growth was driven by rising demand across EVs, ",{"text":1064,"type":606,"marks":2993},[2994],{"type":615,"attrs":2995},{"href":952,"uuid":49,"anchor":49,"target":619,"linktype":953},{"text":2997,"type":606},", and other battery applications, with BESS in particular gaining share in the overall mix.",{"type":601,"attrs":2999,"content":3000},{"textAlign":49},[3001],{"type":1579,"attrs":3002},{"id":49,"alt":3003,"src":3004,"title":49,"source":49,"copyright":49,"meta_data":3005},"Global lithium ion battery demand growth","https://res.cloudinary.com/benchmarkminerals/images/w_1024,h_576,c_scale/f_auto,q_auto/v1768474362/www-production/image-4-1_135187416429/image-4-1_135187416429.png?_i=AA",{},{"type":659,"attrs":3007,"content":3009},{"level":3008,"textAlign":49},4,[3010],{"text":3011,"type":606,"marks":3012},"Battery demand by sector",[3013],{"type":669},{"type":601,"attrs":3015,"content":3016},{"textAlign":49},[3017,3019,3025,3027,3032],{"text":3018,"type":606},"The share of total battery demand accounted for by ",{"text":3020,"type":606,"marks":3021},"EVs",[3022],{"type":615,"attrs":3023},{"href":3024,"uuid":49,"anchor":49,"target":619,"linktype":953},"https://www.benchmarkminerals.com/ev-and-battery",{"text":3026,"type":606}," continued to edge lower, even as absolute demand from the sector increased. EVs represented 75% of global ",{"text":1919,"type":606,"marks":3028},[3029],{"type":615,"attrs":3030},{"href":3031,"uuid":49,"anchor":49,"target":619,"linktype":953},"https://www.benchmarkminerals.com/battery-gigafactory",{"text":3033,"type":606}," in 2025, down from 77% in 2024 and 79% in 2023.",{"type":601,"attrs":3035,"content":3036},{"textAlign":49},[3037],{"text":3038,"type":606},"Portables also saw their share eroded, slipping from 6% of total demand in 2024 to 5% in 2025. Although both EVs and Portables recorded year-on-year growth in GWh terms, the pace of expansion was slower than in the BESS segment.",{"type":601,"attrs":3040,"content":3041},{"textAlign":49},[3042],{"text":3043,"type":606},"BESS remained the fastest-growing major end-use segment. Battery demand from BESS increased by 51% in 2025, compared with 26% growth in demand from the EV sector, resulting in a continued rebalancing of demand towards stationary storage.",{"type":659,"attrs":3045,"content":3046},{"level":3008,"textAlign":49},[3047],{"text":3048,"type":606,"marks":3049},"Regional variation",[3050],{"type":669},{"type":601,"attrs":3052,"content":3053},{"textAlign":49},[3054],{"text":3055,"type":606},"Regional demand patterns diverged significantly in 2025.",{"type":601,"attrs":3057,"content":3058},{"textAlign":49},[3059],{"text":3060,"type":606},"In North America, BESS gained a much larger foothold in the demand mix, accounting for 26% of total battery demand, up from 16% in 2024. This came as EV demand growth slowed, in part reflecting the impact of changes to Inflation Reduction Act (IRA) tax credit eligibility in the US.",{"type":601,"attrs":3062,"content":3063},{"textAlign":49},[3064],{"text":3065,"type":606},"In Europe, EVs remained the dominant driver of battery demand. The EV share of total battery demand increased to 85% in 2025, from 77% in 2024, highlighting the region’s continued focus on light-duty electrification. BESS, by contrast, saw its share of total demand fall from 16% to 8% over the same period.",{"type":601,"attrs":3067,"content":3068},{"textAlign":49},[3069],{"text":3070,"type":606},"In China, EVs continued to account for the bulk of battery demand, with their share stable at 77% in both 2024 and 2025. However, BESS gained further ground, with its share of