The United States energy sector saw a record-breaking expansion in battery storage during the second quarter of 2026, with 20.2 gigawatt-hours of new capacity becoming operational. This volume is sufficient to power approximately 700,000 homes daily. Projections suggest the total capacity added throughout 2026 will reach 71 gigawatt-hours, representing a 20% increase over the previous year.
The growth is primarily fueled by utility-scale projects, which accounted for the majority of the new capacity. According to a report from Benchmark Mineral Intelligence and the Solar Energy Industries Association, seven "gigascale" installations—each exceeding one gigawatt-hour—were completed during the quarter. Shan Tomouk, energy storage and energy lead for Benchmark Mineral Intelligence, noted that the record performance was largely the result of a few major projects.
While large-scale infrastructure is expanding, the residential sector has experienced a downturn. Home battery installations are expected to fall by 16% in 2026, a trend attributed to the expiration of a federal tax credit at the end of 2025. Conversely, the commercial sector has seen growth, particularly among data centers, which represent roughly 75% of new behind-the-meter installations.
The industry is also navigating a shift toward domestic manufacturing. While most current systems utilize Chinese-made cells, new federal tax credit requirements and existing tariffs are incentivizing a transition toward US-based production. Although domestic manufacturing capacity is increasing, experts anticipate that local supply may not meet total demand until approximately 2030, potentially impacting future pricing.
Source: MIT Technology Review
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