| Pumped storage


offs. In turn, this will require taking a critical look at each pumped storage hydropower project as well as understanding community perceptions and the lifecycle impacts of this technology.


Tribal lands Karambelkar et al also commented on the recently


adopted FERC policy which stipulates that permits will not be granted for projects on Tribal lands if Tribes oppose the permit. On the one hand, the authors say this policy represents a step in the right direction for future PSH projects. FERC requires applicants to work closely with Tribes to ensure they are fully informed about proposed projects on their land and determine whether they are willing to consider project development. However, on the other hand, the policy continues to highlight a persistent tension where FERC seemingly returns the duty of consultation to the project developer, which Tribes may not support for being inconsistent with FERC’s government- to- government consultation responsibility. Given that few scholarly studies have focused exclusively on pumped storage hydro in the US, Karambelkar et al say more research is needed to understand project benefits, costs, harms, and socio- environmental interactions. They add that: ● Further research covering a wider geographic diversity would be helpful to understand the range of issues across different social and environmental contexts and locations.


● Systematic reviews of proposed PSH EIS can provide further insight on strategies to avoid or minimise socio-environmental harms.


● Studies that examine impacts throughout the entire project lifecycle are also needed.


● Pumped storage projects may have impacts during the decommissioning stage but these are neither well documented nor studied at present, warranting further attention.


● GHG emissions of PSH projects also need to be understood to assess their effectiveness in supporting grid decarbonisation efforts. Social science will also be key in learning about


factors affecting community perceptions of pumped storage, and developing processes that result in just and equitable projects in the future, the researchers add. They explain that social scientists can examine what factors may lead to PSH project opposition or acceptance, and whether there are best practices that could be followed to improve meaningful community engagement, consultation, and outcomes— all of which could help facilitate smoother and less litigious planning and permitting processes.


While trade-offs will be inevitable in PSH development,


interdisciplinary research can help foster projects that centre on the environment and community interests while helping to achieve the broader societal goal of grid decarbonisation, the authors conclude.


SWOT analysis Another study has identified key factors influencing the


wider adoption of PSHs used a combined approach using SWOT analysis (which assesses strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) and the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP). Bošnjakovi´et al claim existing frameworks lack quantitative methods to assess the drivers of PSH implementation, such as environmental impacts versus


revenue streams, along with a gap in temporal scalability - projections beyond 2030 often underestimate the role of PSHs in 80% renewable energy scenarios. They say such limitations hinder policymakers and investors from holistically assessing pumped storage’s value in decarbonisation strategies. Their study found that regulatory and market uncertainties (13.54%) and financial inequality (12.77%) rank first and belong to the Threats group, with energy storage capacity (10.11%) as the most important factor from the Strengths group and increased demand for energy storage (9.01%) as the most important factor from the Opportunities group.


Recommendations for policymakers include:


● The development of clear, accelerated approval procedures and standardised environmental guidelines to reduce project delays and uncertainty.


● Introducing mechanisms to reduce financial risk, such as subsidies covering 20–30% of project capital costs, low-interest loans, and the introduction of revenue stabilisation measures, such as capacity auctions.


● Creating incentives for hybridisation by funding research and development for the joint use of PSH and green hydrogen to improve seasonal storage and supporting the introduction of digital twins for operational optimisation.


● Revising grid legislation to require off-grid commissioning and frequency regulation as a prerequisite for the provision of grid service provision and to position the PSH as an important resource for resilience.


The authors conclude that fostering public–private


collaboration is critical to address supply chain bottlenecks and local stakeholder concerns and ensure sustainable and socially responsible deployment of pumped storage, helping to mitigate the primary threats identified in their SWOT-AHP analysis.


References


Planning of Seawater Pumped Storage Hydropower in Coastal Depressions of China by Yufan Fan, Jun Qiu, Bin Guo, Bang Du, Diyi Chen, Beibei Xu, Yong Peng, Bo Xu, Fangfang Li. Renewable Energy Volume 261, 1 April 2026, 125186. https://doi.org/10.1016/j. renene.2026.125186


Pumped Storage Hydropower in the United States: Emerging Importance, Environmental and Social Impacts, and Critical Considerations. Surabhi Karambelkar, Alida Cantor, Thien-Kim Bui, Bethani Turley, Maryalice Fischer, Shannon Ames. Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Water, 2025; 12:e70017 https://doi.org/10.1002/wat2.70017


SWOT-AHPAnalysis of the Importance and Adoption of Pumped-Storage Hydropower. Mladen Bošnjakovi, Nataša Velji, Jelena Topi Boži, and Simon Muhi. Technologies 2025, 13, 305. https://doi.org/10.3390/technologies13070305


www.waterpowermagazine.com | February/March 2026 | 23


Above: Hawaiian island of Oahu where pumped storage potential is being investigated


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