July 30 – Hyperstrong (688411.SH) has locked in ~10 GWh of overseas orders (Europe 40%, Americas 35%, SE Asia 25%), including a German GWh project and a US data center project. To counter rising lithium costs, it's advancing sodium-ion batteries via a 3-year, 60 GWh deal with CATL. After mass production, sodium batteries will offer cost advantages and complement lithium batteries, with initial deployment in low-temperature and extreme environments.

After InterBattery in March, the strategic focus of South Korea's battery industry has been expanding from high-nickel EV batteries to ESS, LFP, AI data centers, and safety. Battery-related conferences in April also indicated that AI-driven R&D, LFP process innovation, next-generation batteries for diverse application scenarios, and improvements in safety and reliability are becoming major directions. This means the standard for "high-end" is expanding from energy density to system reliability, operational stability, supply chain transparency, and AI-driven management capabilities.

Since InterBattery in March, Korea’s battery industry has been expanding its focus from high-nickel EV batteries to ESS, LFP, AI data centers, and safety. Battery-related conferences held in April also highlighted AI-enabled R&D, LFP process innovation, application-specific next-generation batteries, and stronger safety and reliability. This suggests that the definition of premium is expanding from energy density to system reliability, operational stability, and supply chain transparency.

[SMM Analysis: 2027 Outlook: Solid-State Battery Signals from Beijing Auto Show] The Beijing Auto Show, which opened on April 24, 2026, became a showcase platform for solid-state battery "real vehicle integration." BYD's sulphide all-solid-state battery debuted in a real vehicle first, featuring 480Wh/kg, with small-batch vehicle installation planned for 2027; Chery's Rhino S achieved an energy density of 600Wh/kg, leading the show. CATL's condensed-matter battery completed aviation verification and is backward compatible with passenger vehicles. Semi-solid-state batteries are on the eve of mass production, with MG already bringing prices down to the 100,000-yuan level. Industry consensus: mass production will begin in 2027, and price parity between liquid and solid-state batteries is expected by 2030.

