According to the official SEIA report, the battery storage industry installed 20.2 gigawatt-hours of new capacity in the second half of 2026, raising total installations to 30.8 GWh. ^[1] The U.S. battery storage industry recorded notable growth over the last 18 months, with production figures reaching records that consolidate its role as a key tool for U.S. energy security. ^[2] Total U.S. energy storage capacity nearly doubled in the last 18 months, increasing from 88 GWh to 165 GWh, driven by public service companies and energy buyers betting on batteries for stability. ^[3] The SEIA and Benchmark Mineral Intelligence U.S. Energy Storage Market Outlook Q3 2026 report, released in Q3 2026, said U.S. energy storage installations reached a record 20.2 GWh in Q2 2026, bringing the first-half total to 30.8 GWh. ^[4] Tim Pawlenty, president and CEO of the SEIA, stated that this record growth demonstrates that storage is a powerful reliability tool that reinforces energy security, meets growing demand, and exerts downward pressure on electricity bills. ^[5] According to the same report, utility-scale energy storage capacity in the U.S. nearly doubled from 88 GWh to 165 GWh in the first 18 months of the Trump administration, which began in January 2025. ^[6] Battery energy storage supplied more electricity to the U.S. grid in the first eight months of 2026 than in all of 2025, according to the report, helping during extreme heat events in Texas and California. ^[7] The SEIA-Benchmark report increased its forecast for U.S. energy storage capacity through 2030 by 11.5% to 683 GWh, citing demand that outpaces expectations. ^[8]