Global ESS Shipments Hit 461.3 GWh in H1 2026 as CATL Extends Market Lead

South Korean market research firm SNE Research reported that global energy storage system (ESS) shipments reached 461.3 GWh in the first half of 2026, up 71% year on year.

By regional market, China remained the world’s largest ESS market.

China’s ESS shipments totaled 202.5 GWh in the first half of 2026, accounting for 43.9% of the global market and representing a 49% increase from the same period last year.

Meanwhile, ESS shipments in other emerging overseas markets grew 119% year on year.

North America and Europe recorded growth of 83% and 74%, respectively, becoming key sources of global storage demand expansion.

In terms of supplier rankings, Chinese battery manufacturers continued to dominate the market.

According to SNE Research, all of the top 10 companies by global ESS shipments in the first half of the year were Chinese firms.

CATL maintained its position as the world’s largest ESS battery supplier.

In the first half of 2026, CATL’s ESS shipments reached 125 GWh, up 81% year on year, lifting its global market share from 25.6% a year earlier to 27.1%.

EVE Energy and Hithium ranked second and third with ESS shipments of 48 GWh and 46.2 GWh, respectively. Their shipments increased 69% and 75% year on year.

BYD ranked fourth, with ESS shipments reaching 35.7 GWh in the first half of the year, up 73% year on year. The four leading Chinese suppliers all maintained growth rates above 65%.

Other Chinese battery makers also continued expanding. REPT BATTERO recorded ESS shipments of 31.4 GWh in the first half of the year, up 55% year on year.

During the same period, Cornex shipped 30.2 GWh of ESS products, up 68%, while AESC recorded shipments of 21.2 GWh, an increase of 111%.

By comparison, some companies continued to grow in shipment volume but expanded at a slower pace than the overall market, resulting in declining market shares.

CALB reported ESS shipments of 31.5 GWh in the first half of the year, up 51% year on year, while Gotion High-tech shipped 20.8 GWh, an increase of 41%.

Both companies saw their global market shares decline by around 1 percentage point.

Great Power was among the fastest-growing companies in the global top 10, with ESS shipments reaching 20.5 GWh in the first half of 2026, surging 202% year on year.

Among overseas battery suppliers, South Korea’s LG Energy Solution and Samsung SDI both achieved shipment growth, but their overall scale remained significantly smaller than leading Chinese companies.

LG Energy Solution recorded ESS shipments of 12 GWh in the first half of the year, up 357% year on year, ranking 11th globally. Samsung SDI shipped 6.4 GWh, up 20%, ranking 12th.

As renewable power installations expand and demand for grid flexibility increases, energy storage is becoming a new growth driver for the battery industry.

Chinese companies are now maintaining strong positions not only in the EV battery sector but also building significant competitive advantages across the ESS supply chain.