Hydroelectricity in the United Kingdom
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/f/f0/Dinorwig_Power_Station.jpg/220px-Dinorwig_Power_Station.jpg)
![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/22/Graph_RE_UK_mix.svg/220px-Graph_RE_UK_mix.svg.png)
As of 2018[update],hydroelectric powerstations in the United Kingdom accounted for 1.87GW of installed electrical generating capacity, being 2.2% of the UK's total generating capacity and 4.2% ofUK's renewable energygenerating capacity. This includes four conventional hydroelectric power stations andrun-of-riverschemes for which annual electricity production is approximately 5,000GWh, being about 1.3% of the UK's total electricity production.[2]There are also fourpumped-storagehydroelectric power stations providing a further 2.8GW of installed electrical generating capacity, and contributing up to 4,075GWh of peak demand electricity annually.[3][4]
The potential for further practical and viable hydroelectricity power stations in the UK is estimated to be in the region of 146 to 248MW for England and Wales,[5]and up to 2,593MW for Scotland.[6]
Interest inhydropowerin the UK rose in the early 2010s due to UK and EU targets for reductions in carbon emissions and the promotion ofrenewable energypower generation through commercial incentives such as theRenewable Obligation Certificate scheme (ROCs)andfeed-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 ofelectricity generationcome on line.[8]
Schemes up to 50kW are eligible for FITs, and schemes over 5MW are eligible for ROCs. Schemes between 50kW and 5MW can choose between either. The UK Government's National Renewable Energy Action Plan of July 2010 envisaged between 40 and 50MW of new hydropower schemes being installed annually up to 2020. The most recent feedback for new hydro schemes is for 2009, and only about 15MW of new hydropower was installed during that year.[2]
Statistics for UK hydroelectric schemes
[edit]-
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
[edit]This sectionneeds additional citations forverification.(June 2023) |
Name | Operator | Location | Capacity (kW) | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Clachan[9] | SSE Renewables | Argyll, Scotland | 40,000 | |
Cruachan Dam[4] | Drax Group | Argyll, Scotland | 440,000 | Pumped-storage |
Dinorwig Power Station[4] | First Hydro Company | Gwynedd, Wales | 1,728,000 | Pumped-storage |
Errochty[10] | SSE Renewables | Scotland | 75,000 | |
Ffestiniog Power Station[4] | First Hydro Company | Gwynedd, Wales | 360,000 | Pumped Storage |
Glendoe Hydro Scheme[11] | SSE Renewables | Inverness-shire, Scotland | 100,000 | 600m hydraulic head (largest in the UK) |
Glenlee | Drax Group | Scotland | 24,000 | |
Glenmoriston[12] | SSE Renewables | Highland, Scotland | 37,000 | |
Inverawe[13] | SSE Renewables | Argyll, Scotland | 25,000 | |
Kendoon | Drax Group | Scotland | 24,000 | |
Lochaber | Alcan Primary Metals - Europe | Highland, Scotland | 84,000 | |
Maentwrog | Nuclear Decommissioning Authority | Gwynedd, Wales | 30,000 | |
Rannoch[10] | SSE Renewables | Scotland | 48,000 | |
Rheidol | Statkraft | Ceredigion, Wales | 56,000 | 3 dams: Dinas 13.5MW, Cwm Rheidol 41MW + 1MW |
Sloy[9] | SSE Renewables | Argyll, Scotland | 160,000 | Plans for conversion to pumped storage unveiled in May 2023[14] |
Tongland | Drax Group | Scotland | 33,000 | |
Tummel[10] | SSE Renewables | Scotland | 34,000 | |
Aigas[15] | SSE Renewables | Inverness-shire, Scotland | 20,000 | |
Bonnington | Drax Group | Scotland | 11,000 | |
Carsfad | Drax Group | Kirkcudbrightshire, Scotland | 12,000 | |
Cashlie[16] | SSE Renewables | Perthshire, Scotland | 11,000 | |
Cassley[17] | SSE Renewables | Sutherland, Scotland | 10,000 | |
Ceannacroc Power Station[12] | SSE Renewables | Inverness-shire, Scotland | 20,000 | |
Culligran Unit 2[15] | SSE Renewables | Inverness-shire, Scotland | 17,100 | |
Dinas Power Station | Stratkraft | Ceredigion, Wales | 13,500 | |
Dolgarrog High-Head Power Station | Conwy Road | Dolgarrog Power Station, Dolgarrog, Nr Conwy, Wales | 18,400 | |
Dolgarrog Low-Head Power Station | Conwy Road | Dolgarrog Power Station, Dolgarrog, Nr Conwy, Wales | 14,980 | |
