Britain Bets on Hydropower to Boost Energy Security

After years of neglect, the United Kingdom has big plans for hydropower as part of broader plans for a green transition. The government is supporting the development of three large-scale hydro-storage projects as part of its plans to diversify the U.K. energy mix, support a green transition, and boost energy security. Hydropower is one of the oldest and largest sources of renewable energy. It works by converting the energy of running water into electricity. Many hydropower projects rely on reservoirs created by dams to store large quantities of...

It works by converting the energy of running water into electricity. Many hydropower projects rely on reservoirs created by dams to store large quantities of water and produce electricity as needed. Meanwhile, hydropower plants without reservoirs are typically called run-of-river power plants.

In these types of facilities, production is controlled by the amount of water flowing past at any given time. Just four countries China, Brazil, Canada, and the United States produce roughly half of the world's hydroelectricity. The U.K. has been producing electricity from hydropower projects since the 1800s, and the energy

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source now contributes around 2 per cent of the country's electricity generation. Two-thirds of hydropower-generated electricity is produced during the winter months. There are almost 1,700 hydropower schemes across the U.K. with an installed capacity of around 2 GW. As part of plans for a green transition, the U.K. is expected to invest heavily in hydropower in the coming years. In October 2024, the U.K. government announced a new policy to promote investment in Long Duration Energy Storage LDES as part of the country's decarbonisation plans. The global demand for energy storage has risen dramatically in recent years, as many countries shift to less stable renewable energy sources to produce low-carbon power. LDES, also known as pumped hydropower storage PHS, is a type of hydroelectric energy storage. It works by using two reservoirs at different heights to generate power by moving...

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