Scottish Water has announced that construction is well underway on the first pre-fabricated hydro scheme to be installed ‘mid process’ at a waste water treatment works in the UK.
The project, at Hamilton Waste Water Treatment Works in South Lanarkshire, is being led by Scottish Water’s commercial subsidiary Scottish Water Horizons and is expected to generate 0.42GWh of green electricity each year and offset 13 per cent of the treatment works’ annual electricity demand.
“Scottish Water has a vast array of land, property, and operational assets that offer enormous potential when it comes to renewables. We need to be open to fresh ideas and bold in our delivery when it comes to achieving our green energy ambitions,” commented Neil Beaumont, Horizons Hydro Energy Team Lead. “Until recently, all previous hydro efforts have concentrated on harnessing energy from our water assets. Now we’re looking at more creative ways to generate energy and lower our carbon emissions. By adopting a non-traditional approach such as that at Hamilton Treatment Works, we can identify opportunities to further optimise generation and tap into significant potential across Scotland.
“This novel approach will also go a long way towards helping Scottish Water achieve net zero emissions by 2040 and beyond, deliver service excellence, and create greener communities,” Beaumont added.
he hydro scheme is expected to be operational by the end of autumn 2023 and has already garnered attention, being shortlisted for two categories at the upcoming Water Industry Awards at the end of June.
The scheme will be delivered by local renewable energy solutions specialists FES Support Services Ltd on behalf of Scottish Water Horizons and will join a growing portfolio of water and waste water treatment works that are now either self-sufficient or partly sufficient in generating their own power requirements.
Photograph of Hamilton facility courtesy of Groundworks Scotland