total battery demand rising from 16% in 2024 to 19% in 2025. Notably, in December 2025, BESS accounted for 45% of battery demand on account of a record month.",{"type":659,"attrs":3072,"content":3073},{"level":3008,"textAlign":49},[3074],{"text":3075,"type":606,"marks":3076},"Chemistry trends",[3077],{"type":669},{"type":601,"attrs":3079,"content":3080},{"textAlign":49},[3081,3085],{"text":451,"type":606,"marks":3082},[3083],{"type":615,"attrs":3084},{"href":2879,"uuid":49,"anchor":49,"target":619,"linktype":953},{"text":3086,"type":606}," remained the fastest-growing battery chemistry in 2025, with demand increasing by 48% year-on-year. This was underpinned by rapid growth in the global BESS market and by continued expansion of China’s EV market, both domestically and through rising vehicle exports.",{"type":601,"attrs":3088,"content":3089},{"textAlign":49},[3090,3095],{"text":150,"type":606,"marks":3091},[3092],{"type":615,"attrs":3093},{"href":3094,"uuid":49,"anchor":49,"target":619,"linktype":953},"https://www.benchmarkminerals.com/nickel",{"text":3096,"type":606},"-based chemistries also saw year-on-year demand growth in absolute terms. However, their overall share of global battery demand declined in 2025, as strong gains in LFP outpaced growth in nickel-containing cathode demand.",{"type":3098},"horizontal_rule",{"type":601,"attrs":3100,"content":3101},{"textAlign":49},[3102],{"text":3103,"type":606,"marks":3104},"To learn more about our battery demand data and forecasts, submit your details below and our team will be in touch:",[3105],{"type":669},{"type":701,"attrs":3107},{"id":3108,"body":3109},"3fcc77e1-f5b8-4037-b659-8c28fef18d62",[3110],{"id":1042,"_uid":3111,"component":1044,"wrap_in_box":50,"redirect_url":3112,"success_file":3113,"default_height":547,"success_message":547,"v2_hubspot_form":50,"success_sub_text":547,"hidden_field_values":3115},"i-a0071b22-7145-472d-80fc-8e036478b3d8",{"id":547,"url":547,"linktype":620,"fieldtype":1046,"cached_url":547},{"id":49,"alt":49,"name":547,"focus":49,"title":49,"source":49,"filename":547,"copyright":49,"fieldtype":553,"meta_data":3114},{},[],"Benchmark Mineral Intelligence, specialising in EV and battery supply chain research and insights, reports that global lithium ion battery demand increased by 29% in 2025 to reach 1.59TWh. This growth was driven by rising demand across EVs, BESS, and other battery applications, with BESS in particular gaining share in the overall mix. Battery demand by sector The share of total battery ...",[3118],{"slug":544,"name":543,"content":3119},{"job_title":557,"image":3120,"bio":548,"linkedin":555,"markets_covered":558},{"filename":552},[3122,3124,3125,3126,3128,3131,3132,3133],{"slug":3123,"name":261},"anode",{"slug":752,"name":753},{"slug":1402,"name":1403},{"slug":3127,"name":298},"cathode",{"slug":3129,"name":3130},"critical-minerals","Critical Minerals",{"slug":761,"name":762},{"slug":758,"name":759},{"slug":755,"name":756},{"id":3135,"alt":547,"name":547,"focus":547,"title":547,"source":547,"filename":3136,"copyright":547,"fieldtype":553,"meta_data":3137,"is_external_url":50},136734537285855,"https://a.storyblok.com/f/287943243085208/1024x576/f1d885ae7d/image-4_46706d895d.png",{},{"id":3139,"alt":547,"name":547,"focus":547,"title":547,"source":547,"filename":3140,"copyright":547,"fieldtype":553,"meta_data":3141,"is_external_url":50},136733157654653,"https://a.storyblok.com/f/287943243085208/2560x1440/ec69255493/adobestock_854935416.jpeg",{},"Benchmark Mineral Intelligence, specialising in EV and battery supply chain research and insights, reports that global lithium