Scottish Renewables has joined forces with 67 organisations, representing approximately 20,000 jobs from across the renewable energy industry, in an appeal to the new UK Government to accelerate the deployment of renewable energy projects, in an 8 July announcement.

The Contracts for Difference (CfD) scheme is the UK Government’s main mechanism for unlocking investment in low-carbon electricity generation. CfD contracts are awarded through annual auctions known as ‘Allocation Rounds’, with Allocation Round 6 (AR6) set to take place this summer.

Despite more than 12GW of renewable energy projects being able to enter the AR6 auction the current budget, set in March 2024, means that only a fraction of these projects will be able to secure investment.

Due to inflation and increased interest rates the AR5 auction failed to deliver any contracts for offshore wind in 2023. This year, the renewable energy industry is looking for AR6 to deliver the capacity that will help the UK Government deliver its clean energy targets such as 50GW of offshore wind by 2030.

In a letter to the new Prime Minister, Chancellor of Exchequer and Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, Scottish Renewables has called for an increase to the AR6 budget that the industry body says will provide certainty to vital Scottish projects and supply chains.

Claire Mack, Chief Executive at Scottish Renewables, said:

“The Contracts for Difference (CfD) scheme has been a trailblazer for boosting investment in renewable energy across the UK. With key deployment targets around the corner, we must maximise capacity in the upcoming CfD allocation rounds.

“Scotland’s renewable energy supply chain is poised to secure the opportunities from our impressive pipeline. However, we will only be able to enable the steady deployment of vital Scottish projects by ensuring CfD budgets match their potential.

“The new UK Government has an immediate opportunity to not only get us back on track to meet our bold targets, but to kickstart economic growth and high-value job creation by uplifting the Allocation Round 6 budget.

“Maximising Contracts for Difference will also pave the way for the cleaner, cheaper and more secure energy for the benefit of communities across the UK.”

After less than a year in his job, a Scottish Water apprentice has clinched both Scottish and UK top awards for his innovative work and presentation on using the natural flow of water to generate electricity.

Inspired by an industry-leading hydropower scheme at his local site in Falkirk, Zac Mooney presented at the Pipeline Industries Guild Professional Development Network Competition. At just 22 years old and competing against industry professionals with far greater experience, Zac first won the Scottish award before then going onto to double his success at the UK-wide event held in Coventry.

Addressing an audience of over 100 industry experts, Zac described how a turbine installed on a critical clean water main at Carron Valve Chamber will provide nearly 20% of the energy needs for the nearby Dalderse Waste Water Treatment Works.

The innovative project, which is being developed by Scottish Water Horizons, Scottish Water’s commercial subsidiary, is set to be one of the first in Europe where a clean water supply powers a wastewater site.

Expressing his gratitude, Zac said: “I am thankful to have been given the opportunity to showcase my hydropower learnings so early in my Scottish Water career.

“We are committed to becoming a net zero organization by 2040, and Scottish Water Horizons is delivering many projects in line with this goal. My work has a strong focus on the environment which is something I am very passionate about.

“The support from Scottish Water Horizons has been instrumental in my development and has given me the confidence to compete at such a high level at Pipeline Industries Guild Competitions.”

Scottish Water Horizons Project Manager and Zac’s mentor, John Lenehan, highlighted Zac’s unique approach:

“Zac distinguished himself by using a prop on stage – a small pressure reducing valve to demonstrate the power-generating potential in our pipes and flows. His winning presentation attracted significant interest from attendees, who were impressed by the carbon reduction and cost saving aspects.

“Zac has had a busy first nine months with us but has taken all these new experiences which come from a Scottish Water apprenticeship in his stride and has done brilliantly.”

The publicly owned utility has 175 apprentices across the business with Zac’s achievements in the Horizons Hydropower Team highlighting the varied nature of opportunities available through its apprenticeship programmes.

