Commodities
Home›Commodities›Energy›UK plans three hydropower storage projects to strength…
UK plans three hydropower storage projects to strengthen energy security
Hydropower already contributes about 2.0% of U.K. electricity generation, with winter months producing roughly two-thirds of output, according to the report.
After years of neglect, the United Kingdom is moving to expand hydropower as part of its green transition and broader efforts to diversify the energy mix and improve energy security, OilPrice reports.
The government is backing the development of three large-scale hydro-storage projects. Hydropower generates electricity by converting the energy of moving water, and storage schemes can draw on reservoirs to produce power when needed.
Hydropower is among the oldest and largest renewable electricity sources, with the U.K. producing electricity from hydropower projects since the 1800s. The energy source currently contributes around 2.0% of the country’s electricity generation, and about two-thirds of hydropower-generated electricity is produced during winter months.
The report also notes there are nearly 1,700 hydropower schemes across the U.K., with installed capacity of about 2 gigawatts, and that the country is expected to invest heavily as part of the transition plans.