The Global Solar Council (GSC) has announced it is now the world’s first global trade association for battery storage, broadening its scope from solar-only advocacy to champion solar-plus-storage solutions worldwide. This move was unveiled at New York Climate Week and the 80th UN General Assembly, along with publication of the “Connecting the Sun” report urging leaders to accelerate battery deployment through national strategies, market reforms, super-grid construction, and de-risking investment, particularly in emerging markets.
GSC will represent the sub-8 hour battery storage market, while remaining committed to advancing all renewable energy technologies. The organisation is partnering with the Global Battery Alliance, IBESA, and FESSIA to pioneer best practices across the storage value chain, from mining and manufacturing to deployment and recycling.
GSC CEO Sonia Dunlop emphasised that “until today, the world’s fastest-growing energy storage technology had no unified global voice. That changes now.” Industry leaders, including SMA Solar Technology and Erik Solheim, praised the integrated approach, noting that reliable, flexible, and secure clean energy depends on solar-plus-storage and grid-supporting technologies.
This expanded mandate comes as annual global storage investments reached $60 billion in 2024, with over 155 GW installed and 350 GWh set to come online in 2025. Despite rapid growth, the sector remains far short of the 1500 GW storage needed to triple renewables by 2030, making GSC’s leadership in accelerating deployment, technology advancement, and investment critical for the energy transition.
