National Storage Goals Hit 822 GW, Still Below COP29 Goal
Ember's analysis found that national 2030 energy storage targets now total 822 GW across 99 countries and the EU, nearly tripling since COP29. That amount is 45% below the 1,500 GW target in the COP29 Global Energy Storage and Grids Pledge, leaving a 678 GW gap. China and the EU account for over 80% of the identified targets, with China raising its goal to 460 GW and the EU adopting a 200 GW bloc-wide target.
Ember's assessment covers 99 countries plus the EU. China's 15th Five-Year Plan lifted its 2030 figure from 130 GW to 460 GW, spanning new-type storage — mostly batteries — and pumped hydro. The EU's first bloc-wide goal, agreed in June 2026, adds 200 GW. Together they supply 660 GW, over 80% of the total. Meanwhile, eight of the top 20 solar markets, including the US, Germany and Saudi Arabia, have no 2030 storage target.
Global additions hit a record 118 GW in 2025; Ember says holding that pace would satisfy existing targets. BloombergNEF projects roughly 1,200 GW of batteries alone by 2030, more than the combined targets, which also count non-battery technologies.
Storage targets shape where grid flexibility, manufacturing jobs and investment may concentrate, so the gap between pledges and plans could affect electricity reliability and prices in countries without clear goals. Developers and equipment suppliers may favour markets with defined capacity signals, such as China and the EU, while others risk slower buildout. Because deployment is already outpacing policy, households and businesses could still see benefits from cheaper stored solar power, though unevenly across regions.