There are three basic types of hydropower renewable energy generation: run-of-river hydropower, storage hydropower and pumped-storage hydropower.

Run-of-river hydropower simply uses the natural flow of a waterway to drive a turbine. A separate watercourse (known as a 'leat') is built to divert some water away from the river. Typically, the leat follows the river, enters a penstock pipe (to increase pressure) and flows into the turbine. It then passes back into the river downstream.  The supply of hydropower renewable energy is predictable and constant (except during exceptionally dry spells when a river’s flow might be greatly lessened).

Pumped-storage hydropower uses two bodies of water, such as a lakes or reservoirs, to generate renewable electricity. The lakes are usually found in mountainous locations with one at a higher altitude than the other. Water from the higher lake is released through a dam and passing into the lower reservoir, generating renewable electricity at the same time. This usually happens intermittently at times of high demand. The water from the lower lake is then pumped back into the higher lake during the night.

Storage hydropower uses a single lake to and releases water through a damn when renewable electricity is required.

Small-scale hydropower renewable energy plants, the sort TLS Hydro specialises in, have minimal environmental impact and are unobtrusive, often found in renovated watermill houses.

As one of the oldest forms of electricity generation in the world, hydropower is the elder statesman of renewable energy. Used since the latter half of the 1800s, hydropower is a logical step from the waterwheel technologies which have been used to power machines (such as flour mills) for hundreds of years. The world’s first house powered by hydropower renewable energy, the impressive Victorian country lodge at Cragside, Northumberland, started producing its own electricity in 1870.

Large-scale hydropower renewable energy has been built since the early twentieth century. The Hoover Dam, one of the most famous landmarks in America, began construction in 1931. Some of the biggest hydropower plants in the world, such as the Three Gorges Dam in China and Itaipu Dam in Brazil, have caused controversy. LoCO2 Energy’s sister company, TLS Hydro, only specialises in small-scale hydropower renewable energy with minimal environmental impact.

The worldwide use of hydropower renewable energy is extensive. Hydropower accounts for around 20% of the world’s electricity generation and nearly 90% of all electricity generated by renewable sources. In 2009, it was the world’s most rapidly growing electricity source.

Some countries are heavily reliant on hydropower renewable energy. China, Brazil and Canada all have significant hydropower schemes, whilst Norway produces 99% of its electricity from hydropower renewable energy. The construction of an interconnector between Norway and the United Kingdom, which would allow the UK to import Norway's excess hydropower renewable energy during times of peak demand, has even been mooted.

The UK’s capacity for large-scale hydropower is limited. However, we still consume the equivalent of around 1 million tonnes of oil in hydropower renewable energy every year and the capacity for small-scale hydropower in northern Britain is good.

A study produced by the EU and the University of Stuttgart has suggested that hydropower is the least carbon intensive of any renewable energy.

Compared to other forms of electricity generation of a comparable size, hydropower plants are fairly cheap and easy to maintain. There are no pollutants or other wastes associated with hydropower renewable energy.

Except in times of drought, hydropower renewable energy is fairly easy to predict and can be turned on and off as it is needed. Winter, the most productive time of year for hydropower facilities, is also the time when electricity is generally most needed.

All forms of electricity generation have an associated social and environmental cost. Some hydropower schemes have courted controversy through the displacement of local people, the flooding of farmland and damage to local ecosystems.

Due to the UK’s topography, geography high energy demands, there will never be scope for large-scale hydropower renewable energy to become a substantial part of the UK’s energy mix.

LoCO2 Energy buys renewable electricity from small-scale, British hydropower stations so many of the problems associated with large-scale hydropower renewable energy are not applicable – the environmental impact is minimal and the technology is proven, reliable and the energy source predictable. Learn more about where our hydropower renewable energy plants are and how they work.