Environment Protection
Requirements
for Small Hydro Schemes
European Hydropower Summit
Bucharest – 28 February 2012
David Williams
British Hydropower Association
Environment Protection Requirements
For Small Hydro Schemes
Based on UK Experience
Scope of Presentation:
1. UK Hydro – overview
2. “Environmental” opposition to hydropower
3. Creating a balance
4. Environmental Guidance for Hydro Schemes
UK Hydro – overview
History of hydro development
To Mid 1800’s – Waterpower - Private
UK Hydro – overview
History of hydro development
Mid 1800’s - Private
UK Hydro – overview
History of hydro development
1940’s – Public - CEGB and NOSHEB
UK Hydro – overview
History of hydro development
From 1990’s - Private
New
Refurbished
Micro
UK Hydro – existing and potential
Types of Hydro in UK
•
•
•
•
•
Pumped Storage
Storage hydro
Run of river hydro
Micro hydro
Energy recovery from water supply and water
treatment
• Refurbishment/replacement and upgrade of old plant
UK Hydro – existing and potential
Present Hydro Capacity in UK
• Conventional hydro –
1.5 GW
• Pumped storage –
2.8 GW
UK Hydro – existing and potential
Potential
England
& Wales
EA Hydro mapping
study 2010
26,000 barriers
4,000 “win-win”
hydro / fish pass
~ 600 MW
DECC / WG study
250 MW
UK Hydro – existing and potential
Potential
Scotland
Scottish
Government
studies 2008 &
2009
1200 schemes
1200 MW
UK Hydro – existing and potential
Potential new Hydro Capacity in UK
Pumped Storage Conventional Hydro Scotland
England & Wales
N Ireland
Water supply and water treatment
1 GW
1200 MW
250 MW
~10 MW
~40 MW
TOTAL new potential
2.5 GW
of which conventional hydro is
1.5 GW
Doubling existing conventional hydro capacity
UK Hydro – overview
Renewables Incentives:
Renewable Obligation (RO)
Feed-in Tariff (FiT)
ROC Banding Review 2011
FiT Review 2012
UK Hydro – overview
Four Countries
“Environmental”
Opposition to
Hydropower
Campaign organisation
Only aims –
• Protect Fish Stocks
• Increase number of anglers
“fishing for fun & in competitions”
4 Campaigns against
hydropower in 2011
Widely quoted
Legal arm – “Fish Legal”
“Environmental”
Opposition to
Hydropower
Kills Fish
Inhibits movement of fish
Destroys fish habitat
Has a cumulative impact
throughout a river system
“Environmental”
Opposition to
Hydropower
Poor regulation
Little addition to UK
electricity production
Massive returns
“The EA is licencing hundreds
of schemes without knowing what
the impact is. In Europe, they’re
busily tearing out ugly fishmincing machines they put in 10
years ago, having realised the
error of their ways. If hydropower
were generating 30% of energy
requirements, we would be more
accommodating, but the reality is
you could just switch off a few
lights and achieve the same
effect”
Angling Trust
Creating a balance
Hydropower Environmental Impact
Available Flow
Fish Protection:
• Fish Passes
• Fish screening
• Eel regulations
Other ecology protection
Flood risk
Creating a balance
Hydropower Environmental Impact
Regulatory problems
• Increased numbers of applications
• Local views
• Inconsistency in consenting process
Creating a balance
Hydropower Benefits
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Renewable energy source – carbon savings
National targets
Security of supply
Long lasting
Developed technology
Highest energy payback ratio
Etc,etc………
Environmental Guidance for
Hydro Schemes
Environmental Guidance for
Hydro Schemes
Good Practice Guidelines
England & Wales
History:
2003 - UK Cabinet Office sees
issues with WFT
2009 - GPG v1 issued
2010 – Angling & fisheries
groups mount opposition
Environmental Guidance for
Hydro Schemes
History (continued):
2011 - March: New Working
Group established, involving
Angling Trust and Salmon &
Trout Assn
2011 - July: GPG public
consultation launched
2012 - March : GPG v2 issued ?
Environmental Guidance for
Hydro Schemes
The regulator has the impossible
task of finding the right balance.
The Environment Agency can
never please everybody ….
….but they can upset everybody!
“Regulation needs to be:
Consistent, Accountable,
Proportionate, Targeted,
Transparent.”
HYDROPOWER
Here to stay!