Review 2024 | The "Best" of Global ESS Projects and Orders

Global energy storage demand is accelerating rapidly.

While the selling prices of ESS batteries and systems continue to decline, pushing the energy storage industry into a period of deep adjustment, on the demand side, since H2 last year, global large-scale energy storage demand has been accelerating, with its rigid demand becoming increasingly prominent. Global ESS installations have entered a fast development track, especially in overseas markets such as the Middle East, South America, and Southeast Asia, which have shown strong growth momentum and enormous market potential.

Among these, the Middle East market is particularly noteworthy, with multiple 10GWh-level energy storage orders emerging, making it the undisputed "dark horse market" for energy storage demand. Recently, news of the "world's largest energy storage order" being refreshed has gone viral in the energy storage sector, once again turning the Middle East, this "most promising emerging market for energy storage," into the industry's focal point.

"World's Largest Energy Storage Project" Record Refreshed

In July 2024, Sungrow signed a 7.8GWh energy storage project with Saudi Arabia's ALGIHAZ, setting a new record for energy storage orders in the Middle East and globally, garnering significant attention. It is reported that Sungrow will provide over 1,500 units of its PowerTitan 2.0 liquid-cooled energy storage systems for the project. The project is expected to begin delivery in 2024 and achieve full-capacity grid connection in 2025.

Subsequently, the record for this title changed hands multiple times, with global energy storage giants such as Sungrow, Tesla, BYD, and CATL taking turns in the spotlight.

Just three days after Sungrow signed the 7.8GWh energy storage order in Saudi Arabia, Tesla announced a 15.3GWh Megapack energy storage system contract with US solar and ESS developer Intersect Power. Tesla is expected to fully deliver these battery energy storage systems to the latter by 2030, breaking the "world's largest energy storage order" record previously set by Sungrow.

By 2025, the Middle East, this "new hotbed" for energy storage, remained the focus. In early January, Saudi Electricity Company (SEC) announced contracts for a series of battery energy storage system (BESS) projects with a total installed capacity of 2.5GW/12.5GWh. According to the contracts, BYD will be responsible for the design, supply, installation supervision, commissioning, and operation and maintenance of the battery systems for the project. This contract once again broke the "largest energy storage order in the Middle East" record previously set by Sungrow. Notably, BYD had already won the bid for SEC's initial 2GWh project.

Following Sungrow and BYD, domestic giant CATL also made its move! Recently, during the 2025 Abu Dhabi Sustainability Week, Masdar, a global leader in renewable energy and sustainable urban development, announced that CATL had been selected as the preferred BESS supplier for the world's largest solar and battery combined energy storage project—UAE's RTC (round-the-clock) project.

The project reportedly involves a total investment exceeding $60 billion, including a 19GWh battery energy storage project and a 5.2GW PV project. CATL will supply its 19GWh Tianheng energy storage system for the project. By securing this major order, CATL not only surpassed BYD's "largest battery energy storage system order in the Middle East" and Tesla's "world's largest energy storage order" records but also made this project the current largest energy storage order globally.

Thus, it can be seen that just three Chinese energy storage companies—Sungrow, BYD, and CATL—have collectively secured orders exceeding 40GWh in the Middle East. This indicates that the Middle East energy storage market is becoming a battleground for global energy storage companies. Other Chinese energy storage companies, such as Hithium Energy Storage, AESC, TrinaSolar, and Jinko Solar, have also established a presence in the region.

On the other hand, the frequently refreshed "records" and numerous orders of 10GWh scale align with the global energy transition trend, setting the tone for the upward development of energy storage in 2025.

2024 "Star" Projects and Orders

Data shows that in 2024, Chinese energy storage companies secured overseas orders exceeding 100GWh. The largest energy storage orders/projects in regions such as the Middle East, South Africa, Southeast Asia, Europe, and Australia mostly came from China. Additionally, domestic new-type ESS grid connection projects grew rapidly, with the industry as a whole showing strong development momentum. By reviewing these "star" projects and orders, one can observe changes and trends in the energy storage industry.

>>> World's Largest Operational Energy Storage Project

In January 2024, the Edwards & Sanborn project in California, US, was announced to be operational. It is equipped with 875MWdc solar PV generation and 3.287GWh BESS capacity. The project, developed by Canadian Solar's PV module and IPP divisions along with its energy storage company, is currently the world's largest operational PV ESS power station. The battery cells for the project were jointly supplied by LG, BYD, and Samsung.