ion battery demand increased by 29% in 2025 to reach 1.59TWh. This growth was driven by rising demand a","Jan 15, 2026",{"id":3145,"uuid":3146,"name":3147,"slug":3148,"full_slug":3149,"content":3150},133953852786809,"e2705a82-dc4e-449f-9777-6a15bc082b5e","China BESS installations in December surpass US 2025 total","china-bess-installations-in-december-surpass-us-2025-total","article/china-bess-installations-in-december-surpass-us-2025-total",{"_uid":3151,"date":3152,"tags":3153,"editor":3156,"content":3160,"excerpt":3262,"featured":51,"reporter":3263,"component":748,"seo_title":3147,"categories":3267,"visibility":1069,"author_company":49,"data_vis_image":3270,"featured_image":3273,"seo_description":3276,"author_full_name":49,"author_job_title":49,"formattedDate":3277},"775685cd-0521-41b7-b808-634ddfa9603c","2026-01-07 00:00",[3154,3155],{"slug":573,"name":574},{"slug":787,"name":788},[3157],{"slug":2640,"name":2641,"content":3158},{"job_title":2643,"image":3159,"bio":2646,"linkedin":2647},{"filename":2645},{"type":598,"content":3161},[3162,3173,3178,3185,3190,3197,3202,3207,3212,3217,3222,3227,3240,3245,3252],{"type":601,"attrs":3163,"content":3164},{"textAlign":49},[3165,3167,3171],{"text":3166,"type":606},"In December 2025, more than 65 GWh of grid scale battery energy stationary storage (",{"text":1064,"type":606,"marks":3168},[3169],{"type":615,"attrs":3170},{"href":952,"uuid":49,"anchor":49,"target":619,"linktype":953},{"text":3172,"type":606},") entered operation in China. This exceeded the total installed in the US for the whole of 2025 by more than 15GWh. Considering the US is world’s second largest storage market this underlines the sheer scale of China’s market and dominance in BESS deployment.",{"type":601,"attrs":3174,"content":3175},{"textAlign":49},[3176],{"text":3177,"type":606},"Record December installations",{"type":701,"attrs":3179},{"id":3180,"body":3181},"2d19ad2c-45d2-423d-bca6-f47e756c0116",[3182],{"id":3183,"_uid":3184,"type":708,"component":709,"fixed_height":547,"use_fixed_height":50,"fixed_height_mobile":547,"fixed_height_tablet":547},"27107754","i-889dbc80-3064-41bd-8eb0-e28fd96982d6",{"type":601,"attrs":3186,"content":3187},{"textAlign":49},[3188],{"text":3189,"type":606},"December is often the biggest month for new capacity as developers race to meet installation commitments and capex deadlines, with most players operating on calendar-year capital budgets. China’s December figures accounted for ~41% of the country’s total annual installed capacity, up sharply from the ~25% share December had of the 2024 total figure. Additionally, the ~65GWh installed in December represented a ~135% year-on-year increase.",{"type":701,"attrs":3191},{"id":3192,"body":3193},"d59121f8-1f14-4f49-ac94-fed54d7b2f5c",[3194],{"id":3195,"_uid":3196,"type":708,"component":709,"fixed_height":547,"use_fixed_height":50,"fixed_height_mobile":547,"fixed_height_tablet":547},"27108288","i-9adc4046-8cfc-4ff1-b806-c3276b99c98c",{"type":601,"attrs":3198,"content":3199},{"textAlign":49},[3200],{"text":3201,"type":606},"Inner Mongolia accounted for ~65% of the December installations, with Xinjiang the next-largest region, at ~14%. This broadly aligns with installation patterns seen throughout the year.",{"type":601,"attrs":3203,"content":3204},{"textAlign":49},[3205],{"text":3206,"type":606},"The year of policy changes",{"type":601,"attrs":3208,"content":3209},{"textAlign":49},[3210],{"text":3211,"type":606},"December’s strong finish follows a year of intense price pressure, as continued oversupply and aggressive bidding strategies have prevailed in the China