A new £200 million hydro electric development is planned for Lewis.
Eishken Limited -
The company estimates over 150 jobs will be created during the three to five-
The infrastructure will store electricity, principally generated by windfarms on Lewis.
The developers said it would significantly increase the use of the proposed Minch subsea interconnector.
New £200 million hydro electric scheme planned for Lewis
24 August 2016
A community benefit scheme will be set up to disperse a share of profits.
The proposed scheme will use excess electricity from the planned 39 turbines in the Muaitheabhal wind farm on the Eishken estate.
Part of the output of the turbines would be stored until required allowing it to balance the sometime intermittent nature of wind.
Nick Oppenheim of Eishken Limited said: “There are very few PSH schemes throughout the UK and what we are proposing is particularly innovative given the use of the sea as the lower reservoir.
"This scheme will not only materially enhance the benefits to be derived from the Western Isles link but will make a material difference in the supply of energy to the mainland.
"It will also be a key element in the Scotland’s renewable energy armoury.”
Pumped storage facilities in essence act like huge batteries storing electricity.
Water is pumped uphill from a lower reservoir to a second reservoir at a higher level.
When demand for electricity is high, the stored water is released through generators situated at the foot of the hill into the lower reservoir.
The technology is proven and has been in use for nearly a century although none have been built in the UK for the last 30 years.
At present, such facilities operate commercially without government financial assistance schemes.
The proposed scheme is highly innovative. It is intended that the lower reservoir from which the water is extracted and to which it is returned will be the sea with a much lower environmental impact than would be caused by creating a second reservoir.
This will make the scheme easier, cheaper and quicker to build.
“Although using the sea as the lower reservoir is new to the UK, the technology is proven in Asia”, said Nick.
Eishken Ltd is expected to apply for planning permission or the scheme later this year.