Battery storage is expanding at an unprecedented pace in the U.S., fueling record growth in solar power and accelerating the shift away from fossil fuels.
Batteries are playing a pivotal role in solar’s rise by enabling clean energy to meet growing demand and displace gas and coal generation. In 2024, for every 3 megawatts (MW) of solar added to the grid, 1 MW of storage was installed—demonstrating how closely these technologies are advancing together.
Together, solar and storage have become the foundation of new electricity infrastructure in the U.S., accounting for over 80% of new capacity added this year. As solar becomes increasingly competitive with other generation sources, it continues to capture a growing share of total U.S. electricity generation.
Solar and energy storage are now the fastest-to-build, lowest-cost technologies available to meet rising electricity needs. The market is responding accordingly: in 2024, solar and storage made up 84% of all new grid capacity. According to the Solar Market Insight Report from SEIA and Wood Mackenzie, these technologies comprised 82% of new capacity additions in the first half of 2025 alone.
The Energy Information Administration projects that 63 gigawatts (GW) of utility-scale generation will come online in 2025, with 81% of that powered by solar and battery storage. Battery storage is expected to set another record next year, with 18.2 GW of utility-scale capacity slated for installation. This follows a banner year in 2024, when providers added 10.3 GW of new battery storage—a clear signal of storage’s growing importance in supporting the transition to renewable energy.