Memorandum submitted by British Waterways (LCT 44)

 

I am writing with reference to your email dated 22^nd October 2009 sent to Robin Evans regarding British Waterways comments on hydroelectric power. I have tried to keep my comments very general deliberately, as I understand some of the other respondents are going into great detail. I can however provide further details if required.

BW has an extensive network of potential hydro-electric sites with a generating capacity of between 25kw and 2000kw. It is actively developing these sites with Partners from the Private Sector. The comments below are based upon experience to date in attempting to develop these sites.

 

It is the Renewable Obligation Credits and/or Feed-in Tarrifs which make these sites viable. Without these supports these small schemes are not economic. The current regime though is very coarse. For example if a developer could develop a 125Kw scheme, he would restrict it to 99Kw to maximise on available credits. This is not in the national interest.

 

The high cost of the grid connection for some sites significantly reduces the viability.

 

The Environment Agency is the Grantor of Impoundment/Abstraction Licences and Land Drainage Consents. They are also a Statutory Consultee in the Planning Process. These dual roles are confusing and often contradictory. It is suggested that the EA should only be a statutory consultee (in the Planning Process) on flooding matters, as is required by legislation.

 

With any hydro scheme the EA permitting process is unnecessarily burdonsome to work through. The number of permissions granted to date demonstrates this. Fish issues seem to be particularly difficult. For example the EA is insisting that a multi-species fish pass is installed at every new hydro installation. In one case, two fish passes on the same weir have been requested. The EA's fish screening requirements for Kaplan turbines are tending to make these more efficient schemes not viable. These demands appear to exceed the requirements of the Water Framework Directory as enacted at this time. The EA has little evidence to indicate that its "requirements" are necessary and effective. There has been no monitoring carried out at existing installations (such as Beeston on the River Trent) to demonstrate any damage to fisheries arising from hydro-electric installations at weirs.

 

The turbine technology is predominantly foreign (mainly German). The UK does not have a technological lead in this area. Perhaps research funding at Universities may assist this process as technological advances are still possible (particularly in the small turbine area).

 

November 2009