Eastern Asia, with China at the forefront, is set to pave the way in pumped storage hydropower as the region has the potential to meet the International Renewable Energy Agency's (IRENA) target of 420 GW of pumped storage worldwide by 2050, according to a new report from Global Energy Monitor. The report reveals that the region has 425 GW of pumped storage capacity in operation or in the pipeline, accounting for 73% of the current global total.
Pumped storage hydropower is an essential component of the global energy transition, as the increased reliance on renewable energy sources like wind and solar creates a need for reliable energy storage solutions. IRENA's modelling suggests that total installed pumped storage hydropower of 420 GW will be required to achieve the climate goals set out in the Paris Agreement.
Of the 2,212 GW of hydropower projects catalogued by the Global Hydropower Tracker, only 161 GW (14%) are accounted for by pumped storage, while 439 GW (49%) are in the pipeline. The remaining 86% (967 GW) are conventional or run-of-river storage.
China leads the way, accounting for 30% of the current global total with 51 GW of pumped storage hydropower in operation. It also dominates prospective capacity with 407 GW, equivalent to 82% of the global total. Japan, the US, Italy and Germany complete the list of top five countries for operating pumped storage hydropower, while India, Australia, the US and the UK are the other countries with the most prospective pumped storage hydropower.
“Pumped storage capacity is set to grow much faster than conventional dams worldwide, and China is the clearest example of this trend,” said Joe Bernardi, project manager for the Global Hydropower Tracker. “Pumped storage and hydropower are an integral part of the global energy transition, and the rest of the world should take note of the build out in Eastern Asia.”
The Global Energy Monitor is committed to developing and sharing information in support of the worldwide movement for clean energy. The report shows that Eastern Asia, with China leading the way, is well placed to help the world achieve its renewable energy targets by 2050 through the expansion of pumped storage hydropower.
