19GWh

12.5GWh

10GWh
 

......
 

At the start of 2025, the energy storage industry has seen a flurry of mega orders.

From the demand side, since the second half of 2024, the global energy storage market has seen substantial demand emerge, with rigid demand for energy storage becoming increasingly pronounced in many regions. Coupled with the relatively smooth marketization of energy storage in overseas markets and a well-established overall profitability model, the pace of market expansion is significant and should not be underestimated.

In overseas markets, demand is steadily picking up in regions such as the Middle East, South America, and Southeast Asia; in particular, the Middle East has already seen several orders at the 10 GWh scale, emerging as a “dark horse” market for energy storage. At the same time, traditional strongholds such as China, the United States, and Europe are also further unlocking their energy-storage demand.
 

In the domestic market, large-scale centralized procurement projects at the 10 GWh level have become increasingly common, with companies such as China Power Construction Corporation and China General Nuclear Power Group successively announcing procurement demands for energy storage systems at this scale.

According to data from the National Energy Administration, as of the end of 2023, the cumulative installed capacity of newly commissioned advanced energy storage projects nationwide reached 31.39 GW/66.87 GWh, with an average storage duration of 2.1 hours.

According to relevant data, by the end of 2024, China’s cumulative installed capacity of power energy storage surpassed 100 gigawatts for the first time, reaching 137.9 GW. For the first time, the installed capacity of new-type energy storage exceeded that of pumped-storage hydropower, standing at 78.3 GW/184.2 GWh, with year-on-year growth of 126.5% in power capacity and 147.5% in energy capacity.

Moreover, the surge in mega-orders at the start of 2025 is in line with the global trend toward energy transition. It has also set the overarching tone of “moving upward” for 2025.
 

According to a review by GGII Energy Storage, A wave of massive 10 GWh-scale orders has emerged, signaling five clear trends across the industry.

First, with accelerating demand for energy storage in the Middle East, South Africa, and globally, GWh-level orders are likely to be released one after another.

Compared with the same period in 2024, the frequency of “dark-horse” market opportunities is expected to increase steadily in 2025. According to incomplete statistics from GGII Energy Storage, unprecedented mega-orders have emerged in markets including the Middle East, Southeast Asia, Europe, China, and Australia. Even India has seen sizable orders emerge. According to overseas reports, the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) recently launched a tender for a 150 MW/500 MWh energy storage project in Kerala.

According to GGII’s projections, in China’s regional markets, several provinces have already surpassed their 14th Five-Year Plan targets, while provinces that have yet to meet theirs—such as Inner Mongolia, Qinghai, and Gansu—still have substantial room for further capacity expansion. It is estimated that by 2025, domestic installations on the generation–grid side will exceed 110 GWh, with Inner Mongolia, Shandong, Jiangsu, Xinjiang, and Gansu leading the way. In the U.S., the Trump administration’s policies had a certain impact on the new-energy sector; however, some previously delayed energy-storage projects are still expected to come online sequentially in 2025, driving front-of-meter installations to surpass 45 GWh that year. In Europe, the market is experiencing diversified growth across multiple regions, as policy subsidies and the introduction of new capacity markets are generating significant revenue for energy-storage operators in numerous countries. As a result, 2025 is poised to be a landmark year for grid-connected energy-storage deployments in Europe, with an anticipated growth rate exceeding 60%.

The emergence of several mega orders at the start of 2025 also indirectly confirms the growing energy storage demand in certain regions.
 

Second, competition among industry giants is intensifying. In 2025, the concentration ratio among integrators will continue to rise to over 85%. 。
 

The frequent emergence of massive orders in the market is undoubtedly a microcosm of the fierce competition among industry giants. Gaogong Industrial Research GGII forecasts that by 2025, the concentration ratio among system integrators will continue to rise to over 85%, intensifying competition.

The primary basis for this assessment lies in the continuous “escalation” of major players in the energy storage sector, with sustained investments in production capacity, R&D, and patent portfolios. According to statistics from GGII Energy Storage, companies such as Sungrow Power Supply, CATL, BYD, and EVE Energy have successively made strategic moves in the energy storage patent landscape, with a particular focus on emerging trends like grid-forming energy storage and photovoltaic–storage integration, thereby taking the lead in capturing market opportunities.

