Hydroelectricity_in_the_United_Kingdom

Hydroelectricity in the United Kingdom

Hydroelectricity in the United Kingdom

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As of 2018, hydroelectric power stations in the United Kingdom accounted for 1.87 GW of installed electrical generating capacity, being 2.2% of the UK's total generating capacity and 4.2% of UK's renewable energy generating capacity. This includes four conventional hydroelectric power stations and run-of-river schemes for which annual electricity production is approximately 5,000 GWh, being about 1.3% of the UK's total electricity production.[2] There are also four pumped-storage hydroelectric power stations providing a further 2.8 GW of installed electrical generating capacity, and contributing up to 4,075 GWh of peak demand electricity annually.[3][4]

The Dinorwig Power Station lower reservoir, a 1,800 MW pumped-storage hydroelectric scheme, in north Wales, and the largest hydroelectric power station in the UK
Hydroelectricity accounted for 4.2% of electricity generation from renewable sources in the United Kingdom (2018)[1]

The potential for further practical and viable hydroelectricity power stations in the UK is estimated to be in the region of 146 to 248 MW for England and Wales,[5] and up to 2,593 MW for Scotland.[6]

Interest in hydropower in the UK rose in the early 2010s due to UK and EU targets for reductions in carbon emissions and the promotion of renewable energy power generation through commercial incentives such as the Renewable Obligation Certificate scheme (ROCs) and feed-in tariffs (FITs). Before such schemes, studies to assess the available hydro resources in the UK had discounted many sites for reasons of poor economic or technological viability, but studies in 2008 and 2010 by the British Hydro Association (BHA) identified a larger number of viable sites, due to improvements in the available technology and the economics of ROCs and FITSs.[5][6] However, during the same period there have been significant reductions in costs of other renewable energy sources such as Offshore Wind and Photovoltaics,[7] this has resulted in reduced competitiveness of large scale Hydroelectric schemes in the UK. There are no large scale Hydroelectric scheme planned in the UK as of 2020. However, it is predicted that pumped storage will play an increasingly important role in the UK electricity grid in future years as more intermittent sources of electricity generation come on line.[8]

Schemes up to 50 kW are eligible for FITs, and schemes over 5 MW are eligible for ROCs. Schemes between 50 kW and 5 MW can choose between either. The UK Government's National Renewable Energy Action Plan of July 2010 envisaged between 40 and 50 MW of new hydropower schemes being installed annually up to 2020. The most recent feedback for new hydro schemes is for 2009, and only about 15 MW of new hydropower was installed during that year.[2]

Statistics for UK hydroelectric schemes

  • United Kingdom gross electricity supplied from Hydro between 1920 and 2012 (GWh), including for pumped-storage schemes.[3]
  • United Kingdom annual electricity generation from hydroelectricity between 1990 and 2012 (GW hours), excluding pumped-storage schemes.[1]
  • United Kingdom net installed hydroelectricity capacity between 1990 and 2012 (MW), excluding pumped-storage schemes.[1]

List of UK hydroelectric schemes over 1 megawatt

More information Name, Operator ...

See also

Related Lists

Related UK pages

Other related

References

  1. [1]
    "Department of Energy and Climate Change: Digest of United Kingdom energy statistics (DUKES)" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 December 2011. Retrieved 20 March 2012.
  2. [2]
    "Department of Energy and Climate Change: UK use of Hydroelectricity". Archived from the original on 27 November 2012. Retrieved 20 March 2012.
  3. [3]
    "Department of Energy and Climate Change: Historical electricity data: 1920 to 2012 (xls spreadsheet)". Retrieved 1 September 2013.
  4. [4]
    Ramirez, Pedro (2016). The Benefits Of Pumped Storage Systems in the UK (PDF) (Report). Glasgow: Scottish Renewables. p. 15. Archived (PDF) from the original on 18 September 2020. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
  5. [5]
    "British Hydro association Report 2010" (PDF). Retrieved 20 March 2012.
  6. [6]
    "British Hydro Association Report 2008" (PDF). Retrieved 20 March 2012.
  7. [7]
    "Digest of UK Energy Statistics (DUKES) 2018: long-term trends". GOV.UK. Retrieved 2020-02-19.
  8. [8]
    Hoy, Thomas (2015). "The Role of Additional PumpedHydro Storage in a Low Carbon UK Grid" (PDF). Strathclyde University.
  9. [9]
    Payne 1988, p. 100.
  10. [10]
    Payne 1988, p. 103.
  11. [11]
    Patel, Sonal (1 September 2009). "Scotland Officially Opens 100-MW Glendoe Hydro Plant". Power. Access Intelligence, LLC. Archived from the original on 18 July 2014. Retrieved 22 June 2023.
  12. [12]
    Payne 1988, p. 151.
  13. [13]
    Payne 1988, p. 232.
  14. [14]
    "SSE Unveils Redevelopment Plans for Sloy Hydro-electric Power Station". SSE. Perth. 23 May 2023. Archived from the original on 26 May 2023. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
  15. [15]
    Payne 1988, p. 139.
  16. [16]
    Payne 1988, p. 165.
  17. [17]
    Payne 1988, p. 163.
  18. [18]
    Payne 1988, p. 125.
  19. [19]
    Payne 1988, p. 243.
  20. [20]
    Payne 1988, frontispiece.

Bibliography
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