market. This culminated in November when the government moved to curb irrational competition and strengthen market fundamentals.",{"type":601,"attrs":3213,"content":3214},{"textAlign":49},[3215],{"text":3216,"type":606},"The year also saw other policy changes, including the banning of mandatory storage pairing, previously a key driver to the China market, and the introduction of renewable-driven electricity pricing.",{"type":601,"attrs":3218,"content":3219},{"textAlign":49},[3220],{"text":3221,"type":606},"Benchmark energy storage analyst, Calvin Xu, commented “Targets announced in September by China’s National Energy Administration and the National Development and Reform Commission, aiming to reach 180GW of installed energy storage capacity between 2025 and 2027, further indicate the direction for China’s BESS market in the coming years.”",{"type":601,"attrs":3223,"content":3224},{"textAlign":49},[3225],{"text":3226,"type":606},"Unlock granular market visibility with Benchmark’s BESS Service:",{"type":601,"attrs":3228,"content":3229},{"textAlign":49},[3230,3232,3238],{"text":3231,"type":606},"This insight draws from Benchmark’s BESS Service, consisting of detailed ",{"text":3233,"type":606,"marks":3234},"forecasts",[3235],{"type":615,"attrs":3236},{"href":3237,"uuid":49,"anchor":49,"target":619,"linktype":953},"https://www.benchmarkminerals.com/intelligence",{"text":3239,"type":606}," to 2050, regional system pricing, capacity growth trends and more.",{"type":601,"attrs":3241,"content":3242},{"textAlign":49},[3243],{"text":3244,"type":606},"Bringing clarity to a rapidly accelerating market, this subscription facilitates smarter investment decisions, strategy, and successful commercial outcomes.",{"type":601,"attrs":3246,"content":3247},{"textAlign":49},[3248],{"text":3249,"type":606,"marks":3250},"To learn more, submit your details below and our team will be in touch:",[3251],{"type":1036},{"type":701,"attrs":3253},{"id":3254,"body":3255},"0cfbad61-af5c-4ce0-9ae4-08e8cafe64f8",[3256],{"id":1042,"_uid":3257,"component":1044,"wrap_in_box":50,"hubspot_form":1042,"redirect_url":3258,"success_file":3259,"default_height":547,"success_message":547,"success_sub_text":547,"hidden_field_values":3261},"i-4ecb541a-2c1b-4766-ab42-4fe5d4c68ee2",{"id":547,"url":547,"linktype":620,"fieldtype":1046,"cached_url":547},{"id":49,"alt":49,"name":547,"focus":49,"title":49,"source":49,"filename":547,"copyright":49,"fieldtype":553,"meta_data":3260},{},[],"In December 2025, more than 65 GWh of grid scale battery energy stationary storage (BESS) entered operation in China. This exceeded the total installed in the US for the whole of 2025 by more than 15GWh. Considering the US is world’s second largest storage market this underlines the sheer scale of China’s market and dominance […]",[3264],{"slug":544,"name":543,"content":3265},{"job_title":557,"image":3266,"bio":548,"linkedin":555,"markets_covered":558},{"filename":552},[3268,3269],{"slug":752,"name":753},{"slug":761,"name":762},{"id":49,"alt":547,"name":547,"focus":547,"title":547,"source":547,"filename":3271,"copyright":547,"fieldtype":553,"meta_data":3272,"is_external_url":51},"https://res.cloudinary.com/benchmarkminerals/images/f_auto,q_auto/v1767802707/www-production/China-posts-record-BESS-installments-in-December-2025@2x-1/China-posts-record-BESS-installments-in-December-2025@2x-1.png?_i=AA",{"alt":547,"title":547,"source":547,"copyright":547},{"id":49,"alt":547,"name":547,"focus":547,"title":547,"source":547,"filename":3274,"copyright":547,"fieldtype":553,"meta_data":3275,"is_external_url":51},"https://res.cloudinary.com/benchmarkminerals/images/w_2560,h_1440,c_scale/f_auto,q_auto/v1767802638/www-production/AdobeStock_1703316058/AdobeStock_1703316058.jpeg?