SEIA: AI is fueling a massive US energy storage boom

The US energy storage industry kicked off 2026 with its strongest Q1 on record, despite the Trump administration continuing to attack clean energy.

According to the latest US Energy Storage Market Outlook released today from the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA) and Benchmark Mineral Intelligence, the US installed 9.7 gigawatt-hours (GWh) of new energy storage capacity in Q1 2026. That’s a 32% year-over-year jump.

Global instability is causing growth

Utility-scale batteries made up the vast majority of new installations, with 7.8 GWh added during the quarter. The commercial and industrial segment installed 648 megawatt-hours (MWh), while residential storage added 515 MWh.

And the industry expects even more growth ahead. The report has been revised upward to forecast more than 610 GWh of energy storage installations by 2030.