In an open letter to Keir Starmer, the newly appointed UK Prime Minister, Malcolm Turnbull, former Prime Minister of Australia and current President of the International Hydropower Association (IHA), has advocated for a significant expansion of the UK’s hydropower capabilities. Turnbull emphasized the critical role hydropower – in particular pumped storage hydropower – can play in enhancing the UK’s energy security and ensuring a reliable and affordable decarbonized electricity grid.
Turnbull’s letter highlights the urgency of implementing the cap and floor mechanism for long-duration electricity storage. He argues that this approach is crucial for the rapid development of new pumped storage hydropower capacity, which is essential for meeting the UK’s future energy needs.
“The UK has almost 7GW of shovel-ready pumped storage hydropower projects with over 135GWH of storage capacity,” Turnbull wrote. “If they are built , that will increase the UK’s energy storage five-fold, which will be vital in managing the move to supply premdominantly from variable renewables such as wind and solar. Pumped storage is absolutely critical to an efficient, least-cost transition to zero emission energy.”
The IHA President’s call to action comes at a pivotal time for the UK, as the nation seeks to transition to greener energy sources and reduce its carbon footprint. Turnbull references his experience and leadership in the energy sector in the letter – highlighting that his government put storage on the agenda.
He said that governments must plan ahead for their electricity storage, and has suggested some recommendations within the letter that he said “could help provide a blueprint for other countries that are considering how to ensure a reliable and affordable decarbonised electricity grid”.
You can read the full letter here.