_i=AA",{"alt":547,"title":547,"source":547,"copyright":547},"In December 2025, more than 65 GWh of grid scale battery energy stationary storage (BESS) entered operation in China. This exceeded the total installed in the US for the whole of 2025 by more than 15GWh. […]","Jan 07, 2026",{"id":3279,"uuid":3280,"name":3281,"slug":3282,"full_slug":3283,"content":3284},112398831133331,"5b7453ab-7ce0-47ec-ba4e-8e22fcd3a8dd","China sets 180GW target for BESS by 2027","china-sets-180gw-target-for-bess-by-2027","article/china-sets-180gw-target-for-bess-by-2027",{"_uid":3285,"date":3286,"tags":3287,"editor":3293,"content":3297,"excerpt":3386,"featured":51,"reporter":3387,"component":748,"seo_title":3281,"categories":3391,"visibility":763,"author_company":49,"data_vis_image":3395,"featured_image":3397,"seo_description":3400,"author_full_name":49,"author_job_title":49,"formattedDate":3401},"c48d5c09-f593-42a3-99ec-bceea740ca61","2025-09-18 00:00",[3288,3289,3292],{"slug":573,"name":574},{"slug":3290,"name":3291},"policy","Policy",{"slug":783,"name":784},[3294],{"slug":909,"name":910,"content":3295},{"job_title":912,"image":3296,"bio":915,"linkedin":916},{"filename":914},{"type":598,"content":3298},[3299,3312,3317,3322,3327,3332,3337,3356,3361,3368,3381],{"type":601,"attrs":3300,"content":3301},{"textAlign":49},[3302,3304,3310],{"text":3303,"type":606},"China is targeting ",{"text":3305,"type":606,"marks":3306},"180GW of installed capacity",[3307],{"type":615,"attrs":3308},{"href":3309,"uuid":49,"anchor":49,"target":49,"linktype":953},"https://source.benchmarkminerals.com/article/chinese-battery-energy-storage-market-to-triple-by-2033",{"text":3311,"type":606}," of “New Energy Storage” by 2027. The target was laid out by China’s National Energy Administration (NEA) ahead of the Central government’s upcoming 15th Five-Year Plan and is estimated to require an investment of ~RMB250 billion ($35bn).",{"type":601,"attrs":3313,"content":3314},{"textAlign":49},[3315],{"text":3316,"type":606},"This plan takes into account the integration of renewable energy into the grid and the security of power supply. It also highlights the promotion of storage projects in deserts, the Gobi and other arid regions, to maximise the natural resources and land available in such regions compared to more densely populated areas.",{"type":601,"attrs":3318,"content":3319},{"textAlign":49},[3320],{"text":3321,"type":606},"Although the target marks a 131% increase compared to the total installed capacity in 2024, it is not particularly ambitious given the rate of growth seen in China’s energy storage market.",{"type":601,"attrs":3323,"content":3324},{"textAlign":49},[3325],{"text":3326,"type":606},"New energy storage refers to non-hydro technologies, including BESS and compressed air systems.",{"type":659,"attrs":3328,"content":3329},{"level":3008,"textAlign":49},[3330],{"text":3331,"type":606},"Plan targets emerging battery technologies ",{"type":601,"attrs":3333,"content":3334},{"textAlign":49},[3335],{"text":3336,"type":606},"The environmental conditions in deserts and arid regions are extremely harsh and temperatures can vary widely depending on the time of day and season, highlighting the need for storage technologies suited to extreme conditions. ",{"type":601,"attrs":3338,"content":3339},{"textAlign":49},[3340,3346,3348,3354],{"text":3341,"type":606,"marks":3342},"Flow