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US Adds Record 20.2 GWh of Energy Storage Capacity in Q2

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The US energy storage industry installed a record 20.2 gigawatt-hours of new capacity in the second quarter, bringing first-half 2026 installations to 30.8 GWh, the Solar Energy Industries Association and Benchmark Mineral Intelligence said in a statement on Tuesday.

The latest US Energy Storage Market Outlook raised its forecast for cumulative US storage deployments through 2030 by 11.5% to 683 GWh, citing stronger-than-expected demand.

Arizona led the country with 6.2 GWh, its strongest quarter on record, followed by Texas with 3.8 GWh and California with 3.6 GWh.

"Energy storage is no longer just a California and Texas story anymore," said Shan Tomouk, BESS and Energy Lead at Benchmark Minerals, citing growing project pipelines in Arizona, Nevada, Oregon and Colorado.

Utility-scale storage capacity has nearly doubled from 88 GWh to 165 GWh during the first 18 months of the Trump administration, as utilities and grid operators turn to batteries to bolster reliability and meet rising electricity demand, the statement said.

Battery storage supplied more electricity to the grid during the first eight months of 2026 than throughout all of 2025, helping meet peak demand during periods of extreme heat.

Utility-scale projects accounted for 17.9 GWh of second-quarter installations, while commercial and industrial projects added 1.8 GWh and residential systems contributed 657 megawatt-hours.

The US also reached manufacturing milestones with new battery cell facilities in Ohio and Tennessee and a 50 GWh battery module plant in Texas.

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