Beijing: China is poised to maintain its position as the world’s largest hydropower market through 2030, fueled by substantial investment and the expansion of Chinese companies into emerging and developing economies, said industry experts and company executives.
China has been leading globally in installed hydropower capacity and accounted for more than half of the world’s new hydropower capacity additions last year, the International Hydropower Association said in a recent report.
Global hydropower capacity in 2024 grew by 24.6 gigawatts, 14.4 GW of which was contributed by China, accounting for nearly 60 percent of the total, thereby solidifying the nation’s leading role in global hydropower development, the report said.
Furthermore, pumped hydro storage capacity accounted for more than half of China’s hydropower capacity growth, with new capacity reaching 7.75 GW, it added.
The report said that China is on track to surpass its 2030 pumped storage hydropower target of 120 GW by more than 8 percent, potentially reaching 130 GW by the end of the decade.
Pumped hydro storage projects use electricity during periods of low demand to pump water to an upper reservoir, which is then released to generate electricity during peak demand periods, earning them the nickname of “super charging stations”.
China’s total installed hydropower capacity has reached approximately 436 GW, accounting for more than three-quarters of Asia’s total, the report said.
Analysts said that China’s continued investment in hydropower, especially pumped hydro storage stations, is becoming a crucial means of maintaining grid stability during its energy transition. -The Daily Mail-China Daily News Exchange items