Rachel Bridge, Chair of the Pipeline Industries Guild, said:

“The Guild is passionate about nurturing talent and the Professional Development Network Presentation Competition provides a platform for individuals to showcase innovation, share best practice and learn together. I was delighted to attend and sit on the panel of judges for the final round of this year’s competition, Zac Mooney’s winning presentation on Harnessing the Hydropower in Pipes was a creative presentation of a circular solution harnessing energy from one process to utilise in another. It was excellent and a worthy winner.

“Zac presented confidently with interactive elements to engage the audience. We are delighted that his idea has now been shared amongst the pipeline operators in the UK and look forward to seeing this idea progress across the water networks and wider pipeline industry sectors.”

The seeming enormity of the green energy shift taking place in China is given shape by what’s described as the most comprehensive English-language report on China’s energy transition. It also looks at the persistence of fossil fuels in its energy mix.

According to DNV’s “Energy Transition Outlook China”, the country is establishing itself as a green energy leader with an unrivalled build out of renewable energy and export of renewable technology. On the other hand, DNV forecasts fossil fuels will still account for 40% of its energy mix in 2050.

Energy independence is a key motivation for Chinese energy policy, but it will be only partly achieved. The power sector is decarbonizing quickly by replacing coal with domestically sourced renewable energy, and domestically produced coal will largely be sufficient for the remaining coal demand segments by 2050. However, oil and gas usage will continue to rely on imports. Although oil consumption halves by 2050 from its 2027 peak, its use in petrochemicals and heavy transport (aviation and shipping) will linger and 84% of oil use will be met through imports. Natural gas consumption will remain high with 2050 consumption marginally below 2023 levels and 58% being imported.

Strong policy support is reflected by the rapid uptake of green technologies. China, already a leader in renewable energy investments, will more than quintuple renewable energy installations by 2050. In 2010, wind made up only 1% of China’s electricity generation. However, policy has turbocharged the sector and today wind is China’s largest source of electricity after coal and hydropower, delivering 9.4% of the total electricity supply in 2023. By midcentury it will comfortably be the world’s largest wind market.

Likewise, solar made up less than 1% of power generation in 2015 and in less than a decade this has risen to 5% today. Solar and wind will each contribute 38% of electricity production by 2050.

“Intense policy focus and technological innovation is transforming China into a green energy powerhouse” said Remi Eriksen, Group President and CEO of DNV. “There is much to admire about China’s energy transition. There are visible signs of a vast decarbonization effort and clean technology development within renewable energy, storage, and transmission technologies. However, there is potential for China to push further its transition to reduce its reliance on fossil fuels further and faster — and to bring China closer to net-zero emissions by 2050

China’s energy use will peak by 2030 and reduce by 20% by 2050, driven by electrification and energy-efficiency improvements. This decline is also enabled by demographic shifts, including a projected 100 million population decrease.

From a position where, in 2023, China was responsible for a third of the world’s energy-related CO2 emissions, by 2050 that share will have reduced to a fifth. In absolute terms, China’s emissions will reduce by 70%, following a path close to meeting its target of carbon neutrality by 2060.

Technology from servo gearbox specialist Apex Dynamics is driving the largest diameter electricity-generating waterwheel in Europe. Here, the firm details the background to the project, and some of its technical highlights.

The groundbreaking new hydro project from family-owned self-drive plant hire company Buckland Newton Hire (BNH) saw Apex Dynamics UK supply the inline planetary gearbox used to control the waterwheel. It has provided the wheel with near-perfect alignment, high efficiency and minimal power loss through transmission to ensure as much electricity as possible is generated.

Based near Dorchester, Dorset, it is the largest waterwheel generating electrical power in Europe at 9.0m in diameter, overtaking one at a National Trust site in Port Talbot, Wales. To achieve the required head for the project, BNH raised one of the lakes on the family farm by around 11m. The lake is supplied from a large spring and run-off rainwater from the valley slopes.

The galvanised steel waterwheel, which has 92 individual buckets carrying a total of 6 tonnes of water at a time, now delivers an average flow of approximately 150 litres per second 24/7 nearly all year round, supplying an average of 150 kWh per day. This contributes around one-third of the total electricity needed for the site – which includes more than 20 industrial units, many with large power demands, 5 properties, and offices – and even more in summer when daily consumption is lower.

