Core Viewpoint - The article discusses the transformation and value awakening in the commercial energy storage sector, emphasizing the need to move away from price competition and towards value creation in the industry [1]. Group 1: Industry Trends and Developments - In the first four months of 2025, user-side energy storage connected to the grid reached 1.7 GWh, with a total scale of 0.696 GW/1.775 GWh, marking a 32% increase in power and a 31% increase in scale compared to the same period last year [7][9]. - The global commercial energy storage market is expected to see new installations of 6.1 GW/15.26 GWh in 2025, with China's market size exceeding 10.56 GWh and surpassing 100 billion [10]. - The first quarter of 2025 saw 59 new electrochemical storage stations added nationwide, with a total installed capacity of 2.55 GW/5.72 GWh [12]. Group 2: Market Opportunities and Challenges - The current energy storage industry faces challenges such as low barriers to entry, severe homogenization, and insufficient demand exploration, necessitating a shift towards diversified energy storage ecosystems [15]. - The commercial energy storage sector is experiencing intense competition, with a growing demand for high-quality operation and maintenance services due to project instability and high after-sales costs [20]. - The article highlights the need for energy storage projects to diversify revenue sources and explore integrated solutions like virtual power plants to enhance profitability [26][39]. Group 3: Technological Innovations and Future Directions - The future of commercial energy storage is expected to focus on digitalization, with companies needing to adopt a lifecycle cost approach and enhance their ability to manage price volatility [21]. - The integration of energy storage with various industries (referred to as "Storage + X") is seen as a key strategy for unlocking new market opportunities and achieving a zero-carbon society [15]. - The article emphasizes the importance of technological innovation and the development of tailored solutions to meet the specific needs of different sectors, including transportation and telecommunications [15][29]. Group 4: Policy Impacts and Strategic Responses - Recent policy changes, such as the Jiangsu time-of-use pricing policy, have significantly impacted the commercial energy storage sector, highlighting the need for companies to adapt their business models beyond relying solely on peak-valley price differences [30][39]. - Companies are encouraged to refine their operational strategies and enhance their understanding of market dynamics to navigate the evolving regulatory landscape effectively [30][39]. - The article suggests that while the return on equity (ROE) for commercial energy storage projects has decreased from over 50% to 12% due to policy changes, with strategic adjustments, it can still achieve a ROE of 24% [39].