Current price of energy storage

Energy storage system costs for four-hour duration systems exceed $300/kWh for the first time since 2017. Rising raw material prices, particularly for lithium and nickel, contribute to increased energy storage costs. Fixed operation and maintenance costs for battery systems are estimated at 2.5% of capital costs.

As we look ahead to 2024, energy storage system (ESS) costs are expected to undergo significant changes. Currently, the average cost remains above $300/kWh for four-hour duration systems, primarily due to rising raw material prices since 2017.

Around the beginning of this year, BloombergNEF (BNEF) released its annual Battery Storage System Cost Survey, which found that global average turnkey energy storage system prices had fallen 40% from 2023 numbers to US$165/kWh in 2024.

Energy storage systems (ESS) for four-hour durations exceed $300/kWh, marking the first price hike since 2017, largely driven by escalating raw material costs and supply chain disruptions. Geopolitical issues have intensified these trends, especially concerning lithium and nickel.

The long-term cost outlook for energy storage systems looks promising, with substantial reductions in capital expenditures expected over the next decade. For a 60MW 4-hour battery system, CAPEX reductions range from 18% to 52% between 2022 and 2035, depending on the scenario.

“What we found is that with the 60% tariff, the cost [of a turnkey energy storage system] increases by 60% compared to 2025, so this is quite a big cost jump if the US actually decided to do so,” Kikuma says.