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Hydroelectric dam by the Perucac Lake. Credit: Bloodberry/Shutterstock

SSE Renewables has announced its plans to invest $122.9m (£100m) into the Coire Glas hydro storage scheme in the Scottish Highlands, the UK’s largest hydro project in decades. 

Once completed, the large-scale hydro scheme would more-than double the UK’s ability to store energy for long periods of time and would be capable of delivering 30GW of long-duration storage. 

The scheme was first approved by the Scottish government in 2020 and is expected to require a total capital investment of $1.8bn (£1.5bn) to construct. It will be the UK’s largest hydro project since the “Electric Mountain” project was completed in Snowdonia in 1984. 

Planning is expected to progress through 2023 and into 2024, with a final investment decision anticipated next year.

The scheme will take excess energy from the grid and use it to pump water 500 metres uphill from Loch Locky to an upper reservoir with a capacity equal to 11,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools, where it will be stored.

SSE finance director Gregor Alexander said in a statement: “Whilst Goire Glas doesn’t need subsidy, it does require more certainty around its revenues and it is critically important the UK Government urgently confirms its intention on exactly how they will help facilitate the deployment of such projects.” 

Japanese energy company JERA has signed an agreement with Virya Energy to acquire 100% of the shares of Parkwind, Belgium’s top offshore wind company, in a $1.7bn deal.

JERA is a joint venture between the Tokyo Electric Power Company and the Chubu Electric Power Company.  Green energy developers Virya Energy has agreed to sell the project’s four offshore wind farms located in Belgium.

Parkwind’s current capacity is 771MW across 201 turbines powering 800,000 households. The company also has a further 1.1GW in development worldwide, including in Germany and Ireland. 

The Japanese government seeks to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions by 46% before 2030 compared with 2013 levels and achieve net-zero by 2050. 

Paul Tummers, CEO of Virya Energy, said: “Virya believes JERA will provide Parkwind with the best assets, expertise, and support to ensure the pursuit of its successfully initiated international journey towards a decarbonated future, reinforcing its long-term global potential out of its strong Belgian base”. 

The most recent report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) calls for increased access to “clean energy technologies,” among its recommendations. 

The report focusses on promoting developments more resilient to climate change. Clean energy technologies, such as increased electrification, are promoted not only for environmental reasons but also for improved human health and well-being. 

The body concludes that these measures will especially improve the lives of women and children, who currently lack access to such technologies in many parts of the world. The report brings into focus the disparity in experiences of climate change between the wealthiest and poorest in global society.

At a press conference the IPCC outlined that “multiple, feasible and effective options are available to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to human caused climate change”. 

IPCC chair Hoesung Lee said: “Mainstreaming effective and equitable climate action will not only reduce losses and damages for nature and people, it will also provide wider benefits.” 

The world’s highest wind farm, situated in China’s Tibet Autonomous Region, has generated over 100 million kWh of electricity since operations began in December 2021. 

The turbines, which are found at altitudes of 5,000 to 5,200 meters make up the Comai Trigu wind farm in the Trigu township of Comai county. The wind farm belongs to the China Three Gorges Corporation and is the first wind project connected to Tibet’s grid. The project has a total installed capacity of 22MW. 

Tibet is a key part of China’s plans to increase its renewable capacity, given its unique topography, which is well suited for wind, solar and geothermal power installations.

China’s National Climate Centre found that the region has enough sites with reliably strong wind to power 600GW of turbines, with another 420GW possible in parts of the plateau in neighbouring regions including Qinghai, Gansu, Sichuan, Yunnan and Xinjiang. 

Flora Champenois, a Global Energy Monitor research analyst said: “This kind of a process leaves little room for proper planning or consideration of alternatives”.

UK-based energy company Newcleo intends to raise $1.1bn (£900m) to develop a fleet of nuclear reactors, the Times has reported. The company plans to design and build a first-of-its-kind mini lead fast reactor and deploy it in France by 2030. 

Last year, Newcleo raised $315.6m and held discussions with France-based nuclear energy company Orano to begin operating in France, according to Reuters.

Earlier this month, Newcleo entered a cooperation agreement with Italian utility Enel to work on Gen-IV nuclear reactors. As part of this, Enel has agreed to offer its qualified personnel to support Newcleo’s projects in the area of advanced nuclear technology. 

In addition, Enel will have the option to become the first investor in Newcleo’s first nuclear power plant, which it plans to build outside Italy. The two companies aim to provide “safe and stable” energy sources while significantly reducing radioactive waste. 

Newcleo will focus on designing and building its lead reactor in France, alongside a 200MWe commercial unit in the UK.