>>> Europe's Largest Energy Storage Project

In April 2024, GIGA Storage Belgium, headquartered in the Netherlands, obtained a permit to build Europe's largest battery energy storage project to date. Located in Belgium, the project has a total scale of 0.7GW/2.8GWh. It is reported that the project will be equipped with 20 batteries (each paired with an inverter), 185 medium-voltage transformers, and 5 high-voltage transformers. GIGA Storage stated that once completed, the project will store the average annual energy consumption of 330,000 households. Construction is expected to begin in 2025 and be completed by 2028.

>>> China's Largest Single Energy Storage Power Station

The Dengkou energy storage project in Inner Mongolia, undertaken by PowerChina as an EPC contractor, is currently the largest single-capacity energy storage power station under construction in China. The project will feature a 0.605GW/1.41GWh energy storage station, utilizing a hybrid energy storage system of lithium-ion batteries and all-vanadium flow batteries. The lithium battery storage unit consists of 101 sets with a capacity of 0.505GW/1.01GWh, while the flow battery storage unit includes 30 sets with a capacity of 0.1GW/0.4GWh.

>>> AESC Secures South Africa's Largest 1.028GWh Energy Storage Order

In December 2024, AESC announced that it had secured South Africa's largest energy storage order. AESC signed a supply contract with France's EDF Group to provide BESS for three standalone ESS projects led by EDF in South Africa, with a total installed capacity of 0.257GW/1.028GWh. This project also made AESC the first ESS system integrator in South Africa to secure a GWh-level order. AESC will supply complete DC and AC energy storage equipment, SCADA, and EMS systems for the project. The DC side will feature standard 20-foot 5MWh energy storage systems, utilizing AESC's 315Ah battery cells specifically designed for energy storage, along with a 15-year full life cycle operation and maintenance service.

>>> Sungrow Secures Southeast Asia and Europe's Largest Energy Storage System Orders

In December 2024, Sungrow announced a 1.5GWh energy storage system cooperation agreement with Citicore Renewable Energy Corporation (CREC) in the Philippines. This is reportedly the largest energy storage system order in Southeast Asia to date. In late November 2024, Sungrow also announced the signing of Europe's largest energy storage cooperation agreement—a 4.4GWh energy storage project with the UK's Fidra Energy, surpassing the 2.8GWh energy storage project in Belgium announced by GIGA Storage Belgium in April of the same year. Sungrow will provide PowerTitan 2.0 liquid-cooled energy storage systems for both projects.

>>> Huawei Secures World's Largest PV ESS Project Order

In early December, Huawei signed a 4.5GWh BESS supply agreement for the MTerra Solar project with Terra Solar Philippines Inc. (TSPI). The project, hailed as the world's largest PV ESS project, will feature 3.5GW PV and 4.5GWh BESS. Construction began in November 2024. Huawei will supply containerized battery systems, auxiliary components, battery management systems, power conversion systems, and energy management systems for the project.

In fact, besides the aforementioned companies, other Chinese energy storage enterprises such as Canadian Solar, HyperStrong, REPT, Hithium Energy Storage, and ChuNeng New Energy have also achieved remarkable results in overseas markets. It is worth noting that amidst the ongoing cut-throat competition in China's energy storage industry, Chinese companies are increasingly going global to "strike gold," treating overseas markets as their "lifeline." However, "going global" is not easy, and international markets come with significant risks.

On one hand, as Chinese energy storage companies compete to go global, the "high profits" of overseas markets are being continuously eroded. AESC President Qingjun Tian once stated that Chinese energy storage companies going global should not bring the irrational price competition of the Chinese market overseas. For instance, bidding overseas at low prices based on future cost reductions without leaving sufficient profit margins for overseas projects results in a very low "margin for error." CATL Chairman Yuqun Zeng also called for avoiding "low prices" achieved through low quality and reduced configurations, as they lack economic benefits and sustainability.

On the other hand, the regulations and standards for the energy storage industry vary significantly across countries. Companies must adjust their production, certification, and operational models to comply with different market regulations. A simple "copy-paste" strategy cannot achieve universal success, which undoubtedly increases the time and cost of market entry. Additionally, the 20-year operation and maintenance costs of overseas markets will pose significant challenges for companies going global.