In the first quarter of 2026, global energy storage system shipments reached 100.0 GWh, a 96.5% increase from 50.9 GWh in the same period of 2025, bringing quarterly shipments to an entirely new scale.

China Huadian launched a 12 GWh energy storage tender for 2026, explicitly requiring ≥314Ah cells. The contract uniquely links pricing to SMM’s lithium carbonate index to manage market volatility. With bids opening February 11, 2026, this tender cements 314Ah technology and SMM benchmarks as the new standard for utility-scale projects.