Earlstoun | Scottish Power | Kirkcudbrightshire, Scotland | 14,000 | |
Finlarig[16] | SSE Renewables | Scotland | 16,900 | |
Grudie Bridge[18] | SSE Renewables | Scotland | 18,600 | |
Invergarry[12] | SSE Renewables | Invergarry, Inverness-shire, Scotland | 19,975 | |
Kilmorack[15] | SSE Renewables | Scotland | 20,000 | |
Kinlochleven Hydro Power Station | Alcan Primary Metal - Europe | Argyll, Scotland | 19,500 | |
Livishie[12] | SSE Renewables | Inverness-Shire, Scotland | 17,000 | |
Mossford[18] | SSE Renewables | Inverness-shire, Scotland | 18,600 | |
Nant[13] | SSE Renewables | Argyll, Scotland | 15,000 | |
Orrin[18] | SSE Renewables | Ross-shire, Scotland | 18,000 | |
Pitlochry[10] | SSE Renewables | Scotland | 15,000 | |
Quoich[12] | SSE Renewables | Tomdoun, By Loch Garry, Nr Fort Augustus, Inverness-shire, Scotland., Scotland | 22,000 | |
Shin[17] | SSE Renewables | Sutherland, Scotland | 18,620 | |
St Fillans[16] | SSE Renewables | Scotland | 16,830 | |
Torr Achilty[18] | SSE Renewables | Ross-shire, Scotland | 15,000 | |
Achanalt[18] | SSE Renewables | Ross-shire, Scotland | 3,100 | |
Allt na Lairige[9] | SSE Renewables | Argyll and Bute, Scotland | 6,000 | |
Ardverikie | Ardverikie Estates Ltd | Inverness-shire, Scotland | 1,100 | |
Beeston Weir | Novera Energy | Nottinghamshire, England | 1,676 | largest run-of-river scheme in England |
Black Rock | Npower Renewables | Highland, Scotland | 3,000 | |
Braevallich Hydro Station | Npower Renewables | Argyll, Scotland | 2,274 | |
Broken Cross Muir Hydro | The Scottish Coal Company Ltd | Scotland | 1,000 | |
Callop | Broadland properties | Scotland | 1,087 | |
Carnoch | Npower Renewables | Scotland | 1,350 | |
ChliostairPower Station | SSE Renewables | Harris, Hebrides, Scotland | 1,320 | |
Chonais | SSE Renewables | Highland, Scotland | 3,500 | |
Cuaich[10] | SSE Renewables | Inverness-shire, Scotland | 2,500 | |
Cuileig Power Station | SSE Renewables | Wester Ross, Scotland | 3,300 | |
Culligran Comp Set | SSE Renewables | Inverness-shire, Scotland | 2,000 | |
CWM Rheidol Hydro Dam | Stratkraft | Ceredigion, Wales | 1,000 | |
Dalchonzie[16] | SSE Renewables | Scotland | 4,000 | |
Deanie[15] | SSE Renewables | Highland, Scotland | 3,800 | |
Douglas Water Power Station | Npower Renewables | Argyll, Scotland | 3,000 | |
Drumjohn Power Station | Drax Group | Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland | 2,200 | |
East Aberchalder | Npower Renewables | Inverness-shire, Scotland | 3,500 | |
Elan Valley | Novera Energy | Powys, Wales | 3,113 | |
Eredine Hydro Project | NPower renewables | Argyll and Bute, Scotland | 2,500 | |
Falls Of Unich | Npower Renewables | Angus, Scotland | 6,000 | |
Fasnakyle[15] | SSE Renewables | Inverness-Shire, Scotland | 7,701 | |
Foyers Falls | SSE Renewables | Inverness-shire, Scotland | 5,036 | |
Foyers[4] | SSE Renewables | Inverness-shire, Scotland | 300,000 | Pumped-storage |
Franklaw Hydro at Franklaw Water Treatment | United Utilities PLC | Perth & Kinross, Scotland | 1,000 | |
Garrogie Power Station | Npower Renewables | Inverness-shire, Scotland | 2,400 | |
Gaur[10] | SSE Renewables | Perthshire, Scotland | 7,900 | |
Glenn Dubh Hydro | Npower Renewables | Highland, Scotland | 3,000 | |
Inverar Hydro | Npower Renewables | Perth & Kinross, Scotland | 1,100 | |
Inver broom | Norgen (Ffestiniog) Ltd | Highland, Scotland | 3,170 | |
Inverfarigaig | GreenPower | Inverness-shire, Scotland | 4,000 | |
Inverlael | Npower Renewables | Scotland | 1,250 | |
Kerry Falls | SSE Renewables | Highland, Scotland | 1,250 | |
Kielder Power Station | Northumbrian Water Ltd | England | 5,500 | largest conventional hydro in England |
Kilmelfort[13] | SSE Renewables | Argyll, Scotland | 2,500 | |
Kingairloch Hydro | SSE Renewables | Inverness-shire, Scotland | 3,500 | |
Lairg[17] | SSE Renewables | Sutherland, Scotland | 3,500 | |
Lednock[16] | SSE Renewables | Scotland | 3,000 | |
Lochay[16] | SSE Renewables | Scotland | 47,000 | |
Little Loch Roag | SSE Renewables | Scotland | 1,000 | |
Llyn Brianne | Novera Energy | Carmarthenshire, Wales | 4,600 | |
Llyn Celyn | Novera Energy | Wales | 4,507 | |
Loch Dubh | SSE Renewables | Wester Ross, Scotland | 1,200 | |