An Apex Dynamics NB series linear 3 stage planetary gearbox is in line with the waterwheel shaft and is connected to the generator via a pulley and belt system. The waterwheel rotates at 4.5 rpm and the Apex gearbox provides additional flexibility to fine tune the speed up to 450 rpm at the 48 mm gearbox output shaft. The high torque from the waterwheel is accommodated at the 140 mm diameter input shaft of the gearbox. Getting the shaft size to match was very important to the project. Having incorporated a flexible grid coupler into the system design to accommodate any misalignment, this has proven unnecessary because the NB servo gearbox perfectly aligned with the input and output shafts but has been retained as a safety feature. The pulley and belt connection delivers the required 1500 rpm to the generator.

In addition to plant hire, BNH also runs a number of related operations, including carrying out specialist groundworks projects. It has previously installed renewable energy – such as wind turbine, solar installations and hydro schemes – for some customers and was inspired to install its own waterwheel to power its business operations, nearby houses and family farm. The company is now open to repeating the success of the waterwheel project if requested.

Brad Perrett, BNH Manager and Director, explains, “As the lake is in front of his home on our family farm, my father wanted to watch a huge waterwheel from his window and we have made his dream come true, building the biggest wheel we can for him! Apex Dynamics UK has been an excellent partner for this project.

“We could easily have installed a cross-flow turbine, but we wanted to do something a bit different that showcases our capabilities and our green credentials as a company. We think we could replicate this project in the future to provide similar lake-based energy generation projects for clients.”

The grounds around the waterwheel will be landscaped by BNH so that visitors can come and view the pioneering electricity generation project from summer 2025.

Apex Dynamics patented gearbox designs come with a 5-year warranty, 2-3 week lead times, guaranteed delivery and ATEX as standard.

Research into water flow and fish passage through dams in the US suggests new options for meeting energy and environmental needs, writes Alexandra Freibott for the US Dept of Energy and Pacific Northwest Laboratory.

Hydropower dams provide reliable renewable energy, but they also have a direct impact on the environment, especially fish. Adjusting the amount of water spilling over a dam can help fish successfully navigate dams. But spilling more water means less water is available to produce power. Determining when and how much water to spill to help fish pass safely through dams while meeting grid reliability needs are critically important questions.

Research at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) highlights the complex dynamics around spill and fish passage through dams, and finds that spill is not always the biggest factor in successful fish passage.

“We found that fish activity, swimming ability, and time of day all play a role in fish passage, often more so than spill levels alone,” explained PNNL Earth scientist Ryan Harnish. “Our data show that when young salmon and steelhead are less active in the spring—like at night or in cooler water temperatures—spilling more water can make a big difference in helping more fish avoid passing through the powerhouse. But under other conditions, higher spill levels have little effect.”

This is valuable information for decision-makers who are tasked with balancing water needs for environmental health and energy demand. Knowing when high spill levels best support fish passage—and when they don’t—provides options for balancing the tradeoffs associated with hydropower generation and environmental impacts.

Tracking fish through a dam in 3D
Spilling water can help fish swim successfully over a dam instead of directly through the powerhouse—the part of the dam that includes the turbine. But the timing and amount of water spilled affects both fish passage and power generation. To take a closer look at how spill level affects fish passage, researchers needed detailed tracking information showing when and how fish passed through a dam.

The standard tracking method in the Columbia River Basin is to tag individual fish with passive integrated transponder (PIT) tags above the dam, which are detected as fish pass through a specific part of the dam called the juvenile bypass system. While very reliable, this approach doesn’t provide information about the various other routes fish can travel through a dam—information needed to determine how spill level affects fish passage. To get this information, numerous studies were conducted between 2008 and 2018 using a different method: acoustic telemetry.

