Knottingley is a 500kW low head hydro scheme on the River Aire in Yorkshire. The scheme was one of the first hydropower schemes in the UK to be co-located with a battery. The lithium-ion battery unit has a capacity of over 1200kWh and is designed to deliver Firm Frequency Response (FFR) for the National Grid. The battery can also export over TRIAD days, multiplying the scheme output by 2½ times.

The battery is remotely controlled using Limejump’s Virtual Power Plant offering. When not performing FFR or TRIAD services, the battery is used for load shifting and for trading to maximise the revenues at each site.

Hydroplan performed due diligence on behalf of the lender during construction and carried out a review of scheme performance in relation to raising the weir after commissioning.

Key Features:

• Battery and hydropower co-location
• Urban setting
• Pioneering approach
• Grid balancing services

The post Knottingley Battery first appeared on Hydroplan - Hydropower Consultancy.

Hydroplan is providing project management assistance on the 2MW hydro scheme known as Garbhaig B on the south shore of Loch Maree in Wester Ross.

The original Garbhaig A scheme (1 MW, 1997) was de-commissioned and re-engineered to 2MW by increasing the storage and head.

Hydroplan provided the initial scheme design and planning consent, all the switch-room and HV installation design, as well as flow-gauging/hydrology services, but our main role was coordinating project management during construction, in three main areas:

Grid Management
The situation with the grid was complicated by the timing of the pre-accreditation window and the additional line capacity in this part of the NW Highlands which will only be available post-September 2016. As a result of this, there was a need to manage the construction of the new connection with the distributor to match the overall programme. Additionally, it was important to subsequently manage the Garbhaig station output to allow other newly commissioned hydro schemes in the area to offset generation in order to commission their schemes. A load bank was employed to ensure that the new scheme was able to be commissioned at full capacity.

Ofgem Management
In order for the new scheme to receive FITs, the original Garbhaig A scheme was fully decommissioned and removed. This required the removal process to be documented, and to this end, a time-lapse camera was used to record de-construction, as well as the construction of the new Garbhaig B scheme.

Project Overview Management
Hydroplan provided assistance in coordinating the project management team, designers and civil contractors, keeping the client and financial backers fully appraised and maintaining the project programme.  Hydroplan provided regular photographic progress reports throughout the construction period.

The post Garbhaig Coordination first appeared on Hydroplan - Hydropower Consultancy.

Ardtornish Estate is a remote rural landholding on the west coast of Scotland.  Hydropower has been used on the estate since the mid-1800’s – initially for mechanical purposes and then later for hydroelectric power generation with the installation of a Gilkes turbine in 1960.  A large scheme was then installed on the Rannoch River in 1996.

Hydroplan was employed by the estate in 2007 to review the potential on the estate including the replacement of the 1996 scheme, which was performing badly.

Two storage schemes were identified on the Rannoch River – Rannoch (1.5MW) and Tearnait (700kW).  Planning consent for these two schemes was obtained in May 2009 and construction of the Tearnait scheme commenced shortly after, in November 2009, with Rannoch starting about a year later.  Tearnait was completed in May 2011 and Rannoch in May 2012.

Below the Rannoch powerhouse, there are another four meters of head available and a 100kW Archimedes Screw Turbine has been installed on the old fish farm weir to utilise this head.  In addition to this, there is a leat system extending the catchment behind Rannoch Dam and providing an additional 250kW of generation.

Elsewhere on the estate a multi-intake run-of-river scheme has been consented and constructed at Uileann (800kW) and was commissioned in November 2015.  There are also two community schemes under consideration in the nearby forest block.

Hydroplan has completed the following document to showcase the works undertaken with the hydro schemes at Ardtornish.

The post Ardtornish Estate first appeared on Hydroplan - Hydropower Consultancy.

Loch Eilde Mor was originally a feeder loch for the Blackwater Reservoir, which in turn fed the Kinlochleven Aluminium Smelter in Scotland. With the smelter no longer in use, Hydroplan was employed to consider the hydroelectric potential of the loch itself – making use of the head available down to sea level.

The scheme is technically quite challenging with steep rocky terrain and also crosses the important West Highland Way (a long-range footpath), which presented difficulties in terms of access.

Hydroplan worked with local regulators to provide a concept design for a scheme that was practical to build whilst not detracting from the natural beauty of the area.

A 5MW scheme was consented in 2011.

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