Described as a primary of its type within the UK, a brand new undertaking will see Scottish Water set up a hydro turbine at Hamilton Waste Water Therapy Works in South Lanarkshire.

The scheme is nicely underway and is being led by Scottish Water’s business subsidiary Scottish Water Horizons and the group says it’s anticipated to generate 0.42GWh of inexperienced electrical energy annually – the equal of boiling round 1,800,000 kettles a yr – and offset 13 per cent of the therapy works’ annual electrical energy demand.

It is going to be the primary pre-fabricated hydro scheme to be put in ‘mid course of’ at a wastewater therapy works within the UK, with wastewater flowing by way of a hydro-electric generator inside the pipeline of the plant.

The hydro turbine is anticipated to chop carbon emissions by round 64 tonnes annually, the identical quantity as a passenger jet flying from Glasgow to Sydney, Australia 13 occasions.

Neil Beaumont, Horizons Hydro Power Crew Lead, mentioned: “Scottish Water has an enormous array of land, property, and operational belongings that supply huge potential in relation to renewables. We should be open to recent concepts and daring in our supply in relation to attaining our inexperienced power ambitions.

“Till not too long ago, all earlier hydro efforts have targeting harnessing power from our water belongings. Now we’re taking a look at extra artistic methods to generate power and decrease our carbon emissions. By adopting a non-traditional method corresponding to that at Hamilton Therapy Works, we are able to establish alternatives to additional optimise technology and faucet into important potential throughout Scotland.

“This novel method will even go a good distance in direction of serving to Scottish Water obtain web zero emissions by 2040 and past, ship service excellence, and create greener communities.”

The hydro scheme is anticipated to be up and operating by the top of autumn 2023. Even previous to commissioning, it has been shortlisted for 2 classes on the Water Business Awards which happen in Birmingham on 29 June, 2023.

The scheme will likely be delivered by native renewable power options specialists FES Help Companies Ltd on behalf of Scottish Water Horizons and can be a part of a rising portfolio of water and waste water therapy works that at the moment are both self-sufficient or partly adequate in producing their very own energy necessities.