Emerging Market Energy Storage Demand Database
Gain insights into energy storage market trends and seize strategic overseas expansion opportunities.
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| Author | InfoLink |
| Updated | June 08, 2026 |
Introduction
The SNEC 19th International Solar Photovoltaic Power Generation and Smart Energy & Energy Storage Technology and Equipment Exhibition & Conference was held in Shanghai from June 3 to 5, 2026, as scheduled. Centered on PV-plus-storage integration and AI-enabled digital coordination, this year’s event brought together more than 3,600 Chinese and international exhibitors. Despite disruptions in the global policy environment, the industry’s innovation momentum has remained strong. In terms of exhibited products, technology differentiation and deeper application-specific development advanced across four major product lines: utility-scale energy storage, C&I storage, residential storage, and power conversion systems (PCS). Meanwhile, coordination between computing load and power supply is gradually moving from a booth concept toward industrial-scale deployment, while frontier technologies such as sodium-ion batteries and solid-state transformers continue to gain traction. Overall, this year’s SNEC sent a clear signal: the energy storage industry is gradually shifting from scale expansion toward a new era of high-quality development driven by technology iteration, deeper application-specific development, and market-based profitability.
Price trends: Elevated raw material prices pass through to the cell segment, while competition caps system price gains
During the expo, upstream raw material price trends became a key focus for the industry. As of the end of May, the spot average price of battery-grade lithium carbonate stood at RMB 173,000/MT, down slightly by about 0.3% MoM. After a rapid increase, prices have entered a phase of high-level volatility. The average price of spodumene concentrate (SC6, CIF) was around USD 2,500/MT, up 0.4% MoM.
From a cost pass-through perspective, lithium carbonate prices at elevated levels have continued to exert pricing pressure on the cell segment. In May, the after-tax average price of 314 Ah LFP cells was around RMB 0.375/Wh, while that of 280 Ah cells stood at around RMB 0.378/Wh. On the system side, the average bid-opening price of 2-hour containerized energy storage system (ESS) was around RMB 0.58/Wh, while that of 4-hour ESS was around RMB 0.53/Wh. Both increased slightly MoM, but the gains lagged significantly behind those in the cell segment. Intensifying competition in system integration and tighter procurement strategies among project owners have significantly narrowed the room for cost pass-through.
Looking ahead, lithium carbonate prices are expected to remain volatile at elevated levels in the short term. Downside support will come from midstream production schedules and resilient ESS orders, while upside will be constrained by expectations of mine restarts outside China and negative feedback from high prices. In Q4, as ESS deliveries accelerate and export orders are locked in ahead of schedule, the overall price level may rise again.
Utility-scale storage: Mass production of large-capacity cells accelerates as computing-electricity coordination becomes an established trend
Utility-scale cells
At this year’s expo, 587 Ah and 588 Ah cells emerged as the most concentrated options for next-generation utility-scale storage cells. Leading companies such as CATL, Hithium, and AESC have achieved mass production, while Sunwoda, Cornex, REPT BATTERO, and others are expected to gradually enter mass production around 3Q26.
As for 600+ Ah cells, while they gained visibility at the expo, this category largely remains in a strategic positioning phase and has yet to enter large-scale mass production. EVE Energy’s 628 Ah and 648 Ah stacked cells, Sunwoda’s 648 Ah stacked cells, and AESC’s 790 Ah wound cells are among the first to reach mass production, while most other manufacturers remain in the positioning stage and have yet to move into large-scale mass production.
The growing number of exhibitors showcasing 600+ Ah cells mainly reflects the compatibility design space reserved by leading system integrators such as CRRC Zhuzhou Institute for next-generation 6.x MWh systems. The same platform can support multiple cell specifications, including 587 Ah, 588 Ah, and 648 Ah. In addition, Hithium displayed 1,175 Ah and 1,300 Ah large-capacity stacked cells, mainly targeting long-duration energy storage applications.
Notably, CATL launched its online direct sales platform for the first time at this year’s expo. Competition in energy storage is no longer limited to product specifications, as leading companies have begun to proactively build brand recognition and strengthen early-stage customer engagement capabilities.
Utility-scale ESS
At the system level, multiple manufacturers have launched 6+ MWh ESS built around large-capacity cells, with 6.25 MWh emerging as the most concentrated showcased capacity range. Pylontech released an 8 MWh containerized ESS, while Hithium launched a 6.9 MWh long-duration energy storage (LDES) solution equipped with 1,300 Ah cells. The system supports an eight-hour duration and can be flexibly deployed side by side or back to back.
In addition, computing and power coordination has gradually moved from the earlier conceptual stage toward a clear industry development trend. Based on on-site research at the expo, AI data centers have become the hottest sub-segment. Multiple manufacturers, including Haier New Energy, Star Charge, Lisiner, and HYTOP Smart Control, released product solutions related to computing and power coordination, as product competition has extended from standalone hardware to full-stack power supply architecture.
Meanwhile, as Document No. 114 specifies that standalone ESS can receive capacity payments, the revenue model for standalone ESS has gradually shifted toward a three-pronged framework driven by capacity revenue, energy revenue, and ancillary services. The segment has also gradually entered a phase in which profitability from market-based operations is beginning to materialize.
*This table covers only some ESS products exhibited by suppliers at SNEC 2026.
