Siphon-fed hydroplant installed in at Whiteadder Reservoir
Emtex Energy has installed a new type of hydroenergy generation scheme at Whiteadder Reservoir in East Lothian. This will enable Scottish Water to generate electricity while controlling the level of the reservoir during seasonal fluctuations in weather without the need for major civil engineering works.
This hydroplant will be fed by a Siphon, a system that prevents air from entering the downpipes, allowing higher volumes of water to drain more quickly, going through less pipes and is believed to be the first of its type in Europe. This technology will draw up water through the intake and over the top of the dam which then runs down through the siphon, through the hydro turbine, and back to the environment.
The electricity generated will be used to offset 30% of the power used by one of East Lothian’s largest pumping stations, which takes 32 million litres of water per day to Castle Moffat water treatment works and supplies most of the East Lothian region.
The investments at Whiteadder are expected to generate 0.82GWh of renewable energy per year from the 199kW turbine. Scottish Water’s general manager for net zero, Gordon Reid said “Scottish Water owns the most reservoirs in the UK, and we are always looking for opportunities to produce renewable power. This technology will help us deliver on our bold and ambitious commitments to reduce our carbon emissions.
