Zhongyuan Securities·2026-01-22 09:03Investment Rating - The report maintains an "Outperform" rating for the lithium battery industry relative to the CSI 300 index [2]. Core Insights - The new energy storage market is experiencing significant growth, with global new energy storage installations expected to reach 74.1 GW/177.8 GWh by the end of 2024, representing year-on-year growth of 62.5% and 61.9% respectively. In China, the new energy storage capacity is projected to increase by 103% and 136% to 43.7 GW/109.8 GWh [10][17]. - Lithium batteries are expected to dominate the energy storage technology landscape, with shipments in China reaching 430 GWh in the first three quarters of 2025, marking a year-on-year increase of 99.07% [10][24]. - The report highlights the supportive policy environment for the energy storage industry, with multiple initiatives launched by the Chinese government to promote the development of new energy storage technologies [10][35]. Summary by Sections 1. Energy Storage Industry Overview - The global energy system is undergoing significant changes to meet carbon neutrality commitments, with a focus on increasing the share of renewable energy [15][16]. - Energy storage technologies are categorized into mechanical and electrochemical storage, with pumped storage being the most mature technology [16][22]. 2. Energy Storage Policies - Since 2021, the Chinese government has introduced a series of policies to support the development of energy storage, including the "New Energy Storage Manufacturing High-Quality Development Action Plan" [35][36]. - The goal is to achieve over 100 million kW of new energy storage capacity by 2027, with significant investments expected [36][37]. 3. Electrochemical Energy Storage - Lithium-ion batteries are highlighted as the most mature and widely used technology in energy storage, with a market share of 97.5% in new energy storage technologies [24][29]. - The report discusses the advantages of lithium batteries, including high energy density and long lifespan, while also noting safety risks [22][24]. 4. Mechanical Energy Storage - Pumped storage remains a significant part of the energy storage landscape, accounting for 54.3% of total storage capacity as of the end of 2024 [24][29]. - Other mechanical storage technologies, such as compressed air and flywheel storage, are also discussed, highlighting their respective advantages and limitations [22][24]. 5. Henan Province Energy Storage Overview - Henan Province has implemented policies to accelerate the development of new energy storage technologies, aiming for a scale of over 15 million kW by 2030 [10][36]. - Key companies in the Henan energy storage sector include multiple firms specializing in lithium, sodium, and flow batteries [10][36].