GUOTAI HAITONG SECURITIES·2026-03-08 06:46Investment Rating - The report assigns an "Overweight" rating to the energy storage sector [2][3]. Core Insights - The energy storage sector has shown impressive installation data for January and February, with a capacity growth of +472%. The bidding capacity in February increased by +73.3%, and there has been a price increase in centralized procurement [2][3]. - The report anticipates strong demand for energy storage in 2026, suggesting a potential supply shortage. It recommends increasing holdings in the energy storage sector [2][3]. Summary by Sections Installation Data - In January and February 2026, the newly installed capacity for energy storage in China reached 9.51 GW/24.18 GWh, representing a year-over-year increase of +182.07% (power) and +472.06% (capacity). January's installation was 5.01 GW/14.61 GWh, while February's was 4.5 GW/9.57 GWh. Seven provinces exceeded 1 GWh in new installations, with Xinjiang leading at 1.48 GW/5.56 GWh [2][3]. Bidding Data - In February 2026, the newly added bidding capacity for energy storage reached 15.5 GW/53.9 GWh, with a year-over-year increase of +94.1% (power) and +73.3% (capacity). The actual bidding scale for new energy storage in February was 7.46 GW/46.6 GWh, showing a year-over-year increase of +103.6% (power) and +265% (capacity) [2][3]. Price Trends - The prices for centralized procurement of energy storage systems and cells have increased, reflecting ongoing raw material price hikes. In February, the average price for several procurement projects exceeded 0.5 CNY/Wh, with increases of 10-18% compared to December [2][3]. Recommended Stocks - The report recommends stocks such as Haibo Shichuang, Ningde Times, Yiwei Lithium Energy, Zhongchuang Innovation, and Aters for benefiting from the strong demand in energy storage systems and batteries. It also highlights Hunan Yuno as a key stock in the lithium material sector [2][3].