JinkoSolar expects its battery energy storage systems business to expand sharply in 2026, with ESS shipments set to more than double from 5.2GW in 2025. The Chinese solar manufacturer is using energy storage as a key growth lever as solar module markets become more competitive, while demand from data centres, grid upgrades, and energy security policies strengthens in major overseas regions.
Energy storage becomes a bigger growth engine
JinkoSolar said Europe, Latin America, and parts of the Middle East are leading its storage push in 2026. Those markets were already increasing renewable energy capacity, but energy security concerns and the need to diversify power generation are adding further support for battery storage deployment.
The company also expects stronger US demand this year after shipping about 600MWh of battery systems there in 2025. JinkoSolar’s US manufacturing footprint remains strategically important, with its 2GW solar module facility maintaining high utilisation. That local presence could help the company compete more effectively as buyers increasingly value domestic supply capability and integrated solar-plus-storage offerings.
Chief executive Cao Haiyun also pointed to artificial intelligence data centres as a major demand theme. Large technology companies such as Google, Amazon, Microsoft, and Meta are investing in solar and storage projects to secure electricity for expanding data centre capacity. JinkoSolar said it is already in early-stage discussions with potential customers in this segment and hopes to close deals before the end of 2026.
Solar modules face pressure as storage gains importance
The company’s emphasis on ESS comes as its core solar business faces a more difficult pricing and volume environment. JinkoSolar expects first-quarter solar module shipments of 13-14GW and full-year shipments of 75-85GW, lower than 17.5GW in the first quarter of 2025 and 86GW for full-year 2025.
Management said global solar installation demand could be flat or slightly weaker in 2026 after China reached a record 300GW. That creates a tougher backdrop for module suppliers, especially inside China where pricing pressure remains severe. JinkoSolar is therefore pushing harder into overseas markets, where customers generally pay more for branded and high-efficiency products.
Overseas markets accounted for about 60% of total module shipments last year, while China represented around 40%. JinkoSolar expects China’s share to fall to around 30% this year, showing the company’s broader shift toward international demand and higher-value markets. China currently accounts for only around 10-15% of its ESS sales, which highlights how storage growth is increasingly tied to non-China markets.
Technology and manufacturing strategy remain central
JinkoSolar said its total annual integrated production capacity should reach about 100GW by the end of 2026, including 14GW outside China. That scale remains important, but the company is also trying to improve product economics through technology upgrades.
One area to watch is its plan to gradually ramp up large-scale production of silver-coated copper technology. This matters because higher raw material costs, including polysilicon and silver, contributed to deeper losses in its solar module, cell, and wafer operations in the fourth quarter. Lower-cost metallisation technologies could help reduce margin pressure over time, especially if pricing remains weak across the solar value chain.
At the same time, ESS is expected to provide a partial earnings buffer. As battery storage becomes a larger share of JinkoSolar’s business mix, the company is moving beyond pure solar equipment supply and positioning itself more clearly as an integrated energy systems provider.
SuperMetalPrice Commentary
JinkoSolar’s storage push matters because it reflects a wider shift in the solar industry. Module makers facing weak pricing are increasingly looking to battery energy storage, software, and integrated project solutions to defend margins and stay relevant in overseas markets.
The bigger signal is that AI data centres, energy security policy, and grid flexibility needs are turning ESS into a strategic growth market rather than just a solar add-on. For manufacturers like JinkoSolar, the winners may be the companies that can combine scale, local supply, and complete solar-plus-storage offerings.
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