Global industry giants are mounting a vigorous offensive across multiple fronts, including product innovation, safety, technological iteration, and overall brand strength. At least three key trends are emerging: first, brand-based rankings that assess financing viability are gaining traction worldwide; second, battery compartment combustion testing has now become a global phenomenon; and third, the definition of third-generation energy-storage products has emerged as a defining industry theme.

At this critical juncture of “market positioning,” the battle for leadership among industry giants could well become a matter of life and death for the energy-storage sector.

The most remarkable success story is that of EVE Energy. Once a latecomer in the power battery sector, the company has swiftly capitalized on the booming energy storage market over the past few years by ramping up R&D, production, and marketing efforts in this segment—ultimately propelling itself into the global top two in the energy storage battery industry.

Meanwhile, CATL Innovation, one of the world’s top five players in the power battery sector, has written its own compelling chapter. In 2022 and 2023, the company was fully engaged in the intense competition within the power battery market, leaving little room to focus on expanding its presence in the energy storage space. However, since 2024, CATL Innovation has swiftly shifted its strategic focus and launched multi-pronged initiatives, successively securing major contracts from Sungrow Power Supply for both the Middle East and Europe—thereby firmly establishing itself as a Tier 1 global player in the energy storage industry.

Third, the competition between battery manufacturers and system integrators has reached a boiling point.
 

In 2024, Sungrow Power Supply enjoyed a period of unparalleled success, securing dominant orders across multiple regions. However, battery manufacturers such as CATL and BYD are unwilling to remain mere cell suppliers; as highlighted in a recent article by Gaogong Energy Storage, DC-side energy storage systems have become a fiercely contested battleground for these companies.

Consequently, when entering the overseas market, leading Chinese companies such as CATL, BYD, EVE Energy, Haichen Energy Storage, Ruipu Lanjun, and Chunan New Energy have been directly engaging with international project owners, with DC-side energy storage systems emerging as a key growth driver for their product portfolios. Most notably, EVE Energy, Haichen Energy Storage, and Ruipu Lanjun have successively established integrated energy storage system manufacturing facilities.

It is evident that, as CATL, EVE Energy, Haichen Energy Storage, Ruipu Lanjun, Chunan New Energy, and other players continue to deepen their expertise in DC-side energy storage systems, the intensifying competition with traditional system integrators is becoming increasingly pronounced. Companies with different core competencies—such as battery manufacturers, PV firms, and power utilities—will continue to pursue market differentiation or engage in fierce competition, leveraging their respective technological strengths and market advantages.
 

Fourth, the reshuffling of energy-storage companies in third- and fourth-tier cities is accelerating, and avoiding being overwhelmed by industry giants remains the dominant theme for survival in 2025.

As CATL, Sungrow Power Supply, BYD, and other industry leaders engage in fierce competition, brands from third- and fourth-tier markets have all but lost their chance to gain a foothold on the mainstream stage.

On the one hand, tech giants, leveraging their scale advantages, have already secured a significant cost advantage; as they compete fiercely, the battle is not only about technology but also about pricing.
 

On the other hand, the frequent occurrence of ultra-large orders is also a test of the “digestion capacity” of companies in third- and fourth-tier cities. To date, 10 GWh of energy-storage orders have virtually eliminated the opportunity for a large number of firms to even get on the “shortlist.”
 

For more third- and fourth-tier enterprises, carving out a niche in differentiated market segments—leveraging their strengths while sidestepping their weaknesses—may be the best survival strategy for avoiding being “crushed” by industry giants.

Fifth, “resource reallocation” or “brand synergy” in overseas markets is likely to become the new norm, and the hidden barriers to going global will continue to rise.

The fact that companies such as CATL, BYD, Sungrow Power Supply, and Envision Energy have secured orders in these markets clearly demonstrates that the Middle East and Europe are not only testing energy-storage firms’ capabilities in the sector, but also serving as a critical litmus test of their global operational prowess.

Overseas markets often face Constraints arising from factors such as 10–20 year warranties, localized manufacturing capacity, shortlist restrictions, GWh-scale order procurement negotiations, and project performance bonds.

In the face of such challenges, Chinese energy-storage companies need to invest in and establish local manufacturing facilities, increase local procurement, assist project owners in overcoming financing hurdles, and further extend their value chain into development, EPC, and operations & maintenance. They should also innovate their business models through technology licensing partnerships or technology transfer, and offer leasing and service-based solutions to address the issues encountered when expanding overseas.

Source: GGII Energy Storage