The PNNL team analyzed the 10 years of acoustic telemetry data, including 3D information on fish behavior, from multiple dams along the Snake and Columbia rivers. This allowed them to identify the route fish took through the dam and the precise time of their dam passage. Combined with information about fish behavior and survival along with dam operations, they evaluated what factors were most likely to affect fish passage through different routes and conditions. They specifically looked at spring salmon and steelhead smolts—young fish migrating toward the ocean—to see how spill levels affected the number of smolts passing directly through the powerhouse. The number of smolts passing through the powerhouse turned out to be related to their activity level and swimming ability, not just spill.

“High spill levels that are intended to reduce the number of fish passing through the powerhouse in the spring are likely to be most effective when fish are less active or have reduced swimming ability, such as at night, during high river flows, or in cooler water temperatures,” explained Harnish. “High spill levels were not the single most important factor in smolt passage across the board.”

These findings point to the need for more studies like this that can provide comprehensive information about exactly when and how fish pass through dams. That information can help decision-makers determine how to best support fish passage and meet energy needs in the future.

In a statement provided to PNNL, the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA)—which markets power from 31 federal dams across the Pacific Northwest—said, “This publication is another piece to the puzzle of understanding fish passage through the federal hydrosystem. It should provide the region’s scientists and managers with additional information to consider when evaluating operations that meet the multiple purposes of the Columbia River System.”

(Above) The multiple paths fish can take when passing through and around a dam. The powerhouse includes the turbines and the juvenile bypass system shown in this illustration (image credit: Stephanie King, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory). CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE.

Balancing needs
Hydropower generates over half of the electricity in Oregon and Washington and is a key part of a reliable electric grid. Fish passage is necessary to support regional fish populations, particularly salmon, which hold significant environmental, economic, and cultural importance. Knowing when and how much to spill—or not—is paramount to balancing these needs.

For example, when river water levels are low, maximum spill levels are relatively high. This high spill level translates to a big decrease in power generation—equivalent to powering half a million fewer homes. This study predicts that under these river conditions, maximum spill levels would help fish passage through the powerhouse at night, but would make little difference during the day when energy demand is typically higher. This detailed information offers critical insight for decision-makers and dam operators looking for ways to meet both energy and environment priorities.

“Evaluating energy and environment tradeoffs is a challenge that requires the best available data to inform decisions,” said Alison Colotelo, PNNL Hydropower Program Lead. “Better understanding of what affects fish passage through dams and the role of spill is critical to supporting fish populations and power generation.”

This research was funded by BPA, as part of a cost-share agreement to expand upon analyses originally funded and initiated by the Department of Energy’s Water Power Technologies Office.

The Scottish Green Energy Awards announced the shortlist for this year’s awards, said to be the UK’s biggest celebration of the renewable energy industry, on 13 October.

Wind, solar, tidal and pumped storage hydro projects feature on this year’s shortlist along with community hubs, an eco-farm, one of Scotland’s fastest-growing food brands and individuals nominated by their peers.

The annual awards see more than 50 individuals, companies and projects vie to scoop prizes in 14 categories at a 1,200-guest ceremony on 30 November in Edinburgh.

Claire Mack, Chief Executive of Scottish Renewables, said: “I’ve been absolutely blown away by the outstanding quality of nominations we received for this year’s awards.

“This only makes the job of the judges even harder and we have had to make some really tough decisions but the shortlist has an abundance of quality, dedication and of course the innovation our industry needs to continue to thrive.

“I look forward to celebrating Scotland’s contribution to the economy and the environment, on what will be a fantastic evening in Edinburgh on November 30.”

Matthieu Hue, Chief Executive of EDF Renewables, said: “Once again we are delighted to be headline sponsor of the much-anticipated Scottish Green Energy Awards. Each year we see such a high calibre of talent throughout this industry, and I’m sure this year will be no different.

“This event celebrates some of the many achievements from over the past 12 months as we work collectively to accelerate our efforts towards a net-zero future.”

The full shortlist – available at the end of this press release – includes projects, people and organisations from Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh, Fife, Glasgow and the Shetland Islands among many other regions.

