The 2MW scheme on Loch Gaineamhach required a full Environmental Impact Assessment as part of the planning application due to its size and location within the Wester Ross National Scenic Area and the Flowerdate-Shieldaig-Torridon Core Area of Wild Land.

Hydroplan conducted preliminary feasibility work in 2015, with environmental surveys undertaken by sub-contractors during the summer of the same year. In addition, Hydroplan carried out a number of environmental impact studies. Due to environmental constraints, the scheme layout went through several iterations during the planning stage before the configuration with the lowest environmental impact in terms of land area and habitat affected was found. In addition, mitigation measures were considered where possible during the design stage.

On the edge of Loch Braigh Horirsdale, a curved track and cable bridge was designed to replace an existing rickety ATV bridge. The new bridge has carefully been designed to follow the geomorphology and integrate into the landscape.

The scheme was consented in spring 2019.

The post Gaineamhach first appeared on Hydroplan - Hydropower Consultancy.

The Coulin Estate near Kinlochewe in Wester Ross approached their land agent’s CKD Galbraith to design and consent a 6.2km access track to facilitate the removal of their mature forestry plantation. Following an extensive planning process involving numerous external agencies, permission was finally granted in 2014.

CKD Galbraith appointed Hydroplan to undertake a design review, tendering and construction supervision of the track including

• Repair and improvement of existing 32m bridge
• Construction of a new 30m sectional bridge
• Installation of two arch culverts and numerous piped culverts

Work started in 2015 and the track was successfully completed in 2016 under the watchful eye of SNH who described it as an example of best practice for construction in upland areas upon completion.

The post Coulin Forest Access Track (CFAT) first appeared on Hydroplan - Hydropower Consultancy.

The Ederline hydro scheme (1900kW) is located to the southwest of Loch Awe in the west of Scotland. In 2009, Hydroplan began with the development of the scheme, which included a dam on Loch Gainmheach. The dam spans the mouth of the Socaich Burn and by raising the loch level it reverses the flow into the adjacent Loch nan Ceàrd Mòron, which has an intake to the penstock pipeline at the far end. A compensation flow is passed through the dam, continuing its natural flow downstream. At times of high water levels, the excess water flows unimpeded over the dam to join the natural river flow. The dam was completed in October 2013.

The scheme has a static head of about 214m which is converted to electrical energy via a twin Jet Pelton turbine. The turbine is controlled autonomously by a programmable logic controller (PLC) and operated through a human-machine interface.

Embedded within the PLC are Stop Start Initialisation (SSI) and reservoir fluctuation control smart control loops. The SSI allows the revenue of the stored water to be optimised at times of day when the best energy prices are available by breaking down the 0.7m reservoir operating range into four water level bands. At times, manual override is required in certain weather events to optimise revenue.

On Loch Gainmheach, artificial rafts are installed during the summer months to encourage the breeding success of a native protected bird species – the Black Throated Divers. The operation of the reservoir is aligned with this aim by controlling water level fluctuations to less than 0.4m per week. This restriction has been successful except at times of flood or drought events.

The post Ederline first appeared on Hydroplan - Hydropower Consultancy.