The business model for battery energy storage systems (BESS) in the US is changing rapidly, according to industry experts who gathered recently to discuss revenue strategies and market conditions.

Francesco Oppici, co-founder and CCO of Carbon dioxide-based long-duration energy storage (LDES) company Energy Dome tied the commercialisation path of LDES to data centres.

Carl Coe, chief of staff at the US Department of Energy stated that the Department cares about “affordable, reliable, available energy, regardless of source.”

Wood Mackenzie has forecast that the US energy storage industry will install around half a terawatt-hour of new capacity over the next five years.

The global energy storage market is poised for continued expansion in 2026, even as supply chain constraints, regulatory evolution, and emerging applications reshape the landscape, according to Wood Mackenzie. 

According to the Q4 2025 US Energy Storage Monitor from Wood Mackenzie Power & Renewables and the American Clean Power Association (ACP), 2025 energy storage installations surpassed 2024 capacity.

According to the Q3 2025 US Energy Storage Monitor from Wood Mackenzie Power & Renewables and the American Clean Power Association (ACP), annual installations will not reach 2025 levels again until 2029.

The capacity of virtual power plants in North America has reached 37.5GW, a 13.7% year-on-year growth, according to Wood Mackenzie.

“Australia is one of the leading countries for grid-forming inverters,” said Natalie Thompson, senior analyst of energy storage and solar at Wood Mackenzie, when discussing the Australian energy storage market.

New analysis from Clean Energy Associates (CEA) and Wood Mackenzie highlights the challenges facing the US battery storage market due to trade tariffs.