Batteries beat gas peakers on cost globally, but U.S. faces trade headwinds

Four-hour battery storage costs have fallen below open-cycle gas turbines in 43 global markets, driven by manufacturing scale and fuel price volatility, though North America faces near-term trade barriers and rising solar module prices due to tariffs. The Inflation Reduction Act supports storage with tax credits, but data center growth and gas equipment supply deficits keep thermal capital costs high, favoring renewable-plus-storage capacity planning.

This Wire brief sits within Fusion42's coverage of Climate Tech, and 3 sources have reported it between 9 Oct 2026 and 13 Oct 2026.