National energy storage targets fall 45% short of COP29 commitments. Ember think tank report

Combined government targets for energy storage deployment currently total 822 GW by 2030. This is 45% below the global target of 1,500 GW pledged by 74 countries at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP29). A report published by the British think tank Ember shows that despite record-breaking battery installation rates, major solar markets have yet to update their national strategies.

Targets increase by 190%, but the gap remains at 678 GW

Before the summit in Baku, combined national targets amounted to just 284 GW. The increase to 822 GW represents a nearly threefold rise in ambition (+190%). However, 678 GW is still needed to meet the COP29 commitment.

Current government targets lag behind not only international commitments but also market forecasts:

• BloombergNEF estimates that global battery storage capacity alone will reach 1,200 GW by the end of the decade.
• Ember’s analysis indicates that if the pace of capacity additions recorded in 2025 continues, global energy storage capacity will reach approximately 1,020 GW by 2030. This would exceed official policy targets by 24%, but would still fall short of the 1,500 GW goal.

By the end of 2025, cumulative installed energy storage capacity worldwide had reached 430 GW, with 118 GW added in 2025 alone. Falling costs and rapid market expansion drove battery storage deployment, which accounted for 108 GW of new capacity.

China and the European Union dominate

As much as 80% of global energy storage targets are concentrated in just two jurisdictions:

• China – raised its 2030 target from 130 GW to 460 GW, including 300 GW in new energy storage technologies, primarily battery energy storage systems (BESS), and 160 GW in pumped hydro storage.
• European Union – in June 2026, adopted an official EU-wide energy storage target for the first time, setting a goal of 200 GW by 2030.

Among other countries, Australia (33 GW) and Vietnam (22.3 GW, including 16.3 GW of battery storage) have made significant revisions to their targets. Meanwhile, major markets such as India, Spain (which is targeting 22.5 GW), and Italy have not updated their targets since the Baku summit. Moreover, as many as 8 of the world’s 20 largest solar markets – including the United States and Germany – still lack formal energy storage targets for 2030.

Ember emphasizes that the absence of official policy targets increases investment uncertainty. As solar and wind power capacity expands rapidly, the lack of clear regulatory frameworks for BESS makes it more difficult to manage grid constraints and delays the integration of renewable energy sources.