EIA: U.S. BESS Growth Averaged 70% Last Three Years

---

Written by Paul Wiseman for IIR News Intelligence (Sugar Land, Texas)

---

Summary

Industrial Info Resources is tracking 1,083 U.S. BESS projects with TIV of more than $441 billion planned for Q3 2026-Q4 2028.

---

Batteries Grow to Support Wind, Solar Nationwide

Across the years 2023-2025 the annual growth of battery energy storage systems (BESS) averaged 70% according to U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) figures.

"By the end of 2025," said the EIA, "the U.S. power system had operational battery storage capacity of 43.6 gigawatts (GW). During the first six months of 2026, operators added another 8.3 GW of battery storage capacity, reaching nearly 52 GW of nameplate battery storage capacity."

Extensive growth is expected to continue. The agency says grid operators' reports indicate plans for an additional 54 GW of BESS capacity between now and the end of 2028. Industrial Info Resources is tracking 1,083 BESS projects in the U.S. with TIV of more than $441 billion planned for Q3 2026-Q4 2028.

Industrial Info Resources offers more information on these projects in its Global Market Intelligence (GMI) Power Project Database, where readers can find details--including construction schedules, investment values and necessary equipment--in a list of project reports.

Because of the intermittency of solar and wind, most new projects in those categories, especially solar, include BESS capacities, to spread out their ability to power the grid. It is also, to help operators with profits, as the EIA explains. "Solar photovoltaic and storage facilities enable operators to store power when wholesale electricity prices are low and discharge electricity when prices are high, allowing power producers to capture larger profits."

Bigger BESS Is Better

California will soon be home to the largest power storage facility in the U.S., the EIA reports. That state's Bellefield Solar and Energy Storage Center, which came online in December of 2025, currently operates 500 MW of photovoltaic (PV) capacity with an equal amount of nameplate power storage. Located near the Mojave Desert town of California City, there are plans to double its capacity in both PV generation and BESS by year end 2026.

If construction is completed on those projects, the EIA says Bellefield's plant will become the largest power storage facility in the U.S.

California's Power Battles

California and Texas battle each other for top BESS capacity in the U.S., according to an analysis by Inside Climate News in February of this year. Their analysis of EIA data showed that at that time the Lone Star State with 14,984 MW, surpassed the Golden State, which had 14,365 MW. Texas also surpassed California in solar power at that time.

Yet, as noted in the August 7, 2026, Industrial Info news story - Batteries, Power-Sharing Struggle with California's Green Energy Growth, the state also struggles with utilizing its solar energy, setting all-time records in 2026 for curtailments of solar and wind power. Many experts feel that expanding BESS options could store that power for release at times when the grid can accommodate it. And, the EIA notes, most planned wind and solar operations in the state do include BESS colocation.

Industrial Info Resources is tracking 85 battery energy-storage system (BESS) projects across California, totaling more than $42 billion of investment, with completion dates spanning Q3 2026-Q4 2028.

And California is far from alone in those struggles. Its battle partner for top position, Texas, Curtailed more than 8 terawatt-hours of wind and solar in 2024 according to an October 2025 blog by grid analysis firm amperon.co.

The big picture says BESS is one needed element, but more renewable power could be used regardless of storage by adding to the grid, something that both California and Texas, along with other states, struggle to keep up with due to the explosive growth of both supply and demand.

By the Numbers

• 70%: Amount of average growth in U.S. utility-based battery storage from 2023-2025
• 43.6 GW: Total U.S. battery storage at yearend 2025
• 8.3 GW: Amount added in the first six months of 2026

Key Takeaways

• As non-dispatchable U.S. wind and solar generation grow rapidly, the grid must use various means to utilize its peak generation times.
• Adding both grid and battery storage capacities top that list.

---

About Industrial Info Resources
Industrial Info Resources (IIR) is the leading provider of industrial market intelligence. Since 1983, IIR has provided comprehensive research, news and analysis on the industrial process, manufacturing and energy related industries. IIR's Global Market Intelligence (GMI) helps companies identify and pursue trends across multiple markets with access to real, qualified and validated plant and project opportunities. Across the world, Industrial Info Resources is tracking over 250,000 current and future projects worth $30.2 trillion (USD).