Pumped Storage Paper Urges Policy Reform at COP31
A white paper launched at COP31 in Antalya, Türkiye, calls on governments to reform pumped storage policy to support power system flexibility.
Updated on Nov. 13, 2026 in Energy
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A white paper launched at COP31 in Antalya, Türkiye, urges governments to reform pumped storage policy, drawing on input from more than 60 governments and developed with the Global Alliance for Pumped Storage. The paper contains seven recommendations.
Why it matters
The report identifies replacing dispatchable capacity lost as fossil-fuel plants retire and absorbing surplus renewable generation as key reasons for investment in pumped storage. It also names high upfront capital needs, site-specific preparatory work and lengthy permitting as barriers to development.
The white paper gives typical lifespans of 80-100 years for pumped storage civil works and 40-60 years for electromechanical equipment. Revenue mechanisms for pumped storage remain to be explored in an upcoming IHA report.
The players
Global Alliance for Pumped Storage
An international alliance formed at COP29 to promote the development of pumped storage as a tool for power system flexibility and renewable integration.
The details
The paper recommends dedicated flexibility and electricity market products in which pumped storage assets can participate in multiple services, along with regional coordination through harmonised rules, planning tools and contractual frameworks in interconnected systems. It was presented at a roundtable at COP31 following the Global Alliance for Pumped Storage's launch at COP29 in Baku in November 2024.
Timeline
November 2024: Global Alliance for Pumped Storage launched at COP29 in Baku.
November 13, 2026: White paper launched at COP31 in Antalya, Türkiye.
Roadmap
The white paper follows the Global Alliance for Pumped Storage's launch at COP29 in Baku, extending that work into concrete policy recommendations for governments. It positions pumped storage as a flexibility resource as fossil-fuel generation retires and renewable generation grows.
The paper's emphasis on pumped storage lifespans of 80-100 years for civil works and 40-60 years for equipment signals long-horizon infrastructure that would shape electricity system planning for decades. Its recommendations target how storage assets could be paid for and coordinated, which will determine how quickly such projects move from concept to construction.
The takeaway
Pumped storage is positioned as infrastructure that can serve multiple grid functions, but its development depends on upfront capital, site preparation, permitting and market design. Governments that address these barriers may find that long-lived storage assets help manage the transition away from fossil-fuel generation.
Further reading
For more on how grid storage is reshaping power systems, explore the Energy section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by International Water Power.
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