Global ESS Shipments Reach 461GWh in 1H26, Up 71% as Regional Growth Broadens
Non-China markets account for more than half of global shipments for the first time; residential ESS shipments rise 128%, lifting the segment above 10%
Global lithium-ion battery (LiB) ESS shipments reached 461.3GWh in the
first half of 2026, up 71% from 269.7GWh a year earlier, according to global
market research firm SNE Research. China remained the world's largest single
ESS market at 202.5GWh, while shipments to North America, Europe and other
regions grew at a faster pace, making regional demand patterns more
diversified.
Two developments defined the half. By region, combined shipments to
North America, Europe and other regions reached 258.7GWh, or 56% of the global
total, exceeding half for the first time, while China's market share changed
from 50.5% to 43.9% as those regions expanded more quickly. By application,
residential ESS shipments more than doubled and lifted the segment above 10% of
the market, and commercial and industrial (C&I) ESS grew 59%. As trade
measures and local supply-chain requirements evolve in North America and
Europe, supplier selection criteria are expanding beyond price, with
supply-chain stability, local production capacity and regulatory compliance
becoming more important.
Market Overview
Regional demand patterns became more diversified in the first half of 2026. China shipped 202.5GWh, up 49% year on year, maintaining solid expansion as the largest single market. Other Regions grew fastest at 119%, raising their share to 23.9%, while North America and Europe grew 83% and 74% to shares of 16.5% and 15.8% respectively. As those regions expanded at a faster pace, China's market share changed from 50.5% to 43.9%. Large-scale projects moving into execution in emerging markets such as the Middle East and Australia accounted for much of the additional volume.
By application, grid-scale ESS remained the largest segment at 347.0GWh, or 75.2% of total shipments. Residential ESS shipments more than doubled from 20.9GWh to 47.7GWh, a 128% increase and the highest growth rate among the three applications, raising the segment's share from 7.7% to 10.3%. C&I ESS grew 59%, from 24.9GWh to 39.6GWh.
Manufacturer Trends
All major manufacturers increased shipments, though growth rates varied with their regional and application mix. First-half performance largely reflected how much volume each supplier delivered into non-China markets such as North America and Europe, and into grid-scale and residential demand. CATL shipped 125.0GWh and its market share increased from 25.6% to 27.1%, supported by steady domestic demand in China and overseas grid-scale project awards. CALB and Gotion also increased shipments, but their growth was below the overall market average, and their market shares changed by -0.9 and -1.0 percentage points respectively. Suppliers with an established position in non-China markets grew faster than the market average of 71%: Great Power by 202%, LG Energy Solution (LGES) by 357% and AESC by 111%.
Chinese manufacturers continued to hold a significant share of the leading positions in the first half of 2026, while shipment gaps among closely ranked manufacturers narrowed. Cornex ranked seventh with shipments of 30.2GWh, close to CALB at 31.5GWh and REPT at 31.4GWh. The small gap among the three manufacturers highlights the close competition across the fifth-to-seventh positions. Over the same period, the combined share of the top three manufacturers, CATL, EVE and Hithium, rose from 45.8% to 47.5%, while the combined share of manufacturers not listed individually changed from 9.9% to 7.0%.
Manufacturer Landscape by Application
3-1. Grid-scale ESS
Grid-scale
ESS shipments grew 69% year on year. CATL led with a 30% share, followed by
Hithium at 13%, EVE at 10%, BYD at 9% and CALB at 8%, bringing the top five to
approximately 69%. Cornex and AESC also established positions as significant
suppliers, at 8% and 6% respectively. Grid-scale ESS remained the largest
application, accounting for 75.2% of total shipments. Its share was slightly
lower than the 76.2% recorded a year earlier, reflecting faster growth in
residential and C&I ESS alongside continued expansion in grid-scale demand.
Awards for large projects scheduled in the second half are expected to
influence how shares in this segment develop.
3-2. C&I ESS
C&I ESS shipments grew 59% year on year. CATL held the leading position with a 35% share, followed by REPT at 14%, BYD at 10%, Gotion at 6% and CALB at 6%. CATL and REPT together accounted for approximately 49%, maintaining a high combined supply share in commercial and industrial demand in China. Manufacturers not listed individually accounted for 10% of the segment, the highest level among the three applications, indicating a comparatively broad supplier base.
3-3. Residential ESS
Residential ESS shipments grew 128% year on year, the highest rate among the three applications. REPT retained the leading position with a 32% market share, followed by EVE at 25% and Great Power at 23%. The top three manufacturers together accounted for 80% of the segment, a higher concentration than in grid-scale or C&I ESS. REPT continued to demonstrate strong competitiveness in the residential ESS segment, supported by its customer base and shipment performance. The segment's share of total shipments rose from 7.7% to 10.3%, reflecting recovering household demand in Europe and wider adoption of home storage systems in China.
Implications and Outlook