batteries",[3343],{"type":615,"attrs":3344},{"href":3345,"uuid":49,"anchor":49,"target":49,"linktype":953},"https://source.benchmarkminerals.com/article/infographic-the-state-of-play-of-next-generation-battery-capacity-in-2025",{"text":3347,"type":606}," are safer and better suited for long-duration storage, while ",{"text":3349,"type":606,"marks":3350},"sodium ion batteries",[3351],{"type":615,"attrs":3352},{"href":3353,"uuid":49,"anchor":49,"target":49,"linktype":953},"https://source.benchmarkminerals.com/article/what-role-can-sodium-ion-batteries-play-in-energy-storage",{"text":3355,"type":606}," demonstrate strong performance in low-temperature scenarios. During the 14th Five-Year Plan period, China connected its first 100MWh sodium ion battery storage plant and 1GWh vanadium flow battery project to the grid. ",{"type":601,"attrs":3357,"content":3358},{"textAlign":49},[3359],{"text":3360,"type":606},"Drawing on this experience, the latest action plan specifies that although lithium ion batteries will remain the dominant technology between 2025 and 2027, flow batteries and sodium-ion batteries will continue towards commercialisation and solid-state storage will progress through the demonstration stage of the development cycle. ",{"type":701,"attrs":3362},{"id":3363,"body":3364},"92f4829e-fbfc-4890-812e-1ce6b9a34709",[3365],{"id":3366,"_uid":3367,"type":708,"component":709,"fixed_height":547,"use_fixed_height":50,"fixed_height_mobile":547,"fixed_height_tablet":547},"25181226","i-d215b1c4-116b-48de-9e6a-4c2ac85c5691",{"type":601,"attrs":3369,"content":3370},{"textAlign":49},[3371,3373,3379],{"text":3372,"type":606},"The action plan also prioritises the development of energy storage capacity industrial parks and ",{"text":3374,"type":606,"marks":3375},"data centres",[3376],{"type":615,"attrs":3377},{"href":3378,"uuid":49,"anchor":49,"target":49,"linktype":953},"https://source.benchmarkminerals.com/article/how-will-data-centres-impact-battery-demand",{"text":3380,"type":606},". In May 2025, China introduced its “Direct Green Power Access” policy, followed in July by the “Zero-Carbon Park” initiative, providing the regulatory foundation for deployment in these settings.",{"type":601,"attrs":3382,"content":3383},{"textAlign":49},[3384],{"text":3385,"type":606},"The latest target is a step up from the 30GW target set by the NEA as part of the 14th Plan, for 2025. Following that target, provincial authorities quickly raised their ambitions, setting combined targets of 80GW.","China is targeting 180GW of installed capacity of “New Energy Storage” by 2027. The target was laid out by China’s National Energy Administration (NEA) ahead of the Central government’s upcoming 15th Five-Year Plan and is estimated to require an investment of ~RMB250 billion ($35bn). This plan takes into account the integration of renewable energy into […]",[3388],{"slug":544,"name":543,"content":3389},{"job_title":557,"image":3390,"bio":548,"linkedin":555,"markets_covered":558},{"filename":552},[3392,3393,3394],{"slug":752,"name":753},{"slug":761,"name":762},{"slug":2950,"name":2951},{"id":49,"alt":49,"name":547,"focus":49,"title":49,"source":49,"filename":547,"copyright":49,"fieldtype":553,"meta_data":3396},{},{"id":49,"alt":547,"name":547,"focus":547,"title":547,"source":547,"filename":3398,"copyright":547,"fieldtype":553,"meta_data":3399,"is_external_url":51},"https://a.storyblok.com/f/287943243085208/d6d9180f8d/bm-shutterstock-2652020507.jpg",{"alt":547,"title":547,"source":547,"copyright":547},"China is targeting 180GW of installed capacity of “New Energy Storage” by 2027. The target is estimated to require an investment of ~RMB250 billion ($35bn).","Sep 18, 2025",1783529730112]