{
  "id": 12582942,
  "title": "ESS, an opportunity for K-batteries",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/07/ess-an-opportunity-for-k-batteries",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-10-07T08:32:03.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Korea Times",
    "slug": "the-korea-times-koreatimes",
    "url": "https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/opinion/20261007/ess-an-opportunity-for-k-batteries"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The global battery market is experiencing a significant shift, with shipments of lithium-ion batteries for energy storage systems (ESS) surging in the first half of 2026. According to SNE Research, global ESS shipments reached a record 461 gigawatt-hour (GWh), marking a staggering 71 percent increase from 270 GWh in the same period a year earlier. This surge in demand outpaces the 20 percent year-on-year growth in global battery demand for electric vehicles (EVs) during the same period, reaching 609 GWh.\n\nSeveral factors are fueling this growth in the ESS market. The escalating energy demands of artificial intelligence (AI) data centers, where speed and reliability are paramount, is a major driver. Additionally, the expansion of renewable power generation requires solutions to tackle its intermittent nature. These trends, expected to persist in the short term, are propelling the global ESS market forward.\n\nExperts predict that the global ESS market could reach an annual shipment level of 1,870 GWh by 2035, approximately double the current yearly figure. In response to this burgeoning market, the Korean government is ramping up its efforts to bolster the domestic ESS industry through various policy initiatives.",
  "summary": "A new current is reshaping the global battery market. In the first half of 2026, global shipments of lithium-ion batteries for energy storage systems (ESS) reached 461 gigawatt-hour (GWh), up 71 percent from 270 GWh in the same period a year earlier, according to SNE Research. This represents a remarkable leap for the ESS market, especially compared with the 20 percent year-on-year growth in…",
  "key_points": [
    "Global ESS shipments hit record 461 GWh in H1 2026",
    "AI data centers and renewable energy driving ESS demand",
    "Korea boosting domestic ESS industry with new policies"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Korea Times",
        "title": "ESS, an opportunity for K-batteries",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/07/ess-an-opportunity-for-k-batteries-12586489",
        "published": "2026-10-07T08:52:04.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}