Electricity storage capacity

As of the end of 2022, the total nameplate power capacity of operational utility-scale battery energy storage systems (BESSs) in the United States was 8,842 MW and the total energy capacity was 11,105 MWh. Most of the BESS power capacity that was operational in 2022 was installed after 2014, and about 4,807 MW was installed in 2022 alone.

Energy storage systems allow energy consumption to be separated in time from the production of energy, whether it be electrical or thermal energy. The storing of electricity typically occurs in chemical (e.g., lead acid batteries or lithium-ion batteries, to name just two of the best known) or mechanical means (e.g., pumped hydro storage).

Other storage includes compressed air energy storage, flywheel and thermal storage. Hydrogen electrolysers are not included. Global installed energy storage capacity by scenario, 2023 and 2030 - Chart and data by the International Energy Agency.

Global capability was around 8 500 GWh in 2020, accounting for over 90% of total global electricity storage. The world's largest capacity is found in the United States. The majority of plants in operation today are used to provide daily balancing. Grid-scale batteries are catching up, however.

In terms of application scenarios, independent energy storage and shared energy storage installations account for 45.3 percent, energy storage installations paired with new energy projects account for 42.8 percent, and other application scenarios account for 11.9 percent. The installed capacity of renewable energy has achieved fresh breakthroughs.

Global electricity output is set to grow by 50 percent by mid-century, relative to 2022 levels. With renewable sources expected to account for the largest share of electricity generation worldwide in the coming decades, energy storage will play a significant role in maintaining the balance between supply and demand.