Around 4,000 hydro sites untapped, claims Environment Agency
Tuesday 09 March 2010
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| Hydro schemes like Osbaston, Monmouthshire (above), could make a larger contribution to the UK’s renewable electricity targets |
Almost 4,000 sites in England and Wales with the potential for generating hydro-electricity without damaging the environment are going unused, according to a report published yesterday (March 8) by the Environment Agency.
The prospective locations were identified in a study entitled 'Opportunity and environmental sensitivity mapping in England and Wales', which was commissioned to pinpoint the opportunities for small scale hydropower schemes on the rivers of England and Wales and any environmental concerns associated with their exploitation.
The report's authors identified almost 26,000 sites theoretically suitable for hydro schemes and claimed that together, these sites would generate around 1178MW - enough electricity to produce 3% of the renewable electricity the UK will need by 2020 and about 1% of the country's total predicted 2020 electricity demand.
However, they said the real potential was significantly less due to environmental and practical constraints.
Of the 25,935 small scale hydropower opportunities highlighted, only around 4,000 were designated "win-win opportunities" where a hydropower scheme would not harm fish populations and could deliver an improvement in the local environment as well as renewable electricity.
Around half the sites identified were deemed to be highly environmentally sensitive for hydropower due to impacts on river ecology. The Environment Agency said that extra fish-friendly measures would be required in these locations.
Hydropower hotspots, where win-win opportunities exist on the same river or close by were also identified in several areas, including the Rivers Severn, Thames, Aire and Neath.
Energy minster Lord Hunt lent his backing to the technology.
"Small scale hydropower is potentially one of the most cost-effective means of producing clean, green and home grown renewable electricity," he said.
"It is clear that recent advances in technology, reduced equipment costs and financial incentives like the new feed-in tariffs will provide further opportunities for communities to harness the power of our rivers and streams."
Environment
Tony Grayling, head of climate change and sustainable development at the Environment Agency, agreed that, with small-scale hydro schemes attracting up to 20p/kWh under the Feed-in Tariff, hydropower could become an attractive income generator - provided environmental safeguards were met.
"Small scale hydropower is potentially one of the most cost-effective means of producing clean, green and home grown renewable electricity
He said: "Some hydropower schemes have the potential to deliver low carbon electricity and improve the local environment for wildlife, for example by improving fish migration. But there will inevitably be some sites where the risk to the environment outweighs the benefits of power generation.
"The report recommends that fish-friendly design needs to be incorporated in all schemes, and that grants for fish passes could help to unlock the potential of small scale hydropower in England and Wales."
Paul Knight, chief executive of the Salmon and Trout Association, welcomed the report's recommendation that fish passes should be used as a matter of course in all new hydropower installations.
"Poorly designed hydropower systems can cause damage to the river environment and its dependent species," he said.
"With the right design and placement there could be opportunity for a win/win situation - where a barrier to fish migration is removed and power is generated."
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