Environment Agency Marks Hot Spots for Hydro Power Sites

Reports have just recently identified thousands of potential small scale hydro power sites in both English and Welsh rivers. These sites could power up to 850,000 homes.

Thousands of very small scale hydroelectric schemes could end up powering some 850,000 homes. If this is the case, then these hydro power sites would actually be producing about 1.5 percent of the UK’s total energy need according to the Environment Agency.

The Environment Agency went on to map out these energy “hot spots.” So far the agency has mapped out about 26,000 practical areas. Around half the sites are in environmentally sensitive areas that would need fish friendly measures, such as screens to stop fish from getting killed by the turbines. However, it has been noted that not all of the sites will be able to be developed. This is due to the fact that some of the areas, if developed, would damage the environment. Also some areas may have trouble accessing the local electricity grid.

However, the Environment Agency said that many of the potential locations in areas where humans have interfered with the national landscape, like putting in a weir, there is potential to generate green electricity and improve the local environment at the same time. Sensitively designed schemes, including fish passes, would enable species such as salmon to navigate around the turbines and other technology.

These small scale hydro power units will also benefit from government subsidies, which will pay people to generate small scale green energy. Thus, making this investment in green energy even more attractive. Hydro power schemes, under the new feed in tariff scheme, could qualify for up to 20p for every kilowatt hour of hydroelectricity produced.