With the implementation of AI technology and the explosive growth in computing power demand, global data centers have entered an expansion cycle. The surging power demand is driving the energy storage industry to transform from a supporting facility for new energy into a critical power infrastructure, making it a core pillar in the data center sector.

The growth of AI computing power is reshaping the global power structure, and the electricity consumption demand of data centers has become prominent. The International Energy Agency (IEA) projected that data centers consumed 415 terawatt-hours (TWh) of electricity in 2024, equivalent to the annual power consumption of the United Kingdom. The figure is expected to slightly exceed Japan’s total annual electricity use by 2030, with data centers’ share of global power consumption continuing to rise in 2026. Major tech enterprises are ramping up investments, driving a global wave of data center expansion. Huawei forecasts that global computing power will surge 100,000 times by 2035, further amplifying electricity demand and laying a solid foundation for the growth of the energy storage sector.

AI data centers feature high power density, drastic load fluctuations and stringent power supply requirements, placing multiple pressures on traditional power grids. Energy storage systems have been widely deployed to undertake core functions such as peak shaving and valley filling as well as backup power supply, evolving into an integral core component of data center power systems. Practical cases from Google and Tencent have validated its value. Calculations show that energy storage can cut data center power costs by 30% and achieve zero-second power switching.

The booming development of data centers is unleashing massive demand for energy storage, emerging as a key growth engine for the industry. According to industry summits held in April 2026, large-capacity cells (500Ah and above) and liquid-cooled energy storage have become industry hotspots, with leading enterprises accelerating the mass production of related products. Liquid cooling solutions have already been applied in national supercomputing centers. The localization of core components has driven cost reductions, while high safety and long service life have become the core development directions of energy storage technologies.

A collaborative model of computing power + power supply + energy storage is taking shape, enabling the linkage of "source-grid-load-storage-computing". Industry insiders recognize that energy storage has evolved into the core energy base for AI computing power. Leading enterprises including Trina Energy Storage and HyperStrong have launched targeted solutions, implemented zero-carbon intelligent computing projects, optimized energy storage dispatching, and improved power supply stability as well as return on investment (ROI).

The advancement of AI and data centers is fueling the upgrading of the energy storage industry, expanding its application scenarios into the computing power sector, enlarging market scale and raising technical thresholds. The energy storage industry is currently shifting from policy-driven to market-driven growth, with data centers serving as a major driving force. Following the implementation of the capacity tariff mechanism, the industry’s business model has become well-defined, with a stable ROI ranging from 8% to 12%, attracting continuous inflows of social capital.

Looking ahead, the pervasive penetration of AI will continue to drive the development of data centers and the energy storage industry, and energy storage will grow into a core force in the global energy system. Industry analysts predict that large-capacity cells of 500Ah and above will gain widespread popularity in the next two to three years, accompanied by rising industrial concentration. Leading enterprises with strengths in system integration and technological innovation will secure a dominant competitive edge.