[SMM Analysis] Beyond Utility-Scale Energy Storage: Demand Structure and Evolution of the Telecom Base Station Backup Power Market
[SMM Analysis] In H1 2026, shipments of power batteries and ESS batteries in China reached approximately 723 GWh and 463 GWh, respectively, while shipments of LFP batteries for backup power in communication base stations were about 6.4 GWh, with the overall scale being relatively small. Unlike utility-scale energy storage, backup power for communication base stations has the typical nature of infrastructure assurance; its demand is more determined by the installed base of communication networks, equipment renewal cycles, and backup reliability requirements. As China's communication infrastructure construction gradually matures, the market driver is shifting from deployments for new base stations to the replacement of existing lithium batteries and the substitution of lead-acid batteries with LFP batteries. At the same time, improvements in energy management capabilities at some sites may further expand battery usage scenarios, but this will not alter the fundamental nature of communication backup power, which centers on reliable power supply. Overall, backup power for communication base stations is more like a niche lithium battery market with limited scale but relatively stable demand, continuously supported by upgrades of existing assets and technology substitution.