Industrial Info: Global BESS Projects Top $1.28 Trillion

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

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Summary

The development of battery electric storage systems (BESS) is surging worldwide, as BESS is at least a partial remedy for the intermittency of renewable energy sources. This is the first of a series on battery storage, electric vehicles and lithium markets.

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Battery Storage Becoming Key to Reliability

Although the U.S. and other first-world nations have slowed their energy transition trajectories, global battery electric storage systems (BESS) growth is still in high gear. Industrial Info is tracking more than 6,600 projects valued at $1.28 trillion, showing that this market is surging worldwide.

Other data from 2025 agrees with this assessment. Benchmark Mineral Intelligence (BMI), quoted in ESS News, saw the installation of 315 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of new BESS capacity in 2025, representing more than 50% growth over the previous year. In a world where intermittent power generation sources, including wind and solar, are becoming increasingly significant to grid suppliers, utility-scale BESS is also a growing option for storing power to bridge down times.

China has led the charge by far, installing more BESS capacity in December 2025 alone than the second-place U.S. installed in the entire year. Next in line, said BMI, were, in order, Saudi Arabia, Australia and Chile. The U.K. and Italy, in the top five in 2024, dropped last year.

Almost 240 GWh of the growth involved grid-scale projects.

China's Growth Tops the List

Data released by the China Energy Storage Alliance (CNESA) said the nation's total growth of "new-type" energy storage (ESS) climbed to 144.7 GW in 2025, up by 85% year-on-year. Said Angeline Shi of Fast Growth Magazine, "The figure marks the first time China's cumulative new-type energy storage capacity has exceeded 100 GW (gigawatts), highlighting the rapid scale-up of battery-based storage deployment."

And the nation is doing more than just growing its installations, said Industrial Info Assistant VP of Power Research Brock Ramey. China is also researching how to make lithium-based storage systems more effective.

"China is developing lithium metal anode materials, which boast a theoretical capacity of up to 3,860 m Ah/g (Ampere-hours per gram)--more than 10 times that of traditional graphite anodes," Ramey said. These materials can significantly boost battery energy density and are mainly applied in high-end fields such as all-solid-state batteries and semi-solid-state batteries."

Other research involves eight-hour lithium iron phosphate (LFP) battery systems and Vanadium Redox Flow Batteries (VRFBs).

The new technology is not yet installation-ready and faces some safety challenges, including "dendrite growth and unstable interfaces, which lead to safety risks and short cycle life." The industry is driving development through modification methods and technological innovations.

U.S. Growth Amid Challenges

Last year, The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) reported that U.S. cumulative utility-scale battery storage capacity in 2024 exceeded 26 GW. It said it expected 2025 BESS capacity growth to set a record, with operators reporting plans to add 19.6 GW of utility-scale battery storage to the grid.

Industrial Info is tracking 335 U.S. BESS projects with a medium or high probability of reaching completion in 2026 and beyond, worth just over $100 billion. When including all BESS projects, the number jumps to 1,381 projects worth $557.96 billion.

By the Numbers

• 1,381 projects worth $557.96 billion: U.S. BESS growth tracked by Industrial Info
• 144.7 GW: China's BESS additions in 2025, according to China Energy Storage Alliance figures

U.S. President Donald Trump's administration, in its efforts to secure supplies of lithium and other rare earths needed for BESS and other energy transition systems, at least temporarily slowed BESS growth in two ways. In April, it threatened tariffs on China and other suppliers, while early drafts of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act eliminated some tax credits for renewables, which heavily rely on BESS to level out supply.

However, the final version of the OBBBA retained most credits, and many tariffs were mitigated or removed, letting renewable investors and developers breathe a sigh of relief. And In December, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 4476, the Standardizing Permitting and Expediting Economic Development (SPEED) Act, aimed at shortening permitting timelines, reducing litigation risks and providing project certainty for both renewable and fossil fuel projects. For more on that, see December 31, 2025, article - SPEED Act Seeks to Streamline Permitting of Energy Assets.

The SPEED Act is currently delayed in the Senate due to Democrat senators' concerns about the legislation's scope, and that it leans too heavily on fossil fuel projects and not enough on renewables and on environmental protections. There are also concerns about late additions to the bill that would put into law certain recent executive actions seen by many as overreach. For more information, see February 2, 2026, article - Senators on Permitting Reform: Time to Put Away Swords.

Up Next

In the next installment, IIR News Intelligence will explore electric vehicle (EV) growth, followed by how EVs and BESS have affected markets for the most important ingredient, lithium.

Key Takeaways

• Growth of intermittent renewable generation such as wind and solar requires storage to fill in the gaps--and BESS is something that can be located basically anywhere.
• The U.S. trails only China in BESS installations.

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About IIR News Intelligence
IIR News Intelligence is a trusted source of news for the industrial process and energy markets, powered by Industrial Info Resources' Global Market Intelligence (GMI).

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, IIR is tracking over 250,000 current and future projects worth $30.2 Trillion (USD).