By Kari Williamson
| 2011 installed grid storage market share | 2011 market share |
| NKG Insulators | 53% |
| Xtreme Power | 10% |
| Beacon Power | 7% |
| International Battery | 7% |
| A123 Systems | 6& |
The Lux Research Grid Storage Tracker shows how NGK’s near monopoly has withered and allowed other players with a variety of technologies to make waves into the grid storage market, including Xtreme Power’s lead acid battery, Beacon Power’s flywheels (although Beacon’s share will drop after filing Chapter 11 early November), and lithium ion batteries from International Battery and A123 Systems.
The strong traction of these players resulted in a 56% increase in the number of installed megawatts in 2011 over 2010. Based upon announced and ongoing projects, NGK’s market share will sharply drop by the end of 2012 with A123 Systems capturing nearly one quarter of the market.