In 2025, the global energy storage industry officially entered the 100 GW era. The wave of energy transition drove the industry to achieve breakthroughs in both scale and quality. China continued to lead with a 58.6% share of global new installations, serving as the core engine of global energy storage development. From accelerating technological iteration and breakthroughs to explosive expansion of market size, from comprehensive upgrades in enterprise strategies to sustained capital inflows, the energy storage industry is embracing unprecedented development opportunities and industry transformation. At the launch of the survey for the " 2026 Global PV Top 20 and China Energy Storage Top 20 Rankings, " we comprehensively reviewed the development trajectory of the global and Chinese energy storage industry in 2025, summarizing core highlights and development trends to provide comprehensive and authoritative decision-making references for industry participants including energy storage enterprises, industry investors, upstream and downstream suppliers, and related institutions, facilitating high-quality industry development. Global Energy Storage: Breakthroughs in Both Scale and Structure, with China Dominating the Supply Chain In 2025, global electricity ESS new installations reached 113.3 GW/323.5 GWh, up 48.2%/65.7% YoY, with cumulative installations exceeding 496.2 GW, demonstrating strong growth momentum. China contributed 66.4 GW/189.5 GWh of new installations, ranking first globally for four consecutive years. The US and Europe followed with 22.5 GW and 15.8 GW respectively, forming a stable "one dominant, multiple strong" global energy storage market landscape. In terms of technology routes, lithium-ion batteries remained mainstream with a 92.3% share. Meanwhile, long duration energy storage (LDES) technologies accelerated breakthroughs, with commercialization of flow batteries, compressed air energy storage, and gravity energy storage advancing rapidly. The share of global new LDES projects rose from 12.5% in 2024 to 18.7%. Sodium-ion battery technology maturity continued to rise, with top-tier enterprises achieving mass-produced battery cell energy density exceeding 160 Wh/kg and costs 20%-25% lower than LFP, offering new possibilities for cost reduction in the energy storage industry. At the supply chain level, Chinese enterprises held an absolutely dominant position. In 2025, global ESS battery shipments reached 651.5 GWh, up 76.2% YoY. Chinese enterprises shipped a combined 614.7 GWh, accounting for 94.4% of the global total. From upstream materials to downstream system integration, Chinese enterprises have built a complete and globally competitive supply chain system. China Energy Storage: Accelerating Market-Oriented Transformation with an Increasingly Mature Industrial Ecosystem Amid the rapid development of the global energy storage industry, China, as a core force, demonstrated a positive trajectory of accelerating market-oriented transformation and an increasingly mature industrial ecosystem. As of the end of 2025, China's cumulative electricity ESS installations reached 213.3 GW, accounting for 43.0% of the global total, up 54% YoY. Among them, new-type energy storage cumulative installations reached 144.2 GW, with its share rising to 67.6%, indicating continuous optimization of the industrial structure. In 2025, the global energy storage industry officially entered the 100-GW era. The wave of energy transition drove the industry to achieve dual breakthroughs in scale and quality. China continued to lead with 58.6% of global new installations, serving as the core engine of global energy storage development. From accelerated technological iteration breakthroughs to explosive market size expansion, from comprehensive upgrades in enterprise strategies to sustained capital inflows, the energy storage industry is embracing unprecedented development opportunities and industry transformation. At the launch of the " 2026 Global PV Top 20 and China Energy Storage Top 20 Rankings " survey, we comprehensively reviewed the development trajectory of the global and Chinese energy storage industry in 2025, summarized core industry highlights and development trends, and provided comprehensive and authoritative decision-making references for industry participants including energy storage enterprises, industry investors, upstream and downstream suppliers, and related institutions, facilitating high-quality industry development. Global Energy Storage: Dual Breakthroughs in Scale and Structure, with China Dominating the Supply Chain In 2025, global electricity ESS new installations reached 113.3 GW/323.5 GWh, up 48.2%/65.7% YoY, with cumulative installations exceeding 496.2 GW, demonstrating strong industry growth momentum. China contributed 66.4 GW/189.5 GWh of new installations, ranking first globally for four consecutive years. The US and Europe followed with 22.5 GW and 15.8 GW respectively, forming a stable "one dominant leader with multiple strong players" pattern in the global energy storage market. In terms of technology routes, lithium-ion batteries remained the mainstream, accounting for 92.3%. Meanwhile, long duration energy storage (LDES) technologies accelerated breakthroughs, with the commercialization of flow batteries, compressed air energy storage, and gravity energy storage advancing rapidly. The share of global new LDES projects rose from 12.5% in 2024 to 18.7%. Sodium-ion battery technology maturity continued to rise, with top-tier enterprises achieving mass-produced battery cell energy density exceeding 160 Wh/kg and costs 20%-25% lower than LFP, offering new possibilities for cost reduction in the energy storage industry. At the supply chain level, Chinese enterprises held an absolutely dominant position. In 2025, global ESS battery shipments reached 651.5 GWh, up 76.2% YoY. Chinese enterprises shipped a combined 614.7 GWh, accounting for 94.4% of the global total. From upstream materials to downstream system integration, Chinese enterprises have built a complete and globally competitive supply chain system. China Energy Storage: Accelerating Market-Oriented Transformation and Increasingly Refined Industrial Ecosystem Amid the rapid global development of the energy storage industry, China, as a core force, demonstrates an accelerating market-oriented transformation and an increasingly refined industrial ecosystem. By the end of 2025, China's cumulative electricity ESS installations reached 213.3 GW, accounting for 43.0% of the global total, up 54% YoY. Among them, new-type energy storage cumulative installations reached 144.2 GW, with its share rising to 67.6%, indicating continuous optimization of the industrial structure. Application scenarios , standalone ESS accounted for 63% of new installations, up 2.7 percentage points from 2024. A coordinated development pattern between the power grid side and user side has taken shape, with the core values of energy storage in peak shaving, frequency regulation, and backup being fully released. Market entities, according to Qichacha data, the number of newly registered energy storage-related enterprises in China reached 107,000 in 2025, up 17.0% YoY, hitting a ten-year high. East China and south China demonstrated significant industrial cluster effects, accounting for 32.3% and 20.3% respectively. Meanwhile, industry reshuffle also accelerated, with approximately 50,000 enterprises exiting the market throughout the year, and a "the strong stay strong" industry landscape initially emerged. The dual drivers of policy and market injected sustained