Harness energy of rivers to power homes, say ministers

Holyrood report says there is potential to double hydro-electric contribution

By Tim Pauling

Published:

The Highlands and western parts of Scotland could play a major part in a revolution in hydro-electric power, according to a new study.

A report published by the Scottish Government says there is enough untapped hydro potential to power nearly 600,000 homes.

It found that there are more than 1,000 financially sustainable sites capable of generating 657 Megawatts (MW) of electricity, which could double the existing hydro power capacity.

The areas with the most potential are in the Highlands and large parts of Argyll and Clyde, followed by Highland Perthshire and Stirlingshire.

The majority are medium to small schemes that do not involve building large dams. Most are “run-of-river” schemes that could be exploited using pipes or weirs.

The report for the Scottish Forum of Renewable Energy recommends that immediate attention be paid to speeding up the application process for hydro-electric schemes. At present, applications for projects bigger than one megawatt are dealt with by ministers and smaller ones by local authorities.

The majority of Scotland’s hydro-electric schemes were built in the 50s and 60s.

Energy Minister Jim Mather said at the launch of yesterday’s report: “While we are unlikely to see much in the way of further large-scale developments, it is clear there is huge untapped potential – and a sustainable and profitable future in smaller and micro hydro schemes.

“Each scheme would have to be assessed on its own merits, but if we can turn the tap on to new hydro power we can tackle climate change and continue to stimulate economic growth.”

Nick Forrest, who produced the report, believes most environmental concerns can be overcome. Worries about any visual impact can also be dealt with by burying pipes underground and constructing buildings in materials that compliment and blend into the landscape.

He added that only about 50 would involve flooding; the rest would be run-of-river schemes.

“You would be using a weir and relying on the fall of the water down a hillside, so the impact can be very, very minimal,” he said.

One problem is that the grid will have to be upgraded to take the extra electricity. Ministers believe there is potential for micro-generation that could be tapped into on a local scale.

British Hydropower Association chief executive David Williams said: “Hydropower has long been the quiet renewable and this will stimulate development of new projects of all sizes in a country which has already embraced the benign and significant role of this technology.”

Scottish Renewables Hydro Work Group chairman Rob Forrest said: “To deliver the government’s vision for hydro, some sensitive sites will need to be developed with careful designs that fully address environmental concerns. Environmental regulations are important tools to shape sustainable hydro power schemes, but at the moment they are being implemented in a way that adds unreasonable costs up-front and affects investor confidence.”