Some examples from the shortlist include:

• Orbital Marine Power, shortlisted for the Outstanding Project Award, is a renewable energy company focused on the development and global application of its pioneering floating turbine technology.
• Muirhall Energy, shortlisted for the Contribution to Skills Award, has worked closely with Borders College to give senior high school students, with no previous knowledge of the construction industry, the opportunity to gain real-world experience on the development of an onshore wind farm.
• We Hae Meat, shortlisted for the Carbon Reduction Award, and one of Scotland’s fastest-growing food brands, has installed a biomass plant and solar panels at its site in Girvan, Ayrshire, to significantly reduce its carbon emissions and help the company to survive Covid and the ongoing energy crisis.

The full shortlist is available below and on the Scottish Renewables website.

BEST COMMUNITY PROJECT AWARD
sponsored by ScottishPower Renewables

·       ISKCON Scotland – Krishna Eco Farm

·       Knoydart Renewables – Knoydart Energy Security Project

·       SP Energy Networks – Little Kerse Community Sports Hub

·       Upper Eskdale Development Group

BEST ENGAGEMENT AWARD
sponsored by SmartestEnergy

·       Arup – Glenmuckloch Pumped Storage Hydro Scheme

·       Ripple – Kirk Hill Wind Farm

·       SSE Renewables – Community Engagement Strategy

·       Statkraft – Loch Liath Wind Farm

BEST INNOVATION AWARD – NEW TECHNOLOGY PRODUCTS
sponsored by Red Rock Power Limited

·       Balmoral – HexDefence

·       Geo-Structural Ltd – SQYFlex

·       Mocean Energy Ltd – Blue X

·       National Grid ESO, SP Energy Networks & TNEI – Distributed ReStart

BEST INNOVATION AWARD – SOFTWARE AND SERVICES
sponsored by SLR

·       Arup – SCALE

·       RES

·       ORE Catapult – SPARTA

·       Utopi

CARBON REDUCTION AWARD
sponsored by Statkraft

·       Famous Blacksmiths Shop, Gretna Green

·        Eurowind Energy

·       The European Nature Trust – Alladale Wilderness Reserve

·       We Hae Meat

CHAMPION OF RENEWABLES AWARD
sponsored by Fred. Olsen Renewables

·       Paul O’Brien, DeepWind Cluster/Highlands and Islands Enterprise

·       Marcus Trinick KC

·       Ralph Torr, ORE Catapult

CONTRIBUTION TO SKILLS AWARD
sponsored by SSE Renewables

·       ESP

·       Muirhall Energy

·       Ocean Winds

·       University of the Highlands and Islands

OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION AWARD
sponsored by BlueFloat Energy | Renantis Partnership

·       Winner announced on the night

OUTSTANDING PROJECT AWARD
sponsored by RWE

·       FES & Renfrewshire Council – low-carbon heating network for the Advanced Manufacturer Innovation District (AMIDs)

·       Orbital Marine Power – O2

·       SSEN Transmission – Inveraray to Crossaig electricity transmission network reinforcement

·       Statkraft – Keith Greener Grid Park

OUTSTANDING SERVICE AWARD
sponsored by Green Investment Group

·       Arup

·       EMEC

·       Realise Energy Services

·       RES

POSITIVE IMPROVEMENT AWARD
sponsored by Natural Power

·       SafetyOn

·       ScottishPower Renewables

·       ScottishPower – Recruitment Campaign

·       SSEN Transmission – Safety, Health and Wellbeing Team

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AWARD
sponsored by Hitachi Energy

·       EODEX

·       NatureScot

·       SMEEF

·       SSE Renewables – Viking Energy Wind Farm

YOUNG & INSPIRING AWARD
sponsored by WSP

·       Dr Desen Kirli, University of Edinburgh

·       Lauren McIntosh, Xodus

·       Colin Thompson, SSEN Transmission

·       Chris Coates, Downing Renewable Developments LLP

JUDGES AWARD
sponsored by Ocean Winds

·       Ripple

·       Eurowind Energy

·       SP Energy Networks – Little Kerse Community Sports Hub

Scottish Water has broken ground on a project involving what it describes as a new type of hydro energy generation scheme at Whiteadder Reservoir, East Lothian.

