British Hydropower Association says future of Pumped Storage Hydro “looks bright” in Ofgem’s Cap and Floor Process
Aerial Photo of Loch Kemp, one of the 5 approved projects
BHA congratulates the five new projects all moving to next stage but calls for 7 further schemes
The British Hydropower Association (BHA) has today said the future of Pumped Storage Hydro (PSH) in the UK looks much brighter after a decision by the regulator Ofgem to give a thumbs up to five new projects.
The BHA has congratulated the five schemes that have successfully passed Ofgem’s eligibility assessment, with each moving forward to the next stage of consideration for a long duration energy storage (LDES) cap and floor award scheduled for 2026.
Three of the projects – Glenmuckloch, Loch Kemp, Loch na Cathrach, are due to be completed by 2030. Two further projects, Coire Glas and Earba, would be delivered by 2033.
All of these projects would significantly strengthen the nation’s ability to store renewable power at scale and deliver it during times of peak demand.
Kate Gilmartin, CEO of the British Hydropower Association, said:
“These projects are nationally important infrastructure that will support the UK’s clean energy transition into the 22nd century.
“This is huge progress for renewable energy storage capacity in the UK, but we continue to lobby for other pumped storage and high-density[i] hydro schemes to be included in a future application round.
“We look forward to working closely with Ofgem, the UK and Scottish Governments, project developers, supply chain partners, local authorities, and communities to help deliver this critical investment in secure, long-duration energy storage.”
Of the 171 LDES projects submitted to Ofgem, 77 were shortlisted, representing a combined capacity of 28.7 GW. Of this total 4.6 GW were pumped storage hydro which is sufficient to power around 5m households. Existing UK Pumped Storage Hydropower schemes contribute 2.8GW or around 9% of typical UK power demands.
The five PSH projects, all in Scotland, being supported by Ofgem are;
- Glenmuckloch, Kirkconnel, Dumfries & Galloway 210MW/1.6GWh, Developers: Foresight Group
- Loch Kemp, Whitebridge. 660MW/9GWh, Developers: Statera (pictured above)
- Loch na Cathrach, Dores. 500 MW/4GWh. Developers: Stakraft
- Coire Glas, Loch Lochy. 1,450 MW/30GWh. Developers: SSE Renewables
- Earba, Kinloch Laggan. 1,800MW/40GWh, Developers: Gilkes Energy
The technology mix being supported comprise approximately: 70% Lithium-ion Battery Energy Storage (BESS), 16% Pumped Storage Hydropower, 12% Vanadium / Zinc flow batteries and 2% Liquid Air and Compressed Air Storage.
Globally, Pumped Storage Hydropower already provides 200 GW of operational capacity and a further 600 GW is under development. Governments increasingly recognise the importance of pumped storage due to its long lifespan, large power output and its role in stabilising the power network.
The UK has exceptional winds which the UK Government’s Clean Power plan aims to harness by a 2.5x build out of onshore and offshore wind by 2030. However, the full value of wind turbines to the grid can only be realised when excess generation can be stored and dispatched flexibly, particularly on cold, still, winter days when demand is high.
The BHA continues to advocate for the other seven Pumped Storage Hydropower projects in development across the UK to be eligible for a future LDES application window. While the UK needs a mix of energy storage technologies, we believe all forms of hydropower including tidal range are essential to achieving clean power and net-zero goals.
