储能市场缘何“一芯难求”

Core Insights - The current state of the energy storage market is characterized by a significant shortage of energy storage cells, with leading battery manufacturers like CATL operating at full capacity and orders extending into early next year [1][2] - The surge in demand for energy storage cells is driven by a combination of explosive global storage needs and a mismatch in supply and demand [2][4] - Policy support and the expansion of application scenarios are contributing to a rush in energy storage installations, leading to a rapid increase in demand for energy storage cells [3][4] Supply and Demand Dynamics - The energy storage cell shortage is fundamentally a result of a temporary mismatch between supply and demand [2] - In the first half of the year, China's new energy storage installation capacity reached 94.91 million kilowatts (22.2 million kilowatt-hours), marking a 29% increase compared to the end of 2024 [2] - The National Development and Reform Commission and the National Energy Administration have set ambitious targets for energy storage capacity, aiming for over 180 million kilowatts by 2027, which is expected to drive direct project investments of approximately 250 billion yuan [2] Market Trends - The demand for energy storage cells is being fueled by the rapid expansion of application scenarios, including solar-storage integration projects and the increasing green energy requirements of data centers [3] - Chinese energy storage companies have secured over 250 overseas orders in the first eight months of the year, totaling 188 GWh, representing a 183% year-on-year increase [4] - Major companies like CATL and Sungrow Power Supply Co., Ltd. are winning large-scale energy storage projects in the Middle East, further tightening domestic production capacity [4] Production Capacity and Technological Advancements - Many companies report being at full production capacity, with orders fully booked [5][6] - The industry is transitioning from smaller capacity cells (300+ Ah) to larger capacity cells (500+ Ah and beyond), which is a critical phase for the sector [6] - The cost of energy storage systems has decreased by approximately 80% compared to three years ago, with some regions achieving electricity costs below 0.2 yuan per kilowatt-hour [6]