Skip to content
Grid & Energy
Global

Wood Mackenzie finds four hour battery storage now cheaper than gas peaking in all 43 modelled markets

By Eve

Wood Mackenzie's global levelised cost of electricity report shows four hour battery storage has become less expensive than open cycle gas turbines across all 43 markets where both technologies were modelled. In the Middle East and Africa, four hour storage is forecast to fall a further 33% to US$80/MWh by 2035, while China remains the global storage cost benchmark at more than 55% below the rest of Asia Pacific average. Single axis tracker solar is now the lowest cost new build technology in 43 of 48 modelled markets, with solar LCOE in Saudi Arabia and the UAE on track to fall below US$20/MWh by 2033.

Why it matters

The cost crossover between battery storage and gas peaking plants reshapes the business case for grid infrastructure and charging site energy management, as cheaper storage enables CPOs to buffer demand peaks and reduce grid connection costs. Falling solar and storage costs in key EV growth markets like China and the Middle East improve the economics of renewable powered charging networks.

Source

Original title
“Wood Mackenzie: four-hour battery storage now beats gas peaking on cost globally”
Published
8 October 2026
Updated
10 October 2026
Also covered by
techcrunch.com

In this story

Related news

750 affordable homes in UK now heated by mine water geothermal network

A new energy centre at Seaham Garden Village in the UK is now supplying low carbon heat to around 750 affordable homes using naturally warm mine water pumped from a Durham treatment facility. Energy Live News reported that the network has completed commissioning and is fully operational. The system uses geothermal processes that keep mine water at a relatively constant temperature year round, providing a dependable heat source instead of traditional heating fuel.

Why it matters

The operational mine water heating network demonstrates a replicable model for decarbonising heat in social housing developments, potentially informing procurement specifications for low carbon heating infrastructure at scale. The proven reliability of geothermal mine water as a consistent year round heat source may influence future district heating tenders and public sector energy resilience planning.

United Kingdom
12 Oct 2026

Source

Tesla Powerwall autonomously grid-charged before peak rates to offset low solar yield in Arizona

A Tesla Powerwall owner in Tucson, Arizona, reported that the battery began charging from the grid at around 2:30 p.m. on a rainy day, ahead of a 3 to 7 p.m. peak rate window, after solar generation fell short. The homeowner had set the system to Saving mode and disabled Stormwatch, allowing the Powerwall to draw enough grid power to cover the high cost period. The case, shared on Reddit's r/Powerwall forum, illustrates how residential storage can automatically balance low renewable output with time of use tariffs.

Why it matters

The example shows demand side flexibility in action, with home batteries responding to tariff signals and weather conditions without manual intervention. For CPOs and utilities, it underscores the growing role of behind the meter storage in load shifting and the need for rate structures that reward or integrate such behaviour at scale.

United States
11 Oct 2026

Tesla · Source

Wound Type Current Transformer Market Forecast to 2035 Highlights EV Charging Infrastructure as Key Growth Driver

IndexBox's latest global market report identifies wound type current transformers as entering a decade of structurally higher demand through 2035, driven by electricity system digitalization, decarbonization and decentralization. Growth will be anchored in utility smart meter rollouts, renewable energy integration, EV charging infrastructure and industrial automation. The market is bifurcating between standardized catalog parts for high volume OEMs and customized, application engineered solutions for critical infrastructure.

Why it matters

For CPOs and charging network developers, the report signals that precision current measurement components essential for revenue grade metering and power quality monitoring in EV charging stations will see sustained supply and innovation through 2035. The bifurcation between standardized and custom solutions suggests procurement teams should assess whether catalog parts meet accuracy requirements or if critical sites warrant engineered transformer specifications.

Global
10 Oct 2026

Source