U.S. Installs Record 20 GWh of Energy Storage in Q2 2026

The United States installed a record 20.2 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of new battery energy storage capacity in the second quarter of 2026. This surge brought total installations for the first half of the year to 30.8 GWh, according to the U.S. Energy Storage Market Outlook Q3 2026 report from the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and Benchmark Mineral Intelligence.

Utility-scale energy storage capacity has nearly doubled from 88 GWh to 165 GWh in the first 18 months of the Trump administration. Grid operators, utilities, and energy buyers are increasingly turning to storage to bolster grid reliability and meet rising electricity demand.

Record Growth and Revised Forecasts

Demand is outpacing expectations. The report's forecast for energy storage deployment through 2030 has been revised upward by 11.5 percent to 683 GWh. More than 10 percent of all energy storage capacity currently installed in the U.S. Came online in the second quarter alone.

Tim Pawlenty, president and CEO of SEIA, stated the growth highlights storage's role. "This record growth highlights that storage is a powerful reliability tool that strengthens our energy security, meets rising demand and puts downward pressure on electricity bills," he said.

Geographic Shift in Deployment

More than 74 percent of the storage capacity installed in Q2 was built in states won by President Donald Trump in the 2024 election. Arizona led the country with 6.2 GWh of new installations. Texas and California followed, installing 3.8 GWh and 3.6 GWh respectively.

Shan Tomouk, BESS & Energy Lead at Benchmark Minerals, noted the expanding geographic footprint. "Energy storage is no longer just a California and Texas story anymore," Tomouk said. "We're seeing strong pipeline growth in Arizona, Nevada, Oregon, Colorado and several other states."

Grid Impact and Manufacturing Growth

Battery storage supplied more electricity to the grid in the first eight months of 2026 than in all of 2025. During extreme heat events in states like Texas and California, storage has helped provide power during peak demand, supporting reliability and mitigating price spikes for consumers.

The U.S. Also set domestic manufacturing records in the quarter. Two new battery cell manufacturing facilities opened in Ohio and Tennessee, and a new 50 GWh battery module facility opened in Texas. These additions bring U.S. Battery cell and module manufacturing capacity to record highs.

Breakdown by Market Segment

The vast majority of new installations were utility-scale projects. Commercial, industrial, and residential storage made up the remainder.

The report shows storage's rapid integration into the U.S. Power grid as a key tool for managing demand and enhancing reliability.