# Pumped hydro storage: Impact and additionality

The fastest-growing long-duration store, and its land costs

Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_pumped_hydro/sg-impact/

What this tab covers The impact and additionality lens: what it displaces on the grid, who gains and who bears the burden along the supply chain, and what happens at end of life.

Pumped hydro is the proven way to store many hours of renewable output and is growing fast, but reservoirs bring land, water and community impacts that need careful siting.

#### Grid decarbonisation versus fossil displacement
Favourable

With typical durations of 6 to 24 hours or more, pumped hydro can cover evening peaks and multi-day lulls that otherwise fall to gas or coal plants, not just shift solar by a few hours. Global capacity reached 189 GW in 2024 and about 201 GW in 2025, with 11.7 GW added in 2025. IHA backed the COP29 pledge to reach 1,500 GW of storage by 2030, signed by 58 countries.^[1](https://www.hydropower.org/publications/2025-world-hydropower-outlook)^[2](https://www.hydropower.org/news/year-of-the-water-battery-global-pumped-storage-capacity-surpasses-200-gw)^[7](https://www.hydropower.org/outlook)
 Global capacity 189 GW (2024); over 200 GW (2025)^[1](https://www.hydropower.org/publications/2025-world-hydropower-outlook)^[2](https://www.hydropower.org/news/year-of-the-water-battery-global-pumped-storage-capacity-surpasses-200-gw)^[7](https://www.hydropower.org/outlook) Additions 8.4 GW (2024); 11.7 GW (2025; the IHA article body says 11.6 GW)^[1](https://www.hydropower.org/publications/2025-world-hydropower-outlook)^[2](https://www.hydropower.org/news/year-of-the-water-battery-global-pumped-storage-capacity-surpasses-200-gw) COP29 storage target 1,500 GW by 2030^[1](https://www.hydropower.org/publications/2025-world-hydropower-outlook)

#### Just transition and local community impact
Mixed

Construction is local and labour-intensive, and the equipment (turbines, generators) is mature conventional machinery. Reservoirs can displace people and alter rivers, which is why closed-loop and brownfield sites are favoured. Growth is concentrated in China, which had 218 GW under construction in 2025. India had about 3.5 to 5 GW installed; its official target cited by IHA in 2025 was 26 GW by 2032, while IHA's 2026 note mentions ambitions of up to 100 GW by 2035, so planning figures vary by source and date.^[1](https://www.hydropower.org/publications/2025-world-hydropower-outlook)^[2](https://www.hydropower.org/news/year-of-the-water-battery-global-pumped-storage-capacity-surpasses-200-gw)
 China under construction 218 GW (2025)^[2](https://www.hydropower.org/news/year-of-the-water-battery-global-pumped-storage-capacity-surpasses-200-gw) India installed about 3.5-5 GW^[2](https://www.hydropower.org/news/year-of-the-water-battery-global-pumped-storage-capacity-surpasses-200-gw) India target 26 GW by 2032 (2025 report); up to 100 GW by 2035 (2026 note)^[1](https://www.hydropower.org/publications/2025-world-hydropower-outlook)^[2](https://www.hydropower.org/news/year-of-the-water-battery-global-pumped-storage-capacity-surpasses-200-gw)

#### Circular economy and end of life
Favourable

Because civil works can run for over a century and machines can be refurbished or uprated, there is little waste stream. Steel and copper in the electrical plant are readily recyclable. Decommissioning a dam is costly and rare; most plants are re-powered instead.^[1](https://www.hydropower.org/publications/2025-world-hydropower-outlook)
 Civil works life often over 100 years^[1](https://www.hydropower.org/publications/2025-world-hydropower-outlook)

#### Sources

1. [2025 World Hydropower Outlook](https://www.hydropower.org/publications/2025-world-hydropower-outlook) International Hydropower Association, 2025
2. [Year of the water battery: global pumped storage capacity surpasses 200 GW](https://www.hydropower.org/news/year-of-the-water-battery-global-pumped-storage-capacity-surpasses-200-gw) International Hydropower Association, 2026
3. [2026 World Hydropower Outlook](https://www.hydropower.org/outlook) International Hydropower Association, 2026

## Other sections

- [Summary](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_pumped_hydro/index.md)
- [Overview](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_pumped_hydro/overview/index.md)
- [Correlation](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_pumped_hydro/correlation/index.md)
- [Science and technology](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_pumped_hydro/sg-sci/index.md)
- [Engineering and performance](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_pumped_hydro/sg-eng/index.md)
- [Economics](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_pumped_hydro/sg-econ/index.md)
- [What to track](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_pumped_hydro/tracking/index.md)
- [Relationships](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_pumped_hydro/links/index.md)