China is betting big on energy storage — in the form of water

Beijing’s new five-year plan outlines a huge boost in pumped hydro storage, which along with batteries, will help intergrate a massive rise in wind and solar power

China’s National People’s Congress in Beijing this week offered a clearer picture of how policymakers are thinking about the country’s energy system.

The headline climate targets disappointed some observers. China said it would cut carbon emissions per unit of GDP by 17% by the end of the decade. But the more important signal may be structural: after bui…