US battery storage hit 20.2 GWh in a single quarter
The US installed 20.2 gigawatt-hours of battery storage in the second quarter of 2026, a quarterly record, and the country is on pace to install 71 GWh for the full year, roughly 20% more than 2025, according to an MIT Technology Review analysis of federal data. Seven projects now qualify as gigascale: each one stores enough electricity to power tens of thousands of homes for several hours. The buildout is concentrated in states with high solar penetration, where batteries absorb midday generation and release it during evening demand.The US installed 20.2 gigawatt-hours of battery storage in the second quarter of 2026, a quarterly record, and the country is on pace to install 71 GWh for the full year, roughly 20% more than 2025, according to an MIT Technology Review analysis of federal data. Seven projects now qualify as gigascale: each one stores enough electricity to power tens of thousands of homes for several hours. The buildout is concentrated in states with high solar penetration, where batteries absorb midday generation and release it during evening demand.Expert summary pending. Showing the newcomer version.