Wednesday 10 February 2016

Scottish firm starts new £13m hydro project

A Scottish renewables firm is about to start work on a huge hydro scheme in the highlands worth £13.6 million.

Green Highland Renewables will develop the project at Loch Eilde Mor, in the hills above Kinlochleven.

Chief Executive Officer Mark Mathieson said: "This is a really exciting project and marks the start of an extremely busy two years for our firm. In the last four years we have constructed and commissioned 25 schemes totalling 17MW across the Highlands and in the process have invested £62m ­ the majority of this going to local construction firms and contractors."

But the recent cuts to FiTs mean future hydro schemes may be in doubt warned Mr Mathieson: "The only sad note is that the recent cuts to hydro tariffs announced at Christmas mean we will see next to zero new Highland schemes come forward for construction from 2018 onwards. It will be the end of an era."

The Loch Eilde Mor project is set to be commissioned in summer 2017.