Global deployment of energy storage systems is expanding rapidly, but is expected to fall short of the 1,500 GW target for 2030. Japan has not set a target for battery storage deployment, while China and Europe are driving growth.
Global deployment of energy storage systems, led by battery storage, has expanded year after year, with new additions reaching a record 108 GW in 2025. Over the longer term, battery storage has increased markedly, reaching 17 times its level five years ago, while new pumped-storage hydropower additions have tended to remain below 10 GW. In 2024, energy storage overtook pumped-storage hydropower, indicating that storage has become the leading technology.
However, deployment is expected to fall short of the 1,500 GW global energy storage target for 2030 presented at COP29, and some observers believe it will not exceed the 822 GW represented by the combined new targets set by governments around the world. BloombergNEF's actual market forecast is 1,200 GW, but this is also interpreted as falling short of 1,500 GW.
China and Europe are currently the main drivers, with targets of 460 GW and 200 GW, respectively, together accounting for more than 80% of the global total. Some observers have pointed out that policy support, including battery storage deployment and grid reinforcement, will be important for improving the efficiency of solar power use.
Although Japan is experiencing a boom in battery storage, the number of connection applications under review for grid-scale batteries has surged, while actual connections remain limited to 0.84 GW. One estimate puts maximum installed capacity in 2040 at a low 9.6 GW, leaving Japan vulnerable to the effects of its heavy reliance on solar power and output curtailment.