Water batteries - the case for pumped storage hydropower

Pumped storage hydropower, known as ‘the world’s water battery’, is an ideal complement to modern clean energy systems, as it can accommodate for the intermittency and seasonality of variable renewables such as wind and solar power.

In September 2021, at the World Hydropower Congress, policy recommendations were published by the International Forum on Pumped Storage Hydropower, a coalition of 13 governments led by the U.S. Department of Energy, the International Hydropower Association (IHA) and involving more than 70 multilateral banks, research institutes, NGOs and public and private companies. The recommendations look at how governments and markets should address the urgent need for green, long-duration energy storage in the clean energy transition.

This film was produced by IHA and ITN Productions with the support of SSE Renewables.