The hydro energy generation scheme is fed by a siphon and is believed to be the first of its type in Europe. The firm says the scheme will allow it to generate green energy while accurately controlling the level of the reservoir during seasonal fluctuations in weather without the need for major civil-engineering works.

A £3 million investment underpins the project, which employs siphon technology to draw water up though the intake and over the top of the dam which then runs down through the siphon, through the hydro turbine, and back to the natural environment.

The electricity generated will be used to offset 30% of the power used by one of East Lothian’s largest pumping stations, named Hungry Snout. This pumping station takes around 32 million litres of water per day to Castle Moffat Water Treatment Works, which supplies most of the East Lothian region.

Neil Beaumont, Hydro Energy Senior Project Manager at Scottish Water Horizons, the public utility’s commercial subsidiary that is delivering the scheme, said:

“This is a unique project to work on. Due to fluctuating seasonal conditions in Scotland, the flows at Whiteadder Reservoir vary from 150-1200 litres per second so it was important that we could measure and control the reservoir levels accurately as its primary function is to provide water to customers.

“In collaboration with renewable energy experts AECOM and Ossberger, we selected equipment that could accurately measure water levels even during adverse weather conditions using smart controls and sensors which will ensure we are not taking too much water from the reservoir.

“This is a real win for us and we are delighted to be leading with such innovative projects to lower the carbon footprint of the local water supply and make Scotland’s grid greener.”

The investment at Whiteadder will significantly reduce the carbon emissions from the pumping station, saving approximately 111 tonnes of carbon each year, the equivalent of a passenger jet flying from Edinburgh to Sydney, Australia 40 times.

It is expected to generate 0.82GWh of renewable energy per annum from the 199kW turbine.

Gordon Reid, Scottish Water General Manager Net Zero said:

“Scottish Water owns the most reservoirs in the UK, and we are always looking for opportunities to produce renewable power and make the most of these assets.

“We already have over thirty hydro turbines installed on our assets, and the use of this novel technology is an exciting development for Scottish Water.

“As a business, we have made some bold and ambitious commitments to reduce our carbon emissions, and I believe this technology will help us deliver on those ambitions.”

The hydro scheme is being delivered by renewable energy specialist Emtec Energy.

Scottish Water has committed to meeting net zero total emissions by 2040 and net zero operational emissions by 2030.

Hydropower, traditionally one of Africa’s most important sources of electricity, will rapidly fade in importance and cede its position to solar power. The attractiveness of new hydropower is decreasing fast, both due to the increasing economic competitiveness of solar panels and to the increasingly uncertain effects of climate change on river flows. The majority of new dams proposed across Africa should, therefore, probably never be built, suggests a new study published in Science.

Abundant rainfall, massive gorges, enormous waterfalls: the geography of Africa has all the elements for producing electricity from river flow. For decades, many African countries have relied on hydropower for electricity generation, including projects that inspire as much awe as controversy. One only needs to think of Ghana’s Lake Volta, the largest artificial lake in the world; the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, Ethiopia’s flagship project to provide millions of its citizens with electricity access; or DR Congo’s dream of building the Grand Inga plant, which some claim could “light up all of Africa”. And the voices that advocate for more of the same are strong: it is estimated that Africa has barely exploited 10% of its hydropower potential.

But is it a smart idea to plan for hundreds of new hydro dams across Africa? A new study from scientists in Italy, Austria, Ethiopia, and Belgium shows that this may not be the case. The study used a detailed energy model to investigate which combination of power sources would be most cost-effective for African countries to meet their rising demand until 2050—comparing hydropower to solar, wind, coal, natural gas, nuclear, and others. With unprecedented detail, the study individually considered every possible future hydropower plant in Africa—with its own storage size, river flow profile, and interplay with other hydropower dams.