momentum into industry development. The NDRC and the National Energy Administration jointly issued the "Guiding Opinions on High-Quality Development of New-Type Energy Storage," setting a clear target of 200 GW for new-type energy storage installations by 2027. At the local level, 12 provinces have introduced standalone ESS support policies. Capacity electricity prices and peak shaving compensation mechanisms have been gradually refined, with the average IRR of standalone ESS reaching 8.5%-10% in 2025. The improvement in market-oriented returns further stimulated investment vitality in the industry. Top-Tier Enterprises Leading: Dual Empowerment of Technological Innovation and Market Expansion In 2025, key enterprises in the energy storage industry continued to intensify technological innovation and market expansion, leading the industry's transformation toward high-quality development. Top-tier enterprises leveraged their technological and scale advantages to continuously consolidate their market positions. CATL , as the industry leader, saw its ESS battery sales up 29.13% YoY in 2025, ranking first globally for five consecutive years. Its ESS revenue reached 62.44 billion yuan, accounting for 14.74% of total revenue. It also launched condensed-state battery technology with an energy density of 500 Wh/kg, and actively deployed sodium-ion batteries, planning to apply them on a large scale in the ESS sector in 2026. Sungrow delivered outstanding performance in the ESS sector, with full-year ESS revenue of 37.287 billion yuan, up 49.39% YoY, accounting for 41.8% of total revenue. Its global ESS shipments exceeded 25 GWh, with markets outside China accounting for 60%, focusing on core markets including the US, Europe, and the Middle East. Beyond technology deployment, major industry contract signings and capacity expansions also occurred frequently. Canadian Solar Inc. had ESS orders on hand worth $3.6 billion, with global ESS shipments hitting a record high. From publicly listed firms' performance, energy storage business has become a core growth driver for many enterprises, with significant performance divergence across the industry and top-tier enterprises further expanding their advantages. CATL, Sungrow, and other leading enterprises achieved steady growth in energy storage business through comprehensive deployment and strong competitiveness. Meanwhile, Sunwoda, Ginlong Technology, and other enterprises also achieved explosive growth in energy storage business. Ginlong Technology's energy storage business grew 185.31% YoY, with significant increases in string-type energy storage inverter shipments. CORUN, leveraging strategic transformation, achieved 1,700% YoY growth in energy storage business and 1,516.64% growth in non-recurring net profit, becoming an industry dark horse. These enterprises' performance fully reflected the strong momentum of the energy storage industry. 2026 Global PV Top 20 and China Energy Storage Top 20 Rankings Survey Officially Launched Currently, the Strait of Hormuz blockade crisis continues to escalate, plunging global energy supply into a severely strained situation and posing enormous challenges to energy security. Against this backdrop, energy storage, as the "ballast stone" of new energy power, has seen its core value in stable power supply and peak shaving increasingly highlighted. It has not only met more urgent rigid market demand but also driven the industry to explore more cost-effective and practically applicable technology solutions, providing critical support for alleviating global energy tensions and safeguarding energy security. Standing at a turning point of the era, the energy storage industry is transitioning from rapid growth to high-quality development, with technology innovation, cost reduction, market expansion, and landscape reshaping becoming the core key words of industry development. To comprehensively review China's energy storage industry achievements, objectively assess enterprises' comprehensive strengths, and build bridges for industry exchange and cooperation, 2026 Global PV Top 20 and China Energy Storage Top 20 Rankings Survey Has Officially Launched ! This 2026 China Energy Storage Top 20 will produce the 2026 China Energy Storage Enterprise Top 20 (Comprehensive), 2026 China ESS Battery Enterprise Top 20 , and 2026 China ESS Enterprise Top 20 . Ultimately, an authoritative ranking with industry influence will be established. This ranking will serve as an important reference for energy storage enterprises, industry investors, upstream and downstream suppliers, survey institutions, and others, facilitating optimal allocation of industry resources and driving higher-quality development of the energy storage industry. Relevant enterprises are welcome to actively participate in the survey and jointly witness the beginning of a new chapter in the energy storage industry. When solar panels in Lebanon broke through war and scarcity to sustain the survival hopes of an entire city; when Europe adopted household ESS as the primary alternative amid the energy crisis, fortifying energy security with household ESS; when Chinese energy enterprises erected an energy security shield for the world with core technologies, outstanding quality, and a sense of responsibility — we clearly see that new energy technologies and new forces are rising to safeguard global energy security. This force demonstrates the confidence and commitment of Chinese brands, and carries humanity's aspiration for stable energy. We believe that Chinese brands will ultimately inject lasting Chinese momentum into global energy security amid the global energy transformation. 2026 Global PV Top 20 Rankings NO.1 2026 Global PV Enterprise Top 20 (Comprehensive) *Based on enterprise's 2025 annual global PV-related project, product, and service revenue (1 million) NO.2 2026 China PV Enterprise Top 20 (Comprehensive) *Based on enterprise's 2025 annual global PV-related project, product, and service revenue (1 million) NO.3 2026 China PV Power Plant Investment Enterprise Top 20 *Based on enterprise's 2025 annual global PV power plant investment grid connection installations (MW) NO.4 2026 China PV Power Plant EPC General Contractor Enterprise Top 20 *Based on enterprise's 2025 annual global PV power plant grid connection installations (MW) NO.5 2026 China PV Module Enterprise Top 20 *Based on enterprise's 2025 annual global module shipments (MW) NO.6 2026 China PV Inverter Publicly Listed Enterprise Top 15 *Based on each publicly listed firm's (including the listed company and its subsidiaries) 2025 annual global inverter shipments (MW) NO.7 2026 China Solar Panel Mounting Bracket Enterprise Top 20 *Based on enterprise's 2025 annual global mounting bracket shipments (MW) Note: Ranking revenue is denominated in RMB (exchange rates are based on the local currency to RMB exchange rate as of December 31, 2025) 2026 China Energy Storage Top 20 Rankings NO.1 2026 China Energy Storage Enterprise Top 20 Rankings (Comprehensive) *Based on enterprise's 2025 annual energy storage-related project, product, and service revenue (1 million) NO.2 2026 China ESS Battery Enterprise Top 20 Rankings *Based on enterprise's 2025 annual ESS battery sales (MWh) NO.3 2026 China ESS Enterprise Top 20 Rankings *Based on enterprise's 2025 annual ESS installations (MWh) Contact Us ABOUT US 2026 Global PV Top 20 Rankings Declaration and Conference Inquiry: Ms. Zhou: 18651953272 Email: 772813695@qq.com 2026 China Energy Storage Top 20 Rankings Declaration and Conference Inquiry: Ms. Liu: 13584535579 Email: 343856673@qq.com

