From April 1 to 3, the 14th Energy Storage International Summit and Exhibition (ESIE 2026) was held in Beijing. More than 100 Chinese energy storage companies, including Trina Storage, LONGi, BYD Energy, Sungrow, Hithium, EVE Energy, REPT BATTERO, Gotion High-Tech, CALB, Envision Energy, and PylonTech, showcased core products such as high-capacity battery cells, liquid-cooled energy storage systems, grid-forming PCS, and PV-storage-charging integrated solutions.
During on-site research by EnergyTrend, the total volume of signed energy storage orders and strategic cooperation agreements at the exhibition exceeded 127GWh. Long-term supply chain contracts, overseas orders, scenario-based solutions, and ecological collaboration emerged as key highlights, reflecting that China’s energy storage industry is accelerating from scale expansion to a new stage of global layout and in-depth value creation.
Over 20 strategic cooperation and order signings were finalized during the exhibition, covering long-term supply chain agreements, GWh-scale overseas projects, multi-scenario customized partnerships, and full-industry-chain alliances.
Selected Key Signed Orders
- EVE Energy reached strategic cooperation agreements on large-format energy storage batteries with Goldwind Zero Carbon, Jinko Storage, Linyang Energy, CEEC Energy Storage Technology, Robestec, etc., with a total scale of 50GWh+.
- LONGi signed a 1GWh strategic cooperation agreement with Zhongtian Technology Group.
- Star New Energy signed a strategic cell procurement agreement (2026–2028) with Hithium, totaling 30GWh.
- China Automotive New Energy signed energy storage system and scenario-based solution agreements with Jiangsu Wetown, Windey Innovoltst, Zhongtian Energy Storage, TB Energy, etc., exceeding 10GWh.
- Trina Storage cooperated with Lightshift Energy on a North American energy storage project of 1GWh+, and reached an in-depth strategic cooperation with Kehua Tech to jointly launch an AIDC full-domain integrated solution.
- Gotion High-Tech established long-term strategic cooperation with multiple domestic and international enterprises, with a scale exceeding 35GWh.
Five Industry Trends Behind the Signings
Against the backdrop of intensive on-site signings, ESIE 2026 clearly revealed structural changes in the industry, embodied in five core trends:high-capacity cells becoming mainstream, diversified technical routes, deep penetration of AI and digital intelligence, full implementation of scenario-based solutions, and accelerated globalization and ecological collaboration.
- Technology & Products: High Capacity + High Safety + Diverse Technologies in Parallel
Ultra-high-capacity battery cells have become the absolute mainstream. Featured products included Envision’s 790Ah prismatic wound energy storage cell, BYD’s 2710Ah blade battery, Hithium’s 1175Ah cell, REPT BATTERO’s Wending® 588Ah cell, and PylonTech’s 588Ah / 601Ah high-capacity cells. These significantly improved system energy density and integration efficiency, effectively reducing the levelized cost of electricity (LCOE).
Semi-solid / solid-state batteries are accelerating commercialization. Inpai Battery exhibited a 587Ah semi-solid cell, while Gotion High-Tech and Ganfeng Lithium announced plans for semi-solid production lines, greatly enhancing safety performance.
Sodium-ion batteries are on the eve of large-scale application. CATL and Envision launched products with capacities above 300Ah and 20,000-cycle lifespans. PylonTech displayed multi-specification sodium battery products to complement lithium batteries in different scenarios.
In addition, long-duration energy storage (4h+), liquid cooling, and high-safety fire protection have become standard configurations. Systems are shifting from “equipment stacking” to optimized full-lifecycle safety and efficiency.
- Market Signings: GWh-Scale Long Contracts Locked, Supply Chains Deeply Bound
Total signed volume at the exhibition exceeded 127GWh, as the industry accelerates into the era of GWh-scale mass delivery. Strategic cooperation around 500Ah+ ultra-high-capacity cells dominated the signings, driving continuous declines in system costs.
Leading enterprises including EVE Energy, Gotion High-Tech, and Star New Energy secured supply chain cooperation of dozens of GWh levels, stabilizing the industrial chain through annual framework procurement agreements.
Trina Storage, LONGi, CRRC Zhuzhou Institute and others focused on large-capacity delivery, overseas projects, and customized scenarios. Supply chain stability and large-scale delivery capabilities have become core barriers, marking a shift in industry competition from short-term gaming to supply guarantee, mass production, and delivery capabilities.
- Digital Intelligence Empowerment: Energy Digitalization + Green AIDC Computing Power as New Frontiers
AI + energy storage has achieved full penetration. Envision integrated physical AI with full-stack self-research capabilities through its “Tianji / Tianshu” large models, optimizing the entire energy storage station operation chain and improving full-lifecycle IRR by 4% to 8%. It also showcased an end-to-end AIDC energy solution, which has been applied in the world’s first 100% green power direct-supplied data center project.
Meanwhile, Sprixin’s “Kuangming AI System” and Xiqing Energy’s large-model early warning platform were launched, enabling electricity price forecasting, intelligent dispatch, fault prediction, and revenue optimization.
Energy digitalization and green AIDC computing power have become new growth areas. Trina Storage and Kehua Tech jointly released a full-domain integrated solution, upgrading energy storage from a supporting power source to a core value carrier for computing centers, virtual power plants, and zero-carbon parks.
- Scenario Expansion: From Standardized to “Scenario-Specific” Value Upgrading
Products have shifted from general-purpose to scenario-customized designs, covering power grid peak shaving, industrial & commercial peak-valley arbitrage, AIDC backup power, user-side microgrids, overseas independent energy storage, and other segments, with targeted optimization of power, voltage, temperature control, and interfaces.
“Energy Storage + Scenarios” became the main theme of signings. CRRC Zhuzhou Institute and Qidian Huineng focused on independent and industrial & commercial energy storage; Robestec deepened user-side and overseas development; Xiangyu New Energy and CALB are developing zero-carbon cities and parks. The industry is transitioning from selling equipment to selling solutions, operation services, and asset income.
- Globalization & Ecology: Accelerated Overseas Expansion and Full-Chain Collaboration
Overseas orders and international cooperation increased significantly. Trina Storage secured GWh-scale projects in North America, while Robestec, Envision, and others partnered with overseas stakeholders for joint development. Chinese energy storage enterprises are completing a strategic leap from “product export” to “global project delivery + localized operation”, with globalization advancing rapidly.
Furthermore, industry competition has evolved from single-product competition to full-industry-chain ecological collaboration. Partners from cell manufacturing, PCS, equipment, operation, and capital joined forces to build a cross-border “energy storage + new energy + digitalization + computing power” ecosystem. Cooperation covers independent energy storage, industrial & commercial energy storage, AIDC data centers, and zero-carbon parks, achieving a transformation from equipment sales to value delivery, solution provision, and asset revenue. The industry is rapidly moving toward high-quality development.
Summary & Outlook
Overall, ESIE 2026 represents a key microcosm of the high-quality transformation of China’s energy storage industry. In terms of market scale, signed volume exceeded 127GWh, and GWh-level agreements will become the new norm.
Technologically, high capacity, high reliability, and grid-forming capability have become standard. In terms of value, scenario-based, ecological, and digitalized development is driving the industry from scale expansion to in-depth value creation. The industry has entered a new high-quality development stage featuring large-capacity scaling, global delivery, scenario-based value, and ecological collaboration.
EnergyTrend expects that over the next 1–2 years, with mass production of high-capacity technologies, improved overseas localized service networks, and deepened power market reforms, Chinese energy storage enterprises will further strengthen their global competitiveness.
Source：EnergyTrend