“What is unique about our study is that we model every single hydropower plant in Africa individually—both existing ones and future candidates,” explains Dr. Angelo Carlino, lead author of the study. “This way, our model can pinpoint which plants could be a smart investment and which ones should probably not be built.”

Adding up all the numbers provides a sobering picture of the future of hydropower in Africa. The study found that up to 67% of possible future hydropower plants in Africa may not be worth the investment. This is mainly because hydropower will soon largely become unable to compete economically with solar and (to a lesser extent) wind power, whose costs have dropped at unprecedented rates in the last decade.

In addition, the effects of prolonged droughts on hydropower, likely to worsen due to climate change, would have to be mitigated through additional investments. “This is another reason why solar power will emerge as the more attractive technology in the long term,” says Dr. Matthias Wildemeersch, a research scholar at the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) in Austria and co-author of the study.

Does this mean that it is “game over” for hydropower? Not entirely, as the study explains: in the short-term, some new hydropower plants could still provide cheap power for countries in need, and they could also be used flexibly to help the integration of solar and wind, whose output constantly fluctuates.

“Our model shows which specific hydropower plants would still be cost-effective in the short-term,” comments Professor Andrea Castelletti, professor in Natural Resources Management at Politecnico di Milano and senior author of the study. “Especially in the Congo, Niger, and Nile basins, there are certain projects that would be worth the effort, as long as they are well-planned and harmful environmental effects are kept to a minimum.”

But in the long-term, solar power would emerge as crystal-clear technology to be favored by most African countries, echoing the International Energy Agency’s 2020 claim that solar power would soon become the new “king” of electricity markets worldwide.

“The window for hydropower in Africa to be a feasible investment is very rapidly closing,” adds Professor Sebastian Sterl, professor in Energy Meteorology at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB), Belgium, and senior scientist at the World Resources Institute (WRI) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The study suggests that beyond 2030, only a very limited number of hydropower plants would remain attractive investments across Africa. “Aside from cost-effectiveness, this is generally good news for the environment: it means that many rivers won’t have to be dammed and can keep their natural course,” concludes Sterl.

The HD Hydro storage system is low-cost, energy efficient and fast to develop and construct, explains its developer RheEnergise. In a bid to explore the potential deployment of the technology, the firm has signed an agreement with Mercia Power Response, a provider of flexible power response services to the UK grid.

The firms will work together to identify suitable sites for additional HD Hydro storage projects.  The two companies’ initial focus will be the feasibility of getting 100MW of HD Hydro in commercial operation by 2030 by utilising Mercia PR’s existing grid connections.

Rather than using water, RheEnergise’s HD Hydro storage system uses “an environmentally benign fluid which is 2½ times denser than water, and which can provide 2½ times the power when compared to a conventional low-density hydro-power system.”

“It means that HD Hydro can be deployed beneath the surface of hills rather than mountains, so opening up massive opportunities in the UK and around the world.”

Graham White, CEO at Mercia PR: “It is very exciting to explore how we can engage with RheEnergise’s HD Hydro technology, applying our expertise in finding the right locations, developing sites, getting grid connections and operating within the Capacity Market. We see enormous potential for HD Hydro deployment as a future low-carbon alternative to our existing gas-powered assets.”

Stephen Crosher, Chief Executive of RheEnergise said: “Mercia PR’s experience in flexible power response and its deep knowledge of the UK energy system will be hugely beneficial to the RheEnergise team.  Our HD Hydro technology can provide medium and long duration energy storage, which is becoming increasingly important as the UK moves towards Net Zero and with a UK energy system that is increasingly reliant on intermittent renewables. We are delighted that Mercia PR has chosen to work with us.”

Sophie Orme, Commercial Director of RheEnergise added: “Given the growing pressure to speed up the decarbonisation of the UK’s energy system, our HD Hydro system can be consented in months rather than years, so we are able to make a meaningful and positive impact on the energy transition over the next decade.  With our partnership with Mercia PR, we will have a better understanding of the feasibility of deploying 100MW of long duration storage capacity by 2030.”

