Talkson future ofhydro power

The future of Scotland’s hydroelectric industry will be discussed at a conference next month in Perth.

Industry leaders will meet at Securing Hydro’s Future: From The Glens to the Grid conference in Perth Concert Hall on Tuesday, June 6. This is one of the biggest gatherings of the hydroelectric industry, and will look at maintaining the industry at the heart of Scotland.

Hannah Smith, Scottish Renewables’ policy manager, said: “Scotland’s hydropower sector has a long and proud history.

“The large post-war schemes, known as the Power From The Glens projects, have provided us with longlasting and reliable sources of clean energy.

“Newer developments have allowed rural communities and businesses to take control of their own energy generation using locally-available natural resources.

“Scottish Renewables’ annual hydro conference provides the sector with a valuable opportunity to discuss the future of this popular renewable energy technology and explore ways to protect the 12,500 jobs it supports in Scotland today.”

Mark Mathieson, CEO at Perth-based Green Highland Renewables, warns 80% of hydroelectric jobs could be lost in the next few years.

He said: “There has certainly been a lot of change in the sector, through the reduction in the feed-in tariff and the recent business rates review, and looking ahead there will continue to be fluidity with potential changes to the transmission charging regime.

“However, we still believe that the fundamentals of hydro and its contribution in the market remain strong hydro energy has good public support and can produce competitive subsidy-free energy for many decades ahead.’’