Who is Still Entering the Energy Storage Market in 2025?
As we approach 2025, the energy storage sector, valued in the trillions, continues to attract attention from oil giants, telecommunications leaders, and industrial powerhouses. Amid the global energy revolution, the energy storage industry is undergoing an unprecedented transformation. The Chinese market is particularly competitive, and many newcomers have struggled to establish themselves. Data shows that in 2024, the reshuffling of the new energy storage sector intensified, with the number of companies facing deregistration or revocation doubling.
Currently, the new energy storage industry has undergone three phases. The first phase, from 2020 to 2022, was characterized by the emergence of storage products, initial exploration, and gradual expansion. The second phase, from 2022 to 2024, witnessed a rapid shift from initial growth to accelerated development, with numerous companies entering the market. Looking ahead to 2026, the industry is expected to transition from adjustment to refinement and innovation breakthroughs.
Telecommunications Giants Enter the System Space
In December 2023, China Mobile Energy Technology (Beijing) Co., Ltd. was established with a registered capital of 150 million yuan. This company is wholly owned by the China Mobile Communications Group Design Institute Co., Ltd., which is a subsidiary of China Mobile Communications Corporation. At this time, many companies were announcing their entry into the energy storage market, including Black Sesame Technologies.
During the 2025 exhibition, China Mobile Energy unveiled its 100kW/215kWh energy storage cabinet, featuring an innovative “electric oil pre-installation + Lego connection” model. The product offers options for dynamic full immersion cooling, which ensures 100% fire safety with multi-layer protection. The company also introduced a 20-foot container with a capacity of 2.5MW/5MWh, designed for data centers and industrial parks. Furthermore, to address the challenges faced in extremely cold climates, China Mobile has developed a zero-carbon energy system that utilizes high-safety, high-efficiency lithium batteries, ensuring a balance of supply and demand.
Internet Giants Empowered by Algorithms
Tech companies like Tencent are leveraging AI and big data to enhance energy storage operations and scheduling. In February 2022, Tencent announced its commitment to carbon neutrality and revealed plans to construct energy storage stations and explore integrated source-grid-load-storage projects. By June 2022, Tencent Cloud launched its energy connector and digital twin products aimed at the energy sector.
As of 2023, Tencent Cloud has provided services to over 20 state-owned enterprises and more than 300 industry companies. The company has focused on developing replicable solutions in areas such as comprehensive energy digital operations and energy storage commercial payments. In November 2024, Tencent successfully launched a data center microgrid project that integrates wind, solar, and storage systems, marking a significant step in its carbon reduction initiatives.
Oil Giants Transitioning to Energy Storage
As carbon neutrality pressures fossil fuel giants to adapt, energy storage has emerged as a new battleground for maintaining energy dominance. Companies like Shell, BP, and Total are reshaping the industry with a dual focus on capital and technology. Shell, the world’s largest LNG trader, acquired the German energy storage firm Sonnen in 2019, expanding its home battery business across 22 countries in Europe and North America.
In 2023, Shell developed a cooling liquid solution to support immersion cooling systems, collaborating with various manufacturers to implement this technology in data centers. Meanwhile, BP has invested heavily in Lightsource BP, creating Europe’s largest solar-plus-storage platform, and has partnered with Tesla on a 81MW/324MWh energy storage project in Texas.
Total Energies, headquartered in Paris, aims to reach a total installed capacity of 35GW in renewable energy and storage by 2025, with plans to expand to 100GW by 2030. The company has deployed multiple battery storage systems in France and continues to invest in energy projects worldwide.
Conclusion
The competition in the energy storage sector continues among oil giants, internet leaders, and telecommunications firms. As we stand at this new threshold in 2025, the initial blind rush by cross-industry entrants has shifted towards more strategic business logic and considerations. Companies now aim to harness user data to optimize energy storage scheduling and enhance profitability. The ultimate goal for these new entrants should not merely be to share the market pie but to become key players in defining ecosystem rules. The future belongs to those who combine technical prowess, capital capabilities, and strategic focus, potentially redefining the industry landscape.
