A Scotland Hydro Nation initiative has been launched to drive Scotland’s water sector to net zero by 2040.

Hosted by the University of Stirling and funded by Scottish Water, the initiative will conduct research on new technologies to create more efficient systems for the water industry.

Communities will also benefit from place-based innovations for different water needs across Scotland.

Chair of the initiative, Professor Andrew Tyler, said: “How we manage Scotland’s seas, lochs, rivers and reservoirs can bolster our resilience to extreme events, restore biodiversity and increase our carbon storage, speeding up our journey to net zero.

“Water can also help us manage our resources better, allowing us to recover energy for example, contributing to a greener, more circular economy whilst creating jobs – but for this to happen, industry, research and communities must work together.”

“The programme is intended to complement the excellent research and innovation initiatives and infrastructure in Scotland.

“It will play a leading role in maximising Scotland’s water research impact, bringing the transformative change needed to attain net zero emissions by 2040,” added George Ponton, Head of Research at Scottish Water.