Loch Eilde Mor | Hydro Plan (for Alcan) | Highland, Scotland | 7,000 | |
Loch Ericht Power Station | SSE Renewables | perthshire, Scotland | 2,200 | |
Loch Gair[13] | SSE Renewables | Argyll, Scotland | 6,000 | |
Loch Turret WTW | Scottish Water | Perth & Kinross, Scotland | 1,950 | |
Lochay Compensation Generator | SSE Renewables | Perthshire, Scotland | 2,000 | |
Lochiel Estate | Highland Light and Power Ltd | Highland, Scotland | 1,315 | |
Lubreoch[16] | SSE Renewables | Scotland | 5,000 | |
Lussa[13] | SSE Renewables | Argyll, Scotland | 2,400 | |
Maldie Burn | Npower Renewables | Highland, Scotland | 2,000 | |
Mary Tavy Power Station | South West Water Ltd | Devon, England | 2,600 | |
Mucomir[19] | SSE Renewables | Highland, Scotland | 2,000 | |
Mullardoch Tunnel[15] | SSE Renewables | Inverness-shire, Scotland | 2,400 | |
Nostie Bridge[20] | SSE Renewables | Ross-shire, Scotland | 1,300 | |
River E Power Station | Npower Renewables | Inverness-shire, Scotland | 3,000 | |
Siadar | wavegen / Npower Renewables | Scotland | 3,000 | |
Sron Mor[9] | SSE Renewables | Argyll, Scotland | 5,000 | |
Stonebyres Power Station | Drax Group | Lanarkshire, Scotland | 6,000 | |
Storr Lochs | SSE Renewables | Isle of Skye, Scotland | 2,400 | |
Striven[13] | SSE Renewables | Argyll, Scotland | 8,000 | |
Trossachs | SSE Renewables | Stirlingshire, Scotland | 2,500 | |
Urlar Hydro | Bolfracks Estate | Perth & Kinross, Scotland | 1,400 | |
Victoria Falls Station | CRF Hydropower | Argyll, Scotland | 1,120 | |
Wimett Station | Highland Light & Power | Devon, England | 1,430 |
See also
[edit]Related Lists
- List of power stations in Scotland#Hydro-electric
- List of power stations in England#Hydroelectric power
- List of power stations in Wales#Hydro-electric
- List of conventional hydroelectric power stations
- List of pumped-storage hydroelectric power stations
Related UK pages
- Energy policy of the United Kingdom
- Energy use and conservation in the United Kingdom
- Geothermal power in the United Kingdom
- Green electricity in the United Kingdom
- Renewable energy in Scotland
- Renewable energy in the United Kingdom
- Scottish Hydro Electric
- Solar power in the United Kingdom
- Wind power in the United Kingdom
Other related
- Environmental impact of wind power
- Friends of the Earth
- Renewable energy by country
- Relative cost of electricity generated by different sources
- Renewable Electricity and the Grid
- Renewable energy in the European Union
- United Kingdom National Renewable Energy Action Plan
References
[edit]- ^abc"Department of Energy and Climate Change: Digest of United Kingdom energy statistics (DUKES)"(PDF).Archived fromthe original(PDF)on 16 December 2011.Retrieved20 March2012.
- ^ab"Department of Energy and Climate Change: UK use of Hydroelectricity".Archived fromthe originalon 27 November 2012.Retrieved20 March2012.
- ^ab"Department of Energy and Climate Change: Historical electricity data: 1920 to 2012 (xls spreadsheet)".Retrieved1 September2013.
- ^abcdeRamirez, 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.Retrieved10 June2023.
- ^ab"British Hydro association Report 2010"(PDF).Retrieved20 March2012.
- ^ab"British Hydro Association Report 2008"(PDF).Retrieved20 March2012.
- ^"Digest of UK Energy Statistics (DUKES) 2018: long-term trends".GOV.UK.Retrieved2020-02-19.
- ^Hoy, Thomas (2015)."The Role of Additional PumpedHydro Storage in a Low Carbon UK Grid"(PDF).Strathclyde University.
- ^abcdPayne 1988,p. 100.
- ^abcdefPayne 1988,p. 103.
- ^Patel, Sonal (1 September 2009)."Scotland Officially Opens 100-MW Glendoe Hydro Plant".Power.Access Intelligence, LLC.Archivedfrom the original on 18 July 2014.Retrieved22 June2023.
- ^abcdePayne 1988,p. 151.
- ^abcdefPayne 1988,p. 232.
- ^"SSE Unveils Redevelopment Plans for Sloy Hydro-electric Power Station".SSE.Perth.23 May 2023.Archivedfrom the original on 26 May 2023.Retrieved10 June2023.
- ^abcdefPayne 1988,p. 139.
- ^abcdefgPayne 1988,p. 165.
- ^abcPayne 1988,p. 163.
- ^abcdePayne 1988,p. 125.
- ^Payne 1988,p. 243.
- ^Payne 1988,frontispiece.
Bibliography
[edit]- Payne, Peter L. (1988).The Hydro.Aberdeen University Press.ISBN978-0-08-036584-8.