The distributed-scale energy storage sector includes energy storage systems (ESSs) located behind the residential or commercial and industrial (C&I) customer’s utility meter. To date, distributed-scale ESSs have focused on providing storage benefits to the host residential or C&I facilities, such as resilient backup power and energy demand charge savings. However, stationary energy storage market stakeholders also recognize that distributed-scale ESS installations aggregated across residential and C&I properties can deliver grid benefits to regional transmission organizations/independent system operators and local distribution system utilities.This evolution is driving the development of software and hardware platforms that can serve as virtual power plants (VPPs). VPP software platforms can analyze, control, and optimize not only a single ESS, but also an aggregated portfolio of distributed-scale ESSs. The aggregation of distributed-scale ESSs of sufficient capacity in this manner allows grid operators to view and plan for taking advantage of grid benefits. Navigant Research believes VPPs that analyze, control, and optimize distributed-scale ESSs to deliver benefits to both the grid and hosts will emerge as necessary integration solutions for distributed energy resources as power market rules mature. This Navigant Research Leaderboard Report examines the strategy and execution of 14 leading distributed-scale ESS integrators focused specifically on the utility-scale market. These companies are rated on 10 criteria: vision; go-to-market strategy; partnerships; technology; geographic reach; sales, marketing, and distribution; product performance; product portfolio; pricing; and staying power. Using Navigant Research’s proprietary Leaderboard methodology, vendors are profiled, rated, and ranked with the goal of providing industry participants with an objective assessment of these companies’ relative strengths and weaknesses in the global market for distributed-scale ESS integrators.