Watch the history of battery storage in the United States

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Utility-scale battery storage (BESS) refers to energy storage systems designed to store and release electricity on a large scale, typically at the level of utility grids. They are also referred to as front-of-the-meter, large-scale, or grid-scale battery storage. Large energy storage systems are critical to the integration of renewable energy sources, such as wind and solar, into the grid by storing excess energy when production is high and releasing it during periods of low renewable generation.

Since the mid-2000s, about 460 utility-scale battery storage systems have been built in the United States. More than one-half of all capacity has been installed in California which has abundant solar energy, ambitious renewable energy integration goals, and favorable policies and regulations that include specific energy storage mandates for utilities.

In 2022, the average size of new BESS facilities was about 39 MW of capacity. The world’s largest BESS is the 409 MW Manatee Energy Storage Center which was completed in 2021 by Florida Power and Light. The facility is co-located with a 75 MW solar PV facility.1

1 Energy Storage News, “World’s biggest solar-charged battery storage system unveiled in Florida,” December 15, 2021, Link

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