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SEPA launches consultation on eco-friendly standard for hydropower

17 March 2010

Scotland's environment watchdog is encouraging everyone with an interest in hydropower and its effect on the country's rivers and lochs to take part in the public consultation on Guidance for developers of run-of-river hydropower schemes.

The consultation, which was launched on Monday 8 March, seeks feedback on the Scottish Environment Protection Agency's (SEPA) planned approach. The guidance aims to help developers identify sites and designs that will ensure smaller hydropower schemes do not cause damage to the water environment and that the adverse impacts of larger schemes are minimised.

SEPA recognises the importance of renewable energy generation as a contribution to reducing climate change.  Hydropower schemes that can operate without damaging the ecological quality of the water environment represent truly "eco-friendly" energy.

Lin Bunten, SEPA's hydropower lead, said:

"Hydropower is very important for helping Scotland meet its renewable energy targets and even small, sub-100 kilowatt schemes can contribute. This guidance shows how to develop this renewable resource without adversely affecting the ecological quality of our rivers and streams.

"It also explains how SEPA intends to achieve Scottish Ministers' policy objectives with respect to striking the right balance between protection of the water environment and renewable energy generation. We have been working to streamline the application process for small scale hydropower schemes, whilst ensuring that developers understand the potential impacts different schemes can have on different rivers. This document develops those themes whilst laying out what steps should be taken to reduce any detrimental impacts, so developers have the upfront knowledge to design their schemes appropriately. This should speed up the process of obtaining a licence by reducing the need for reworking the scheme.

"Environmental constraints differ depending on location, so there is a simple set of steps within the guidance that people can work through to identify whether further mitigation needs to be put in place to allow a scheme to go ahead."

SEPA is a member of the Forum for Renewable Energy Development in Scotland (FREDS) Micro Hydro sub group, and invitation for feedback on this guidance has been sought from this group also.

More information on the consultation, which is open until 30 April, is available on SEPA's website at www.sepa.org.uk/about_us/consultations.aspx

Ends

Notes

• Hydropower schemes can create barriers to fish migration and dramatically alter river flows with consequent effects on water plants and animals.
  
• Even small scale schemes can have significant adverse impacts and these can lead to even more significant cumulative effects.
  
• All schemes that have been licensed by SEPA have site specific mitigation in place to protect the local ecology by keeping the impact of hydropower generation within acceptable limits.
  
• SEPA has already reduced application fees for schemes below 100kW to £588, with schemes above 100kW attracting an application fee of £3,199. In addition schemes less than 2MW do not pay an annual subsistence fee.
  
• The full Ministerial policy statement is available at www.scotland.gov.uk/299408 
  
• Guidance to help those planning to install small scale schemes is available at www.sepa.org.uk/water/water_publications.aspx