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| Author | InfoLink |
| Updated | May 19, 2026 |
InfoLink Consulting has released its latest Global Energy Storage Supply Chain Database.
According to InfoLink’s latest Global Energy Storage Supply Chain Database, demand from utility-scale and residential storage drove the market in 1Q26, with global cell shipments reaching 205.52 GWh, up 98.70% YoY and slightly higher by 1.62% QoQ.
Supply–demand reshuffle drives renewed market uncertainty
In 1Q26, industry concentration, as measured by CR10, stood at 85.2% and continued its downward trend, indicating intensifying market competition while indirectly reflecting the sector’s sustained high-growth momentum. During this period, CATL, Hithium, EVE Energy, BYD, and CALB ranked as the industry’s top five players, with the CR5 standing at nearly 58.9%.
*Source: InfoLink’s Global Energy Storage Supply Chain Database
*InfoLink strives for information comprehensiveness, but manufacturers' official data shall prevail in case of any discrepancies with official data.
*The content of this article is provided solely as a reference for market analysis and trend assessment, and does not constitute any endorsement, evaluation, investment advice, or commercial guarantee regarding any enterprise.
Key market themes for 1Q26: shifting top-tier landscape and rise of Korean players
- Shifting top-tier landscape: The top-six structure, which had held for over a year, was broken as Cornex entered the tier. Amid full production and sell-through, and factoring each manufacturer’s capacity ramp-up schedule, mid-tier manufacturers may still have room to move up.
- Rise of Korean players: LGES’ shift from EV to energy storage batteries has begun to gain traction. Several North American battery facilities have fully converted to energy storage production, driving a steady rise in LGES’ market share since 2Q25. The company is expected to re-enter the global top ten by 3Q26.
Utility-scale market maintains strong growth momentum, while the top-tier competitive landscape shows slight shifts
Global utility-scale storage cell shipments reached 178.27 GWh, up 84.54% YoY and slightly dropped by 3.47% QoQ. In the utility-scale segment, the top five companies were CATL, Hithium, BYD, EVE Energy, and CALB. The key change this quarter was BYD’s return to the top three.
In 1Q26, 500+ Ah cells reached nearly 5% penetration, with full-year penetration expected to approach 20%. Manufacturers continue to advance 500+ Ah upgrades at uneven paces. Leading players have moved more aggressively into stable mass production, while mid-tier manufacturers remain more cautious, mostly either retrofitting existing 314 Ah lines or adding one to two new lines with disciplined capex as they monitor market trends.
*Source: InfoLink’s Global Energy Storage Supply Chain Database
*InfoLink strives for information comprehensiveness, but manufacturers' official data shall prevail in case of any discrepancies with official data.
*The content of this article is provided solely as a reference for market analysis and trend assessment, and does not constitute any endorsement, evaluation, investment advice, or commercial guarantee regarding any enterprise.
Small-scale storage market enters a high-growth phase, with the E.R.G* maintaining a strong position
In 1Q26, small-scale storage cell shipments reached 27.25 GWh, up 298.98% YoY and 55.27% QoQ. EVE Energy remained at the top, followed by REPT BATTERO and Great Power in joint second, while Cornex entered the top five for the first time. Given the E.R.G.’s broad customer coverage and ample residential storage capacity, market leadership in the small-scale storage segment is expected to remain fluid this year, with the top spot likely to change across quarters.
Currently, residential storage cell formats remain highly diversified, with 100 Ah cells still mainstream. However, 280/314 Ah cells are gaining traction on stronger cost performance, with penetration reaching nearly 22% in 1Q26 and likely rising toward 30% in 2Q26.
*Note: InfoLink defines EVE Energy, REPT BATTERO, and Great Power as the “Emerging Residential-storage Giants“ (“E.R.G”). The three manufacturers have strong channel networks and manufacturing expertise in the residential storage cell segment.
*Source: InfoLink’s Global Energy Storage Supply Chain Database
*InfoLink strives for information comprehensiveness, but manufacturers' official data shall prevail in case of any discrepancies with official data.
*The content of this article is provided solely as a reference for market analysis and trend assessment, and does not constitute any endorsement, evaluation, investment advice, or commercial guarantee regarding any enterprise.
In terms of supply–demand dynamics in 2026, InfoLink Consulting continues to maintain its assessment of a tight supply–demand balance in 1H26, followed by moderate easing in H2. Considering shipment guidance from manufacturers, InfoLink has revised upward its 2026 global energy storage cell shipment forecast to 897 GWh, with the market expected to sustain medium-to-high growth.
On data sources
The shipment volumes, rankings, and related information presented in this article are based on data verification through regular interviews with upstream and downstream industry players. For companies that did not proactively provide data, InfoLink has made reasonable estimates based on actual market research.
InfoLink strives for information comprehensiveness, but manufacturers' official data shall prevail in case of any discrepancies.
Disclaimer
The content of this article is provided solely as a reference for market analysis and trend assessment, and does not constitute any endorsement, evaluation, investment advice, or commercial guarantee regarding any enterprise. Shipment data and rankings are not necessarily based on information proactively provided by companies; some are derived from third-party sources or InfoLink’s proprietary model estimates.
In the event of any disagreement over the data, the manufacturer’s official disclosure shall prevail. InfoLink reserves the right of final interpretation and explanation of the data sources and research results. Without authorization, no third party may extract or reproduce this content for commercial purposes or quote it in a misleading manner.