• Global battery storage capacity rose 40% year-on-year to 108 GW in 2025.
• Installed capacity expanded more than elevenfold compared with 2021 levels.
• China accounted for nearly 60% of new capacity additions, leading global deployment.

Battery electricity storage confirmed its central role in the evolution of global energy systems and established itself as one of the sector’s fastest-growing segments. The International Energy Agency (IEA) reported in its “Global Energy Review 2026,” published on April 20, that developers installed 108 GW of capacity in 2025, marking a 40% increase year-on-year. The report added that global capacity now stands at eleven times its 2021 level.

A growing role in the energy transition

The report stated that nearly 80% of new installations involved large-scale grid-connected projects, highlighting the rise of centralized storage solutions supporting intermittent renewable energy sources such as solar.

The report showed that lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries dominated the market and accounted for about 90% of deployments. The IEA explained that developers favored LFP batteries because they cost less and handle repeated cycles more efficiently, which positions them as the industry standard. The report also noted that storage duration evolved alongside deployment trends. Developers continued to favor two-hour systems, but they increasingly deployed systems offering four hours or more.

China leads, Africa structures its market

China accounted for nearly 60% of newly installed capacity, while the United States and Europe followed. Meanwhile, other regions, including the Middle East, accelerated adoption of storage systems.

The report did not explicitly cite Africa; however, projects across the continent increasingly reflect this global momentum. South Africa expanded public storage programs and signed private contracts to stabilize its constrained grid. Egypt developed large-scale battery projects, both standalone and paired with solar plants, to support renewable integration.

In West Africa, developers launched mid-scale solar-plus-storage projects in countries such as Senegal and Togo. At a smaller scale, commercial and industrial solar solutions increasingly integrated battery systems.

As solar and wind capacity expands across the continent, stakeholders expect storage integration to play a critical role in stabilizing power grids and supporting renewable energy development.

This article was initially published in French by Abdoullah Diop

Adapted in English by Ange J.A de Berry Quenum