Global Energy Storage Shipments Soar 85% in 2025, Marking a Highly Competitive Market Shift – Report

Global energy storage system (ESS) shipments experienced strong and rapid growth in the first three quarters of 2025, according to new rankings released by InfoLink based on its global ESS supply chain database. Between January and September 2025, global ESS shipments reached 286.35 GWh, representing an 84.7% increase year-over-year. In the third quarter alone, shipments exceeded 100 GWh for the first time, driven by rising demand across multiple regions.

InfoLink reports that competition in the ESS market has become highly intense, with a leading lineup of companies beginning to take shape. The industry’s CR10, which refers to the market share controlled by the top ten suppliers, remained at around 60% during the period. This indicates that while leadership is becoming clearer, no single company or small group fully dominates the sector yet. The top five global ESS suppliers in the first three quarters of 2025 were Tesla, Sungrow, BYD, CRRC Zhuzhou Institute, and Huawei.

Key trends highlighted in InfoLink’s review show shifting dynamics within the energy storage market. The top three suppliers continue to hold a clear advantage in market share, but their ranking positions are changing frequently. InfoLink expects this competition to remain fierce through 2026. This reshuffling reflects rapid scale advantages, strong project pipelines, and increasingly strategic expansion efforts.

Another major trend is the rapid development of emerging markets. Leading suppliers have expanded their presence in new regions and have been securing large-scale orders that are reshaping global demand distribution. Shipment growth in emerging markets has now surpassed traditional strong markets such as China and the United States. InfoLink’s new Emerging Market Energy Storage Demand Database confirms that these regions are becoming key demand drivers. The report notes that companies that rely heavily on a single large market may struggle to maintain long-term leadership as competition intensifies globally.

The report also highlights the growing strength of the Asian supply chain. U.S. suppliers like Tesla and Fluence have built system integration facilities in Asia. This is expected to help narrow the cost gap with Chinese manufacturers and potentially prevent further market share losses. At the same time, the expansion of major photovoltaic (PV) companies into the ESS space is becoming more noticeable. PV-storage integration is emerging as a major trend, with companies such as Canadian Solar entering the top ten, supported by strong performance in North America. Trina Solar and Jinko Solar are also seeing fast progress and could challenge top ESS suppliers next year.

Utility-scale energy storage continues to dominate overall demand. In the first three quarters of 2025, large-scale ESS shipments reached 252.5 GWh. CR5, which measures the top five players’ combined share, dropped slightly to 47.3%, reflecting increasing competition. The top five utility-scale suppliers were Sungrow, BYD, Tesla, CRRC Zhuzhou Institute, and HyperStrong. Notably, BYD overtook Tesla for second place in the third quarter. Sungrow, BYD, and Tesla are expected to compete closely for the annual number-one position in 2025.

Residential energy storage shipments have also remained strong. Global residential ESS shipments reached 26.6 GWh during the first three quarters, and Q3 shipments were close to 10 GWh. The top five suppliers over the nine months were Tesla, Huawei, BYD, Pylontech, and Deye. CR5 increased to 50.9%, rising roughly 3% quarter-over-quarter, showing a stronger performance concentration at the top. Tesla and Huawei have clearly widened their lead over competitors.

Looking ahead, InfoLink estimates that total ESS shipments are likely to reach nearly 400 GWh in 2025, representing around 60% year-over-year growth. Based on industry shipment targets and current project pipelines, global ESS shipments could reach 600 GWh in 2026. However, even with strong market momentum, there are rising price pressures across midstream and upstream supply chain segments. The ability to manage costs, secure capacity, and maintain profit margins will be crucial for market success going forward.

All rankings and shipment figures are based on data verified through interviews with industry participants. InfoLink states that for companies that did not directly provide data, estimates were made using market research, and official company disclosures take precedence in the event of any differences.