From Supporting Act to Core Pillar

From Supporting Act to Core Pillar: Storage Takes Centre Stage

Energy storage has emerged in late-2025 as a defining inflection point, across Energy Considered’s tracked universe of more than 5,000 Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs); one that increasingly separates the battery supply chains serving electric vehicles (EVs) from those powering utility-scale stationary storage.

  • What was once a shared industrial ecosystem is now diverging structurally, as grid reliability, data centre demand, and renewable integration overtake mobility as the primary drivers of battery deployment.
  • This shift is reflected in tracked discourse, where influencer activity surged to 1,730 mentions in Q4 2025, with specialist industry media and consultants leading the conversation as storage moved firmly into the centre of power system discourse.

    • KOL commentary highlights how utilities now view batteries as essential infrastructure rather than discretionary clean-tech add-ons. As James Frith (Head of Energy Storage, BloombergNEF, United Kingdom) noted publicly, “Energy storage is no longer an optional supplement to renewables; it is becoming a core component of power-system planning.” Similarly, Gavin Maguire (Commodities Analyst and Columnist, United States) observed that “grid-scale batteries are increasingly filling roles once reserved for fossil fuel peakers,” underscoring the economic and reliability rationale behind stationary storage growth. These perspectives align with Energy Considered’s data showing that utility-led narratives now outweigh EV-centric mentions among tracked KOLs.

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    • Extended editorial briefings with in-depth analysis and empirical data drawn from 5,000 of the world’s most influential commentators on the energy industry on key issues shaping the energy sector.
    • Monthly and quarterly data identifying and tracking how energy industry leaders are engaging with critical topics.
    • In depth research explaining why energy industry leaders are engaging with these key issues and providing the context and framework for further exploration.
    • Quantitative primary research conducted with responses from energy industry leaders on our panel, providing unique answers to the issues affecting the global energy industry.
    • Power BI dashboards offering dynamic exploration of 5,000 energy key opinion leaders, social and digital narrative analysed against 14 strategic and tactical energy industry metrics.
    • Expert interpretation of what these issues really mean to the industry and what decisions can be taken on the back of unprecedented empirical evidence.
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    From Supporting Act to Core Pillar: Storage Takes Centre Stage - Quarter 4 2025

    Case for tracking:

    Energy storage remains a key issue to track in Q4 2025, becoming more central to power systems than in Q3, when focus was still divided between EVs and renewables. This quarter reflects a strong shift toward grid-scale battery storage, led by record battery exports from China, reinforcing storage as a strategic clean-energy pillar. The battery supply chain is also splitting between EVs and stationary storage, as utilities and data-centre demand accelerate large deployments, including new utility-led battery projects in the U.S. such as San Antonio’s proposed large-scale storage procurement to support grid reliability.

    Despite political uncertainty and reduced federal clean-energy funding, state and utility-level storage expansion continues. Renewable buildouts worldwide, coupled with COP30 emphasis, highlight the increasing role of storage. The key issue to track this quarter is whether policy uncertainty and grid constraints could slow momentum just as energy storage becomes critical for reliability and decarbonization.

    Volume of Mentions from Energy Considered’s Key Opinion Leaders:

    Unlock Full Access to this Insight

    To continue reading this briefing and explore deeper insights, register for access to our Energy Insights Portal. Inside, you’ll find:

    • Extended editorial briefings with in-depth analysis and empirical data drawn from 5,000 of the world’s most influential commentators on the energy industry on key issues shaping the energy sector.
    • Monthly and quarterly data identifying and tracking how energy industry leaders are engaging with critical topics.
    • In depth research explaining why energy industry leaders are engaging with these key issues and providing the context and framework for further exploration.
    • Quantitative primary research conducted with responses from energy industry leaders on our panel, providing unique answers to the issues affecting the global energy industry.
    • Power BI dashboards offering dynamic exploration of 5,000 energy key opinion leaders, social and digital narrative analysed against 14 strategic and tactical energy industry metrics.
    • Expert interpretation of what these issues really mean to the industry and what decisions can be taken on the back of unprecedented empirical evidence.
    See our Solutions Get in Touch

    Please to access exclusive research and data-driven analysis.