[SMM Analysis: Anode Material Achieves Track Upgrade Riding the Tailwind of Battery Cell Technology] The material upgrade demand on the battery cell side is effectively driving structural growth in demand for sub-segments such as silicon carbon anode, hard carbon anode, and high-end modified graphite.

On April 13, Zhejiang Xupai Power and HELLA (Nanjing) Electronics signed a strategic cooperation agreement. The two parties will engage in in-depth cooperation in sodium-ion batteries, automotive electronics, and global market expansion, focusing on the R&D, adaptation, validation, and promotion of sodium-ion automotive starter batteries. Xupai Power specializes in the R&D and manufacturing of sodium-ion automotive starter batteries, with products featuring advantages such as excellent high- and low-temperature performance, safety and reliability, and resource friendliness. HELLA (Nanjing) is a subsidiary of Germany's HELLA Group, possessing world-leading automotive electronics and energy management technologies. The two parties will leverage their respective strengths in manufacturing, distribution channels, and technology to promote the deployment of sodium-ion starter batteries across multiple car models and facilitate the green upgrade of automotive starting systems.

This week, the sodium-ion battery industry operated steadily overall, with industry prosperity continuing to rise. On the technological front, key performance metrics such as high safety, long cycle life, and low cost continued to achieve breakthroughs, laying a solid foundation for large-scale applications. With policy and industry working in synergy, upstream and downstream projects along the industry chain advanced steadily. Supporting infrastructure across materials, battery cells, system integration, and end-use applications continued to improve, with capacity deployment gradually materializing. The pace of scenario validation in energy storage, telecom backup power, and other fields accelerated, and market recognition of sodium-ion batteries' substitution and complementary effects increased. Overall, the industry is demonstrating a development trend characterized by **accelerating technological iteration, broadening application scenarios, and an increasingly mature industry chain**. The industrialisation of sodium-ion batteries continues to advance, with a promising medium and long-term development outlook.

Samsung SDI said on the 15th that it is focusing on battery development for robotics and urban air mobility (UAM) applications. Speaking at the SNE Research Global Battery Conference NGBS 2026 in Seoul, a senior vice president from the company’s advanced development and technology strategy teams emphasized that batteries will play a key role in connecting AI and human-centered environments as AI converges with humanoid robotics. The company also confirmed that it is internally preparing mass production plans for sodium-ion batteries and may make an official announcement by the end of this year or next year.

In its latest institutional survey, EVE disclosed that the company has built a collaborative system integrating hydrogen, lithium, and sodium multi-technology routes to reduce single dependence on lithium resources, covering diverse scenarios including AIDC, electricity ESS, and specialty vehicles. The company pioneered traceless sodium-ion battery technology, adopting self-degradable low-carbon materials to achieve recycling-free and natural decomposition throughout the battery life cycle, fulfilling the goal of zero-carbon sodium-ion batteries. In October 2025, the first large-capacity sodium-ion battery ESS was connected to grid at the Jingmen base. In December of the same year, the headquarters of EVE Sodium Energy broke ground, with a planned 2 Gwh annual capacity and expected commissioning in 2027.