C&I Storage: The era of large-capacity cells begins as business models diversify rapidly
The C&I ESS segment showed a clear trend toward product upgrades. At the expo, Sineng Electric and Hoenergy both launched 488 kWh liquid-cooled all-in-one cabinets equipped with 587 Ah large-capacity cells. The former integrates three-level layered fire protection and AI-based cell health monitoring, with overall unit efficiency exceeding 90%, while the latter enables modular plug-and-play deployment and supports remote intelligent control.
CATL exhibited a 705.54 kWh large C&I all-in-one cabinet, while RCT Power introduced a 1,044 kWh ultra-high-capacity all-in-one cabinet. Overall, C&I ESS is gradually evolving toward large-capacity cells, larger system capacities, and liquid-cooled all-in-one designs, with product development approaches increasingly aligning with those of utility-scale ESS integration.
In terms of business models, adjustments to the fixed time-of-use (TOU) tariff mechanism have disrupted the traditional revenue model of peak-valley arbitrage. However, this change has not undermined industry confidence. Instead, it has catalyzed more diversified business model exploration and a shift in value anchors. According to on-site research, multiple manufacturers have proposed models such as dynamic capacity expansion, microgrids, distribution transformer (DT) area energy storage, and virtual power plants (VPP), aggregating distributed C&I energy storage resources to participate in spot market trading. These four models share the same underlying rationale: all center on deep integration into market-based electricity trading mechanisms as their core profit lever, building diversified revenue streams.
Residential storage: Strong momentum continues as stackable all-in-one systems become standard
The residential storage segment has maintained robust market momentum. Although subsidies in Australia began to phase down after May 1, cell supply and manufacturers’ order expectations suggest that the market remains resilient and has not yet been materially weighed down, leaving the full-year outlook for strong momentum unchanged.
In terms of product configuration, stackable all-in-one systems have become the industry standard. Their modular design, plug-and-play functionality, compatibility between new and existing battery modules, and flexible capacity expansion have gained broad market recognition. Major manufacturers have launched similar products, including GoodWe, Ginlong, Growatt, and others that have released PV-storage all-in-one systems. As product homogenization has continued to increase, the focus of competition is gradually extending toward brand strength, channel networks, and delivery assurance capabilities.
At the cell level, the penetration of 314 Ah cells in residential storage segment continues to rise. On the one hand, demand for 16 kWh low-voltage residential ESS remains strong in Asia, Africa, and Latin America, and large-capacity cells effectively match demand for higher energy capacity. On the other hand, an increasing number of manufacturers are adopting DC-DC boost architectures to integrate 314 Ah cells into stackable all-in-one systems.
In terms of cross-segment expansion, companies such as Deye, Pylontech, and SolaX are accelerating their expansion from residential storage into balcony micro-storage, small C&I storage, C&I storage, and even utility-scale storage—building a full-spectrum presence across segments, with an ecosystem-based competitive landscape beginning to take shape.
Energy storage PCS: Single-unit power ratings scale toward 3+ MW as grid-forming capabilities become standard
The PCS segment is showing two clear trends: rising single-unit power ratings and the broad adoption of grid-forming capabilities. As 6+ MWh utility-scale ESS move into scaled deployment, PCS single-unit power ratings are accelerating toward 3+ MW. This trend was evident at the expo, where companies such as SOARING (3,550 kW), Kehua Digital Energy (3,500 kW), and NR Electric (3,450 kW) showcased their flagship products. High-power designs have not only effectively reduced system footprints but also significantly improved charge-discharge efficiency and energy density through advanced topology optimization technologies.
Grid-forming PCS has evolved from an early-stage differentiating feature into a mainstream technology trend. Sungrow (1,725 kW), Sineng Electric (1,750 kW), NR Electric (1,750 kW), among others, showcased products with grid-forming capabilities—products that can operate stably under extremely weak-grid conditions, support three times overload for 10 seconds, and provide the inertia support and voltage regulation capabilities required by power systems with a high share of renewables.
Overall, as renewable energy penetration continues to rise, grid-forming PCS are gradually evolving from an optional configuration into a standardized capability, becoming an essential requirement for energy storage grid connection under the new power system.
Conclusion
At this year’s SNEC, the energy storage industry saw systematic deepening across three dimensions: technology pathways, application depth, and business ecosystems. 587 Ah and 588 Ah cells have become the mainstream direction for generational upgrades in utility-scale storage cells, with mass production progressing steadily. Meanwhile, 6+ MWh ESS and 3+ MW grid-forming PCS now form the standard technology combination for utility-scale storage. C&I storage and residential storage have also fully entered the era of large-capacity cells, with product configurations rapidly evolving toward integration, intelligence, and system-level coordination.
At the same time, three themes are becoming increasingly clear: computing and power coordination, long-duration energy storage, and market-based operation of standalone ESS. Together, they are opening a new pathway for the industry’s transition from scale expansion to value-driven growth. Amid this value-driven transformation, only companies that keep pace with technology iteration and market development will be able to seize first-mover advantages in the energy storage market’s high-growth cycle.
For more in-depth analysis, see our SNEC PV+ 2026 Post-Event Report—ESS.
The Lite version of our SNEC post-event report goes live on InfoLink’s website on June 11!Looking for a quick first look at this year’s key expo takeaways? Don’t miss it—the Lite version highlights the most important insights, giving you a fast overview of the full picture.
