The price and demand of energy storage cells have both increased, and the industry will enter a "large-scale centralized procurement period" from 2026 to 2028

Top energy storage companies have successively announced their strategic centralized procurement plans for energy storage cells from 2026 to 2028, ushering in a new industry cycle centered around low-cost, high growth, and large-scale deployment.

Recently, multiple companies have signed three-year agreements with leading battery cell companies for ≥ 200GWh, marking the official transition of energy storage demand from the "hundred megawatt era" to the "gigawatt era" and the comprehensive entry of the industry into the "large-scale centralized procurement period".

At the same time, driven by multiple factors such as policies, supply and demand, and technology, the energy storage industry has also presented a unique situation of price recovery and high demand coexisting. From large-scale ground power stations to C&I (commercial and industrial energy storage), the market continues to thrive, and energy storage systems are becoming an important tool for peak shaving, valley filling, and reducing energy costs in the electricity market.

The price and demand of energy storage cells have both increased, and the industry will enter a "large-scale centralized procurement period" from 2026 to 2028

1. Price rebound and surge in demand go hand in hand, and energy storage enters a "window period of simultaneous increase in quantity and price"

Since the second half of 2024, the price of energy storage batteries has shown a continuous trend of recovery. The periodic rise in lithium battery materials earlier has led to a significant increase in the price of some specifications of lithium iron phosphate energy storage cells from the low point of the year. At the same time, the demand for energy storage at home and abroad has comprehensively increased - large-scale energy storage projects have been centrally connected to the grid under policy promotion, energy storage orders on the industrial and commercial side continue to be hot, and battery cell factories have gradually entered full production.

From the perspective of supply and demand rhythm, there is currently a situation where 'even with price increases, goods cannot be arranged'. Industry analysts point out that the core of this supply-demand tension is the temporary mismatch caused by the short-term switch between new and old production capacity, the surge in overseas demand, and the combination of domestic rush to install.

As the price of energy storage systems continues to decline - by over 80% within three years - the economic viability of energy storage projects has become more prominent, and enterprise deployment has become more proactive. Whether it is peak shaving and valley filling for large power plants or C&I energy storage to improve energy efficiency, the long-term energy cost savings and high returns brought by energy storage are accelerating.

2. The overseas market has exploded, and Chinese energy storage companies are collectively accelerating their overseas expansion

Since 2025, the demand for energy storage in overseas markets such as the United States, Europe, and the Middle East has experienced explosive growth. Policy incentives, optimization of electricity price structure, and increased penetration of renewable energy have all driven the intensive implementation of energy storage projects. In the first half of this year, Chinese companies added 163 GWh of overseas energy storage orders, a year-on-year increase of 246%, with the Middle East and Australia showing the most impressive growth rates.

The significant increase in overseas orders has further amplified the shortage of domestic battery cell production capacity. Industry insiders generally believe that this supply-demand tension will continue for a period of time until the production capacity of new generation high-capacity battery cells such as 314Ah and 500Ah is fully released.

Against the backdrop of strong demand, the energy storage industry chain is accelerating the Matthew effect. Top enterprises have obtained a large number of high-value orders in overseas markets, while small and medium-sized energy storage enterprises have begun to move towards more competitive niche application areas, such as household storage, portable energy storage, and backup power for communication base stations.

3. Energy storage: Striving for new growth in C&I energy storage with high energy efficiency and high safety solutions

In the context of energy storage entering the era of "scale and productization", suppliers who can provide stable and reliable products that support large-scale delivery are increasingly favored by the industry. As a domestic provider of photovoltaic energy storage solutions, Lingxian has become a focus of attention for many C&I users due to its long-term accumulated system design capabilities, industrial and commercial energy storage product matrix, and strong delivery capabilities.

● High safety battery cell system+full link BMS control

By adopting high security LFP cells and multiple hardware/software protection strategies, especially under extreme conditions such as high temperature, high humidity, and high load, stable output can be maintained, greatly reducing the risk cost of energy storage systems on the power plant side.

● Optimize enterprise energy costs and significantly improve ROI

The C&I energy storage system is designed for regions with large differences in peak and valley electricity prices, and can provide enterprises with multi scenario revenue models such as peak shaving, demand side response, and electricity cost optimization. In a large number of project tests, energy storage equipment has helped customers save an average of 15% -30% of electricity costs annually, with a shorter recovery cycle.

● Strong productization delivery capability, supporting rapid grid connection and batch deployment

As the industry shifts from "project-based" to "productized delivery", the standardized 215kWh-5MWh industrial and commercial energy storage system launched supports modular expansion, shortening delivery cycles by 30% -50%, and is more suitable for future large-scale centralized procurement trends.

● Adapt to multiple market scenarios, including communication base stations, factory parks, and commercial buildings

Especially in the field of energy storage for communication base stations, with long equipment lifespan, fast response, and precise temperature control, it can effectively reduce base station energy consumption and improve power supply reliability, becoming a highly concerned solution for operators.

With the help of a high safety, high energy efficiency, and highly standardized product matrix, we are actively expanding into the domestic and international energy storage markets, providing C&I users with more cost-effective energy storage deployment models.

4. Outlook for 2026-2028: The industry enters a "super large-scale centralized procurement period", and the value of energy storage will be fully released

The energy storage industry has undergone drastic changes in the past year, from policies to markets, from supply and demand to technology. The Special Action Plan for Large scale Construction of New Energy Storage (2025-2027) clearly states that the country will add over 100 million kilowatts of installed capacity, promoting the further enhancement of the role of energy storage in peak shaving, frequency regulation, power grid stability, and new energy consumption.

This means that in the next three years, energy storage companies will not only face larger market demands, but also face more intense productization competition. Enterprises with stable supply chains, productized delivery capabilities, and full lifecycle service capabilities will have greater advantages.

For industrial and commercial enterprises as well as large power plants, how to choose a safe, reliable, cost-effective, and long-term scalable energy storage system will become the core of investment decisions.

Learn more about energy storage solutions

If you are interested in how to use energy storage to reduce energy costs for businesses, improve grid stability, or deploy communication base station energy storage systems, please feel free to learn more about energy storage solutions.

We are willing to provide customized analysis and deployment recommendations to help enterprises take the lead in the new round of energy storage growth cycle.

If you need to learn more, please feel free to contact us at any time.