| Spotlight


Signing of the Paris Pledge at the International Forum on Pumped Storage


Adopt best-in-class technologies, from variable speed turbines to digital monitoring systems.


Minimise environmental impacts, using rigorous sustainability standards. Engage communities early, building public support and ensuring local benefits.


This dual-track approach – industry commitment matched with policy reform – is designed to create the certainty needed for long-term investment in assets that last more than a century.


Proving its worth: lessons from


Spain and Portugal The resilience of pumped storage was tested in April 2025, when a large-scale blackout hit the Iberian Peninsula. As the system struggled, PSH plants stepped up, delivering 11GWh of electricity in Spain within 12 hours, while in Portugal hydropower supplied 80% of demand within 10 hours. Crucially, PSH’s black start capability enabled


grid recovery. Few technologies can provide this function. For many policymakers, the blackout underscored the urgency of investing in proven long-duration storage.


A broad coalition of support What makes the Paris Pledge notable is not


just its content but its breadth. The in-person signatories included heavyweights such as EDF, Enel, Iberdrola, Statkraft, Verbund, GE Vernova, ANDRITZ and Voith. Dozens more organisations submitted


testimonials. ABB called PSH “a pivotal role in accelerating the transition to net-zero.” EASE, Europe’s storage association, urged policymakers to make expansion “a priority.” RWE, one of the largest operators of PSH in


Europe, said bluntly: “That’s what this initiative is all about.” From Norway’s Renewables association to


Turkey’s TESAB, the support stretches across borders. For smaller companies too, the message is simple: as Carpi Tech put it: “Any individual or organization with a conscience should support the pledge.”


Jobs, supply chains, and


Europe’s industrial future Beyond energy security and climate goals, PSH expansion promises industrial benefits. Hydropower already contributes around €25 billion annually to EU GDP, a figure that could rise to €40–50 billion by 2030 if market conditions allow. Europe holds nearly half the global market


share in hydropower equipment exports. Scaling domestic PSH would reinforce this leadership, showcase cutting-edge innovation, and create thousands of jobs, particularly in rural regions.


A study of six PSH projects in Scotland alone


estimated almost 15,000 jobs per year during development. Workforce training is also central to the pledge, as the sector looks to address skills gaps and pass knowledge to the next generation.


Overcoming barriers Still, challenges remain. Complex permitting


rules can delay projects for years. Financing long-term infrastructure is difficult when payback periods stretch across decades. And despite broad recognition of PSH’s value, many markets still undervalue its services. That is why the Paris Pledge insists on reforms


like revenue stabilisation mechanisms, which would allow PSH operators to monetise multiple


services – from frequency regulation to black start – not just energy arbitrage. As SSE Renewables noted in its testimonial: “Political will is absolutely critical to supporting pumped storage development.”


A race against time The urgency could not be clearer. By 2030,


Europe’s power systems will require four times more flexibility than today; by 2050, seven times more. Without decisive action, gaps in storage will leave the system vulnerable to curtailment, high prices, and dependence on imported fuels. Europe has more than 140 sites suitable for new PSH facilities, plus hundreds of opportunities to repurpose reservoirs or even disused mines. The potential is vast – but only if unlocked by streamlined policy and investment. The Paris Pledge is more than an industry


statement; it is a warning shot and a roadmap. Europe has the technology, resources, and expertise to double its pumped storage capacity within 25 years. What it needs now is political commitment.


As the Pledge puts it plainly: “The time to act


is now.” If Europe seizes the moment, PSH will be the backbone of a renewable-powered continent – securing energy, cutting costs, and powering a just transition for generations to come.


References


All information compiled from the Paris Pledge, which can be downloaded at:


https://www.hydropower.org/iha/the- paris-pledge


www.waterpowermagazine.com | October 2025 | 11


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