Hydropower can realistically provide an additional 1GW of energy for the UK under the right policy framework within a quick timeline, according to a new report.
The Energy Informatics Group at the University of Birmingham was commissioned by the British Hydropower Association (BHA) to assess the future potential of hydropower in the UK. The report, which is released to coincide with the start of the BHA annual conference in Glasgow, concludes that hydropower can provide an additional 50% increase from its existing installed base of 2 GW.
Lead author Dr Grant Wilson from University of Birmingham’s School of Chemical Engineering, said: “This report provides evidence and data that makes it clear hydropower has had long-standing benefits to help decarbonise the UK's electrical system, and with the right policy support can continue to do so. “
Kate Gilmartin CEO of the British Hydropower Association, added: "Hydropower is a proven and reliable technology that is able to ramp up quickly and safely. The UK has an established hydropower supply chain, so nearly all of the support needed to unlock this investment will stay in the UK economy, creating jobs and growth.”
The report brings together data from various sources of the installed capacity and location of hydropower installations in the UK and compares these against the values forecast in previous reports. This has been complemented by a survey of BHA members and invited non-BHA members to consider the appetite for further investment in hydropower and the hurdles faced by the sector.
