U.S. battery storage capacity grows 70% annually

Utility-scale battery storage capacity in the United States has grown at an average annual rate of 70% over the last three years. According to data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), the nation's operational battery storage capacity reached 43.6 gigawatts (GW) at the end of 2025 and increased to nearly 52 GW by the first half of 2026.

Developers plan to add an additional 54 GW of capacity through 2028, potentially pushing total national operational storage past 105 GW. This expansion is largely driven by the integration of solar photovoltaic (PV) plants, which allow operators to store energy when prices are low and discharge it during peak demand. Notable projects include the Bellefield Solar and Energy Storage Farm in California, the Manatee Solar Energy Center in Florida, and the Gemini Solar Hybrid in Nevada.

Beyond utility-scale projects, localized initiatives are exploring battery reuse. In Massachusetts, a pilot program is testing the use of electric school bus batteries to support the electrical grid. By utilizing bidirectional charging technology, these buses can store electricity when demand is low and return it to the grid during high-demand summer afternoons.