LG New Energy plans to expand its North American energy storage system (ESS) battery production capacity to over 70 GWh by the end of 2027, exceeding its previous target of over 50 GWh by the end of 2026. Bernstein, citing a BNEF report, points out that the construction of AI data centers and the growing demand for grid energy storage are key drivers of this expansion. The company has approximately 160 GWh of energy storage orders in the third quarter of 2026, and is simultaneously expanding its production of square lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries and developing sodium-ion batteries. Faced with a slower-growing electric vehicle battery market, LG New Energy is reallocating some of its capacity to its energy storage business. This move reflects how AI infrastructure investment is changing the demand structure of the battery industry, with energy storage becoming a new growth direction for battery manufacturers.