Pumped Storage Industry–Development Opportunities for Manufacturing Enterprises and a New Growth Pole for the Chinese Economy

Abstract

In the context of the accelerated global transition to green and low-carbon energy, China’s energy structure is undergoing profound changes. As of early 2025, the installed capacity of wind and photovoltaic power in China has exceeded 1.4 billion kilowatts, accounting for 42.9% of the total installed power generation capacity, historically surpassing thermal power as the largest power source. However, the randomness, volatility, and intermittency of renewable energy generation pose unprecedented challenges to the power system’s regulatory capacity. In this context, pumped storage, as the most technically mature and economically advantageous large-scale energy storage method, is experiencing explosive growth, providing strategic opportunities for the transformation and upgrading of manufacturing enterprises.