Q: Could you briefly explain your role, involvement and experience with regards to this seminar?
Lorna Bennet, ORE Catapult (LB): I am a Project Engineer with over 8 years of experience in the offshore renewable energy industry. I previously worked for Pelamis Wave Power in the development of wave energy converters. Since joining ORE Catapult in 2016, I have worked on a wide range of renewable projects, engaging with SMEs, OEMs, operators and academia to address industry challenges through technology innovation and research. Projects include technology testing, demonstration and R&D within tidal stream energy development; offshore wind O&M and access, and energy transition and integration, working to accelerate the UK’s transition to a net-zero future.
Sean Kelly, SSE Renewables (SK): I have been involved in the hydropower industry in various roles for over 30 years starting originally with the supply of hydro generators to turbine manufacturers. With SSE Renewables over the last 12 years, I have been focused on a development role looking at new and refurbishment options for SSER at various different sites within its portfolio.
Mark Wilson, Intelligent Land Investments Group (MW): I am the CEO and founder of Intelligent Land Investments Group Plc. Formed some 17 years ago, we have interests across residential housing and renewable energy, with a real focus presently on energy storage. We are working to bring 2GW of new pumped storage hydro (PSH) capacity to the GB energy system across 3 projects. This is what I’ll be discussing at the event, using our lead project, Red John, as a case study.
Nicholas Crosby, KGAL Consulting Engineers (NC): I started work with the UK’s only major turbine supplier, Boving & Co. Ltd., in 1982. I worked in hydropower for the next twenty years including ten years living and working in South East Asia on some major hydropower projects. After a spell with British Waterways, I returned to hydropower in 2016 with KGAL Consulting Engineers. I am currently working on hydro mechanical works projects in all parts of the UK, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Tajikistan and Indonesia, while the company has had, and continues to have, major involvement on projects in Laos and the Philippines.
Henry Dixon, North Wales Tidal Energy Group (HD): I became Chairman of North Wales Tidal Energy and Coastal Protection (NWTE) in 2014 and have been promoting the many whole-life and whole-system features and benefits of that project for the past 7 years. As Chairman of the Tidal Range Alliance, formed in 2019, I have sought to gain recognition and support for the whole tidal range industry.
Q: What are the key challenges facing engineers specialising in hydropower?
LB: A key challenge facing engineers specialising in tidal stream power is that it is still a relatively new and developing industry. The first commercial scale hydropower plant was installed in 1882; the first commercial tidal barrage, La Rance, was installed in 1966 and the first commercial tidal stream device, Strangford Lough, was only installed in 2008. The sector is still learning and optimising the design and O&M aspects of tidal arrays, with multiple different devices still in development and testing.
SK: The biggest challenge facing engineers is ensuring that all the learning and experience gathered by previous generations in our industry is not lost but is available for use and is passed on to next generation of engineers as they enter the industry. It is so easy in rationalisation and move to digital based working practices to undervalue the records and learning for past experiences.
MW: PSH are major infrastructure projects, with each representing a bespoke design based on the specific geographic and environmental environments in which they are situated. Civil, mechanical, and electrical engineering all feature heavily within the design, construction, and operation of such a plant, making them interesting projects from a multi-disciplinary perspective.
NC: The UK has a small indigenous hydropower industry that cannot deliver major projects overseas and service the home market of large hydro stations located in Scotland and Wales particularly in respect of new or refurbished large turbines and large valves.
HD: The focus on renewable energy to help achieve the UK’s net-zero targets is to be applauded. Sadly, though, Government perception of tidal range projects’ value for money have been based on out-of-date cost and operational data, meaning that tidal range is not yet part of the UK’s future energy mix. The challenge for the TRA is to gain recognition for the benefits of tidal range projects’ ultra-long operating life, substantial co-benefits (such as coastal protection against rising sea levels) and the impact of the latest construction and power generation technologies on cost and LCOE.
Q: What key topics are you excited to speak about?
LB: The expansion and progress of the world’s first grid connected tidal array. It is very exciting to see years of research, development and testing culminating in a viable technology solution proven by the first generation of energy transmission to the grid. Improving turbine performance and reliability; leading to the development of larger arrays and an in-depth understanding of O&M requirements; working towards a commercially viable tidal energy industry.
