LONDON — Global grid-scale battery storage is on pace for a record year. A total of 6,199MW/18,817MWh of BESS capacity came online in July 2026, pushing the year-to-date total to 154GWh, up 27% year on year, according to Benchmark Mineral Intelligence.
China accounted for 70% of July's additions (4,568MW/13,019MWh), including the month's largest single project — a 400MW/2.4GWh plant in Inner Mongolia. Cumulative global installed capacity now stands at roughly 274GW/716GWh.
Europe delivered one of its best months ever: nearly 2.5GWh came online, led by Greenvolt's 200MW/800MWh project in Poland — the country's largest — and a 36MW/72MWh system in Slovakia. A further 692MWh went live across Germany, Estonia, Belgium, Denmark and Bulgaria. Oceania added 1.19GWh, mostly from Quinbrook's Supernode Stage 2, while North America saw 1,256MWh and Africa 540MWh.
July 2026 regional breakdown (MW/MWh):
| Region | MW | MWh |
|---|---|---|
| China | 4,568 | 13,019 |
| Europe | 833 | 2,472 |
| North America | 328 | 1,256 |
| Oceania | 265 | 1,190 |
| Africa | 95 | 540 |
| Asia (ex-China) | 110 | 340 |
| Total | 6,199 | 18,817 |
WHY IT MATTERS
- After June's Middle East-led month (Saudi 2.5GW/12.5GWh), China's return to 70% shows deployment is a two-horse race — and Europe is no longer a laggard.
- Poland's first 800MWh-class plant confirms CEE as the region's fastest-growing BESS market.
- 27% YTD growth validates 2026 as a step-change year for grid storage globally.
THE EXLIPORC PERSPECTIVE
Europe's record month and Poland's largest-ever plant underline one point: Central Europe is now a storage hub, not a follower. For installers planning 2026-27 residential and C&I projects, lead times matter as much as prices. EXLIPORC's Poland-warehouse line — the 16.58kWh 51.2V 324Ah long-life model (8,000+ cycles, ~20-year design life) — ships across the EU in 3-7 days, with CE/UN38.3/IEC compliance.
Sources
Energy-Storage.news / Benchmark Mineral Intelligence, August 27, 2026.
