The World Is Installing Grid Batteries at Record Speed

A global surge in battery storage is reshaping how electricity systems operate, marking a major shift in how countries integrate renewable energy and manage rising power demand.

According to new data reported by Dan McCarthy in Canary Media, the world installed 112 gigawatts of grid battery storage in 2025 alone — a record high and a tenfold increase compared to just four years earlier. The data, based on analysis from BloombergNEF, shows a rapid acceleration in the deployment of technologies that store electricity for later use, helping balance increasingly renewable-heavy power grids.

This growth is being driven primarily by China and the United States. China accounted for more than half of global battery installations in 2025, while the U.S. contributed about 16%. Other regions are also scaling quickly, including Australia, the United Kingdom, and parts of sub-Saharan Africa, where installations have grown from a smaller base but are now expanding rapidly.

The expansion reflects a broader transformation in the global energy system. Just a decade ago, solar deployment vastly outpaced storage, with 56 megawatts of solar added for every 1 megawatt of batteries. In 2025, that ratio narrowed to 6-to-1, and it is expected to fall further to 4-to-1 as storage continues to catch up with renewable generation.

A key factor behind this shift is cost. Lithium-ion battery prices have fallen by more than 90% over the past 15 years, making large-scale energy storage increasingly affordable and commercially viable. As a result, batteries are now being deployed not only to support renewable energy integration but also to enhance grid reliability during peak demand and extreme weather events.

The trend is expected to continue accelerating. BloombergNEF forecasts that global battery installations will reach 158 gigawatts in 2026, a 41% year-over-year increase, and could surpass 200 gigawatts annually by the end of the decade.

As electricity demand grows — driven by electrification, transportation, and the rapid expansion of data centers — grid-scale batteries are becoming a central piece of modern energy infrastructure, enabling power systems to store excess renewable energy and deploy it when it is needed most.

Credit: This post is based on reporting by Dan McCarthy, Canary Media, May 15, 2026.