What happened
U.S. households installed about 673 MW of battery storage in the first quarter of 2026, according to analysis cited by Canary Media, surpassing the previous quarterly record even after residential storage tax credits expired at the end of 2025.
What this means for homeowners
The data suggests buyers are assigning substantial value to outage protection, grid independence and utility-program participation even without the former federal credit. That does not mean batteries are automatically economical for every home, so tariff and backup needs still matter.
Key points
- Residential battery additions reached about 673 MW in Q1 2026.
- Installations remained strong after the federal residential storage credit expired.
- Backup value and utility economics are becoming more important purchase drivers.
How we use this information
Home Solar Atlas does not automatically change calculator assumptions from a news headline. Policy, tariff and incentive changes are incorporated into our data tools only after the applicable dates, eligibility rules and homeowner impact can be represented accurately.