SK: The role of pumped storage as form of longer duration storage in the transition to low carbon energy systems. Hydropower is the most mature form of renewable energy and its contribution to ensuring the flexibility needed to support other forms of inflexible low carbon generation should not be underestimated.
MW: The key role that PSH can play as an enabler to get the maximum amount of renewables onto the system. We really believe that PSH can act as the heavy artillery in the war against climate change, whilst securing the major inward investment and job creation associated with major infrastructure projects.
NC: The need to consider the whole plant including the hydromechanical works – gates, trash racks, flow control valves – in the overall quest to extend life of existing power stations and to improve energy generation.
HD: Rising recognition of the features and benefits of tidal range.
Q: Who else are you most interested in hearing from on the programme and why?
LB: I am looking forward to updates on the progress of key projects, new projects being developed and the critical role that hydropower has to play in decarbonising our energy sector and reaching our net-zero targets.
MW: I love being a part of events such as this as I’m consistently blown away by the quality of speakers and fascinating technical innovations that are being pursued and developed. I expect this event to be no different and I’m looking forward to hearing all of the speakers as they set out how forward looking and innovative hydropower engineering is.
NC: Tidal energy is a resource that UK has in abundance and the development of equipment to harness this power is an opportunity for the UK. These talks on tidal energy are of particular interest.
HD: Novel turbine technology – Tidetec and Femkuber AS (joint presentation) and Voith Hydro.
Value of hydropower to electricity systems – McWilliams Energy.
Anything that enhances the tidal range proposition!
Q: What technology or project developments are you most interested in for the future and why?
LB: Pumped storage is crucial on the road to decarbonisation as currently the only form of commercial, large-scale energy storage.
SK: The innovations that are coming through in the industry using the historic breadth of experience in new areas such as tidal power and the repurposing of existing hydropower plants to adapt to the need for flexibility in a low carbon energy system.
MW: We think some of the innovations in PSH around high-density liquids and storage tanks are interesting. Whilst they may not reach the scale of traditional PSH, they do not have the same geographical constraints, potentially opening up many more locations.
NC: The development of low-cost solutions to harness tidal power with innovative solutions on equipment rather than just applying conventional hydro turbines to this new duty.
HD: Energy storage - to cover the periods when the tide is not rising/falling and store energy when not needed by the grid.
Q: Why is it important for engineers to join this seminar?
LB: Hydropower offers a huge opportunity to the UK industry and economy. In particular tidal power, as an island nation that is already home to some of the world-leading academics and innovators in offshore renewable energy. There is also a significant opportunity for hydropower to play a crucial role not only in decarbonising our energy and contributing towards out net-zero obligations, but in the economic recovery following the Covid-19 pandemic – rejuvenating coastal communities and creating skilled jobs as part of the government’s promise to build back better.
SK: After the past year where interaction with our peers (even within our own companies) has been difficult, we need more that ever talk to our fellow engineers and understand how the industry is developing and progressing for the future.
MW: We can talk all we want about the problems and challenges facing the world, but its engineers who will create the solutions. Nothing happens in isolation; seminars such as these provide important spaces for engineers and innovators to come together to allow thoughts and ideas to be discussed and disseminated.
NC: To see that a mature technology such as hydro has innovation, new developments and to remind people that 75% of the world’s renewable electricity generation comes from hydropower.
HD: Hydropower has so much to offer and will be a global growth industry – whether freshwater dams or seawater tidal range projects.
The Hydropower Engineering seminar will be taking place live online on 3 June 2021.
Key programme highlights:
- International Hydropower Association lead a morning keynote address highlighting the role of sustainable hydropower in a renewable energy mix
- Voith Hydro discuss the modernisation of the Torrejón and Valdecañas hydropower plants
- SSE Renewables explore the role of long duration pumped storage in a 2050 net-zero economy
- Mott MacDonald present lessons learnt from the Tarbela hydropower plant expansion with large vertical Francis turbines
- McWilliams Energy provide an afternoon keynote address covering the role of hydropower in electricity systems and how to utilise its properties to unlock the widespread deployment of other low carbon technologies
- KGAL Consulting Engineers share insights into using modern techniques to future proof century-old hydraulic gates
To book your place, please visit www.imeche.org/hydropower.