China’s exports of energy storage equipment are expected to continue to increase US-Israel war in Iran renews the global call for energy independence, industry experts and analysts said.
The total export value of China’s inverters – key components in energy storage systems – jumped 57 percent year-on-year to US$1.66 billion for the first two months of 2026, Chinese customs data showed. Inverters convert electricity generated from batteries and solar panels into usable energy for homes, businesses and industries.
“The increase in demand for energy storage (systems) is mainly due to the development of artificial intelligence in the world … But the Iran war may push it to a new level,” said Xu Jianzhong, a freight forwarder specializing in such shipments.
“The war in the Middle East will also raise overall costs, such as the (prices) of raw materials.”
The conflict in the Persian Gulf has fueled energy security in focus after Iran closed the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic hub that handles nearly 20 percent of the world’s oil supply.
On Tuesday, however, Tehran announced it would reopen the channel under a a two-week ceasefire agreement and the United States, hosted by Pakistan. A day later, it closed the waterway in response to Israeli attacks on Lebanon, the Associated Press reported. Both sides have agreed to start talks in Islamabad on Friday.
The war had reinforced the need for energy independence and could fuel significant growth in electrification and decarbonisation this year, said Tim Buckley, director of the Climate Finance Institute in Sydney. “I would expect an increase in China’s battery and electric vehicle sales,” he added.
