U.S. Energy Information Administration Independent Statistics & Analysis www.eia.gov

Energy Storage: a U.S. overview

EIA Energy Conference

June 5, 2018 | Washington, DC

By

Lisa Cabral, Electricity Analyst

Energy Information Administration
Outline

1. Definitions

2. Summary of small scale battery storage 

3. Overview of large-scale battery storage:

- regional trends

- applications

- installed costs

- projections

Lisa Cabral, Washington DC

June 5, 2018 2
Key takeaways

• As of end 2017, the US has 664 MW of power, 742 MWh of energy in 

operational large-scale battery capacity 

• Most batteries are lithium-ion

• The majority are installed in CAISO or PJM 

• State policy, wholesale market rules, and retail rates play a central role in 

where opportunities for battery storage exist 

• Installed capacity is expected to grow as costs decline and market rules are 

updated

3

Lisa Cabral, Washington DC

June 5, 2018
Definitions

• Power capacity: the maximum 

instantaneous amount of power output

• Energy capacity: the total amount of energy 

that can be stored or discharged

• Large scale: grid-connected, single 

installation of 1MW or greater in nameplate 

capacity

4

Battery

Inverter

Power 

(MW)

Grid

Energy 

(MWh)

Lisa Cabral, Washington DC

June 5, 2018
power capacity

megawatts

U.S. Small-Scale Storage by Sector, 2016

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Form EIA-861, Annual Electric Power Industry Report

5

Lisa Cabral, Washington DC

June 5, 2018

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

large-scale

battery

storage

small-scale

storage
power capacity

megawatts

U.S. Small-Scale Storage by Sector, 2016

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Form EIA-861, Annual Electric Power Industry Report

6

5%

54%

30%

2%

7%

2%

Non-CA

residential commercial 

industrial direct connected

share of total small-scale storage

power capacity (66 MW)

Lisa Cabral, Washington DC

June 5, 2018

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

large-scale

battery

storage

small-scale

storage
power capacity

megawatts

U.S. Small-Scale Energy Storage 

Outside of California by State, 2016

U.S. Small-Scale Storage by Sector, 2016

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Form EIA-861, Annual Electric Power Industry Report

7

5%

54%

30%

2%

7%

2%

Non-CA

residential commercial 

industrial direct connected

0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5

rest of U.S.

Louisiana

Indiana

Texas

Ohio

Virginia

Illinois

Michigan

Georgia

Hawaii

New York

share of total small-scale storage

power capacity (66 MW)

Lisa Cabral, Washington DC

June 5, 2018

megawatts

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

large-scale

battery

storage

small-scale

storage
U.S. Large-Scale Battery Storage Capacity by Region, 2012

Sources: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Form EIA-860M, Preliminary Monthly Electric Generator Inventory; U.S. Energy Information 

Administration, Form EIA-860, Annual Electric Generator Report

8

Lisa Cabral, Washington DC

June 5, 2018
U.S. Large-Scale Battery Storage Capacity by Region, 2018

Sources: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Form EIA-860M, Preliminary Monthly Electric Generator Inventory; U.S. Energy Information 

Administration, Form EIA-860, Annual Electric Generator Report

9

Lisa Cabral, Washington DC

June 5, 2018
0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800 0 100 200 300 400 500 600 700 800

co-located renewable firming

transmission/distribution...

backup power

excess wind/solar generation

load management

system peak shaving

arbitrage

load following

voltage/reactive power...

ramping/spinning reserve

frequency regulation

installed capacity

power capacity

megawatts

energy capacity

megawatthours

Applications Served by U.S. Large-Scale Battery Storage, 2017 

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Form EIA-860, Annual Electric Generator Report

10

PJM

CAISO

ERCOT

MISO

ISO-NE

AK/HI

Other

Lisa Cabral, Washington DC

June 5, 2018
0

50

100

150

200

250

300

2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013 2015 2017

annual additions

power capacity

megawatts

energy capacity

megawatthours

U.S. Large-Scale Battery Storage Capacity, 2003-2017

Sources: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Form EIA-860M, Preliminary Monthly Electric Generator Inventory; U.S. Energy Information 

Administration, Form EIA-860, Annual Electric Generator Report

11

PJM

CAISO

ERCOT

MISO

ISO-NE

AK/HI

Other

Lisa Cabral, Washington DC

June 5, 2018

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013 2015 2017

annual additions 

PJM

CAISO

ERCOT

MISO

ISO-NE

AK/HI

Other
0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

power capacity

megawatts

energy capacity

megawatthours

U.S. Large-Scale Battery Storage by Region and Ownership 

Type, 2017

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Form EIA-860, Annual Electric Generator Report

12

Independent 

Power Producer

Investor-Owned 

Utility

Cooperative

Commercial/ 

Industrial

State-Owned 

Utility

MunicipallyOwned Utility

Lisa Cabral, Washington DC

June 5, 2018

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

24%

57%

3%

3%

3% 10%

Overall

52%

25%

8%

5% 2% 8%

Overall
0

50

100

150

200

250

300

2003 2005 2007 2009 2011 2013 2015 2017

annual additions

88%

6%3% 1% 2%

U.S. Large-Scale Battery Storage Capacity by Chemistry, 

2003-2017

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Form EIA-861, Annual Electric Power Industry Report

13

Lisa Cabral, Washington DC

June 5, 2018

power capacity

megawatts

energy capacity

megawatthours

lithium-ion

nickel-based

sodiumbased

lead-acid

other
power capacity costs

dollars per kilowatt

energy capacity costs

dollars per kilowatthour

Installed Cost of U.S. Large-Scale Battery Storage Systems, 

By Duration (2013-2016)

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Form EIA-860, Annual Electric Generator Report

14

0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

3,000

3,500

4,000

4,500

short- medium- long- all

duration

0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

3,000

3,500

4,000

4,500

short- medium- long- all

duration

Series4

75th percentile

median

average

25th percentile

Lisa Cabral, Washington DC

June 5, 2018
power capacity costs

dollars per kilowatt

energy capacity costs

dollars per kilowatthour

Installed Cost of U.S. Large-Scale Battery Storage Systems, 

By Duration (2013-2016)

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Form EIA-860, Annual Electric Generator Report

15

0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

3,000

3,500

4,000

4,500

short- medium- long- all

duration

0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

3,000

3,500

4,000

4,500

short- medium- long- all

duration

Series4

75th percentile

median

average

25th percentile

Lisa Cabral, Washington DC

June 5, 2018
(power) capacity

gigawatts 

U.S. Wind, Solar, and Battery Storage Capacity, 2020-2050 

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Annual Energy Outlook 2018

16

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

2020 2030 2040 2050

wind

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

2020 2030 2040 2050

storage

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

2020 2030 2040 2050

solar photovoltaics

Lisa Cabral, Washington DC

June 5, 2018
DC

States that require storage in resource or energy plans

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration

17

Lisa Cabral, Washington DC

June 5, 2018
Key takeaways

• As of end 2017, the US has 664 MW of power, 742 MWh of energy in 

operational large-scale battery capacity 

• Most batteries are lithium-ion

• The majority are installed in CAISO or PJM 

• State policy, wholesale market rules, and retail rates play a central role in 

where opportunities for battery storage exist 

• Installed capacity is expected to grow as costs decline and market rules are 

updated

18

Lisa Cabral, Washington DC

June 5, 2018
U.S. Energy Information Administration Independent Statistics & Analysis www.eia.gov

Thank you