China’s Storage Growth Cools as Brazil Sets First Big Battery Auction and Courts Chinese Investors

Overview

• China added 66.43 GW (189.48 GWh) of new energy storage in 2025, reaching 144.7 GW cumulative as growth eased from 2024 following a February rule pivot to market integration.
• Brazil will hold an April 2026 auction dedicated to large battery systems, targeting about 2 GW with 10-year contracts and supply starting in August 2028.
• Energy Minister Alexandre Silveira met Huawei representatives in Shanghai to attract Chinese participation in the auction.
• Batteries are being pursued to cut renewable curtailment in Brazil, which in 2025 shed roughly 26% of solar and 19% of wind output, an estimated loss of up to R$7 billion.
• Beijing continues to back the sector with a roughly 250 billion yuan plan for 2025–2027, while industry projections suggest China’s storage could exceed 370 GW by 2030.