Global battery storage installations reached a record 18.4 GWh in the second quarter, rising 68% from a year earlier as developers pushed ahead with wind and solar projects, according to new data from BloombergNEF.

The surge reflects two key forces: lower battery costs and a larger pipeline of renewable energy projects that need storage to balance supply and demand. As more solar and wind capacity comes online, batteries are increasingly being used to smooth power output, reduce curtailment, and improve grid reliability.

BloombergNEF’s figures point to strong momentum across the clean-energy sector, with storage expanding from a supporting technology into a central part of power system planning. The trend also suggests that investors and utilities are treating batteries as a practical tool for integrating intermittent generation at scale.

While the pace of growth is encouraging, the market still faces familiar challenges, including grid bottlenecks, permitting delays, and policy uncertainty in some regions. Even so, the latest quarter marks another sign that battery storage is moving from niche adoption to mainstream energy infrastructure.