Pumped Hydro Energy Storage Plants in China: Increasing Demand and Multidimensional Impacts Identification

Mingyue Pang, Yan Du, Wenjie Pei, Pengpeng Zhang, Juhua Yang and Lixiao Zhang ()
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Mingyue Pang: Key Laboratory of Three Gorges Reservoir Region’s Eco-Environment, Ministry of Education, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400045, China
Yan Du: Key Laboratory of Three Gorges Reservoir Region’s Eco-Environment, Ministry of Education, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400045, China
Wenjie Pei: Key Laboratory of Three Gorges Reservoir Region’s Eco-Environment, Ministry of Education, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400045, China
Pengpeng Zhang: School of Geographical Sciences, Hebei Normal University, Shijiazhuang 050024, China
Juhua Yang: China Huadian Corporation, Electric Power Construction Technical & Economical Consulting Center, Beijing 100031, China
Lixiao Zhang: State Key Joint Laboratory of Environmental Simulation and Pollution Control, School of Environment, Beijing Normal University, Beijing 100875, China

Energies, 2025, vol. 18, issue 7, 1-14

Abstract: In light of the soaring growth of pumped hydro energy storage (PHES) plants in China in recent years, there is an urgent need for a comprehensive understanding of their developmental trajectory and the identification of their multidimensional impacts. This paper reviews the development of PHES in China and highlights its various impacts. Despite the relatively late start of PHES development in China, the country has recently ranked first worldwide with an aggregated installed capacity of 50.94 GW in operation in 2023. These plants are primarily distributed in North China, East China, and South China, contributing to the safe and stable operation of regional power grids. Furthermore, over 300 plants are under construction or in the planning stage across the whole country, aiming to support large-scale renewable energy development and facilitate a sustainable energy transition. However, it is important to recognize that such extensive PHES development requires significant land resources, which can lead to disturbances in local ecosystems and affect nearby residents. Additionally, environmental emissions may arise from a life-cycle perspective. Finally, several countermeasures are proposed to enhance sustainable PHES development in China. They include strengthening the rational planning of new plants to optimize their spatial distribution, refining the engineering design of new plants, and exploring avenues for sharing the benefits of PHES development with a broad spectrum of local residents.

Keywords: pumped hydro energy storage (PHES); development trajectory; multidimensional impacts; China (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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