US Battery Storage Hits Record 100 GWh in Q1 2026 as Solar Boom Continues
US battery storage crossed 100 GWh in Q1 2026 while solar added a record 28 GW, driving renewables to 42% of US electricity generation and reshaping energy economics.
•Solar installations also set a record in Q1, with 28 GW of new capacity added — more than in any full year before 2024. The combination of cheap solar and affordable batteries is driving wholesale electricity prices to near zero during peak daylight hours in some markets, fundamentally altering the economics of electricity generation.
•The Energy Information Administration projects that renewables will account for 42% of US electricity generation in 2026, up from 21% in 2020, driven almost entirely by the falling costs of solar panels and lithium-ion batteries.
By Marcus Chen·Jul 17, 2026
