Large-scale energy storage battery price trend

What are base year costs for utility-scale battery energy storage systems?

Base year costs for utility-scale battery energy storage systems (BESSs) are based on a bottom-up cost model using the data and methodology for utility-scale BESS in (Ramasamy et al., 2023). The bottom-up BESS model accounts for major components, including the LIB pack, the inverter, and the balance of system (BOS) needed for the installation.

Why is the battery market growing so fast?

The battery market is a critical piece of our global energy future, and it’s growing at an unprecedented rate. The electrification of the transportation industry, the use of battery systems to provide energy storage and demand management for the grid, and the batterification of many devices continues to spur this industry’s growth.

How does the price of a battery change over the next decade?

Growth in the battery industry is a function of price. As the scale of production increases, prices come down. Figure 1 forecasts the decrease in price of an automotive cell over the next decade. The price per kWh moved from $132 per kWh in 2018 to a high of $161 in 2021. But from 2022 to 2030 the price will decline to an estimated $80 per kWh.

Are battery storage costs based on long-term planning models?

Battery storage costs have evolved rapidly over the past several years, necessitating an update to storage cost projections used in long-term planning models and other activities. This work documents the development of these projections, which are based on recent publications of storage costs.

How can energy storage programs help you make the most of batteries?

Effective energy storage programs can help you and the customer make the most of batteries. Increasing scale in battery manufacturing is the only way to produce a decent margin. Operating margins are small and barriers to entry are large, which cause oligopolies. Today, a few companies in China make most of the batteries.

How can stationary storage battery consumers hedge against unanticipated price shocks?

Understanding the trends and dynamics of other battery markets, ranging from power tools to e-scooters to automobiles, will allow stationary storage battery consumers like utilities and independent power producers to hedge against unanticipated pricing and supply shocks in the future.