With 40 sites having a combined capacity of 263MW and a number of sites under development and construction over the next 5-10 years, Mercia PR believes that RheEnergise’s HD Hydro storage technology would be a complementary, low carbon solution to its operating portfolio.

Additionally, Mercia PR’s industry partners bring market expertise in energy trading and forecasting, helping RheEnergise to optimise grid-connected energy storage projects.

Billed as the UK’s biggest celebration of renewable energy, The Scottish Green Energy Awards 2023, opened for nominations on 26 July.

This year’s event will return to Edinburgh on 30 November to celebrate “the inspirational organisations, people and projects going above and beyond to help decarbonise Scotland’s energy system.”

The awards welcome submissions in 12 categories from all renewable energy technologies, including wind, hydro and solar to wave, tidal, low-carbon heat and more.

Categories include the Best Engagement Award, the Contribution to Skills Award and new for 2023 are the Best Innovation Award – New Technology Products and the Best Innovation Award – Software and Services.

Claire Mack, Chief Executive of Scottish Renewables, said:

“Scotland’s renewable energy industry continues to go from strength to strength, and as well as playing a key role in the UK economy it is making a vital contribution in our efforts to tackle climate change.

“The Scottish Green Energy Awards is an opportunity to come together and celebrate industry achievements and honour the inspirational organisations, people and projects making a real difference to the health, wealth and wellbeing of our country.

“It is always such an honour to recognise the ground-breaking work being delivered in clean energy across Scotland and I’m always inspired by the talent, passion and innovation showcased by those driving real change.

“I look forward to our industry coming together at the end of the year to celebrate the successes we’ve had over the past 12 months and to look ahead to 2024 as we continue on our net-zero journey.”

The event, headline-sponsored by EDF Renewables, will take place at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre.

Nominations are now being accepted in the following categories:

• Best Community Project Award (sponsored by ScottishPower Renewables)
• Best Engagement Award (sponsored by SmartestEnergy)
• Best Innovation Award – New Technology Products (sponsored by Red Rock Power Limited)
• Best Innovation Award – Software and Services
• Carbon Reduction Award (sponsored by Statkraft)
• Champion of Renewables Award (sponsored by Fred.Olsen Renewables)
• Contribution to Skills Award (sponsored by SSE Renewables)
• Outstanding Contribution Award (sponsored by BlueFloat Energy | Renantis Partnership)
• Outstanding Project Award (sponsored by RWE)
• Outstanding Service Award
• Positive Improvement Award (sponsored by Natural Power)
• Sustainable Development Award (sponsored by Hitachi Energy)

In addition, the shortlist for the Young and Inspiring Award, sponsored by WSP, consists of the eight winners of our April 2023 Young Professionals Green Energy Awards.

They include Project Engineer Colin Thompson who used innovative route analysis software to deliver a solution in four months rather than the 12 months it would have traditionally taken; an Apprentice Wind Turbine Technician who took an unusual route into the industry from a six-year career as a hairdressing stylist, and Julie Le Négaret who played a key role in delivering an innovative energy storage concept demonstrator project in Leith.

A Judges Award, sponsored by Ocean Winds, will also go to a nominee the judges feel deserves special commendation and will be announced on the night of the event.

Matthieu Hue, CEO of EDF Renewables UK and Ireland, said:

“The Scottish Green Energy Awards are a fantastic celebration of the renewable energy industry and the critical role it plays in helping Scotland achieve net-zero.

“EDF Renewables is extremely proud to continue our sponsorship of these awards and to celebrate all that has been achieved over the past twelve months.

“Year after year the quality of entries continues to impress, and I expect the 2023 Awards will be no different in that regard. At a time when renewable energy has never been more important to increasing energy security, The Scottish Green Energy Awards are a tremendous showcase of the depth of talent and innovation within the industry.”

Nominations for The Scottish Green Energy Awards 2023 must be made before the deadline of 5pm on Monday, 11 September at https://www.scottishrenewables.com/events/195-sgea23/categories.