Galloway and Lanark hydro stations explore solar panel prospects
Drax bought the hydro scheme - which provides enough energy to power more than 400,000 homes - in late December 2018.The Lanark system is made up of two power stations – one at Bonnington near New Lanark and one at Stonebyres near Lanark.It is one of the oldest in the UK and was commissioned in 1926.The Galloway scheme opened nine years later and comprises six power stations at Drumjohn, Kendoon, Carsfad, Earlstoun, Glenlee and Tongland which run from north of Carsphairn to near Kirkcudbright.
Plant manager for Drax's hydro-electric power schemes in Galloway and Lanark, Martin McGhie, confirmed its proposals."By generating renewable electricity on-site, we aim to power the schemes' auxiliary systems sustainably, supporting the operation of the core power generation components at each plant," he explained"Although these proposals are still at an early stage and subject to final design work and planning approvals, the potential is significant."The solar installations could generate up to 482 MWh of clean electricity each year, enabling us to generate hydro power with solar energy, and further reinforce our commitment to renewable generation."
If they go ahead, the plans would see about 1,500 solar panels installed across the eight hydro power stations.The panels would be fitted to the rooftops of the sites and be able to meet the auxiliary power needs of the facilities.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Reuters
43 minutes ago
- Reuters
India curbs solar power output to keep grid stable amid low demand, ministry says
SINGAPORE/NEW DELHI, Aug 19 (Reuters) - India is curbing solar output during periods of low demand to keep its power grid stable and to ease congestion in power lines as green energy supply rises, its Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) told Reuters. Congestion in power lines due to some new plants coming into operation ahead of schedule and delayed transmission projects have also forced power output curbs, also known as curtailment, the MNRE said in an emailed response to questions late on Monday. The curtailments are the latest setback to India's renewable power developers, who are increasingly languishing without supply contracts as demand for power slows. The National Solar Energy Federation of India (NSEFI) said in a July 24 letter to the ministry that solar power producers in Rajasthan, the top green power producing state, were facing prolonged and frequent curtailments, which had risen to 48% of output during peak generation hours. The producers have lost more than $26 million in revenue since April due to the curbs, NSEFI said in the letter reviewed by Reuters. NSEFI, whose members include the green energy arms of Indian conglomerates Adani ( opens new tab and Tata ( opens new tab, Amazon Web Services (AMZN.O), opens new tab, Dutch investment firm SHV and Malaysia's Gentari, said curtailments undermined project viability and future investments. "Projects in the state had been deferred by 18-20 months to accommodate for the delays in the transmission system, but are still unable to be commissioned due to even further delays," NSEFI said. NSEFI has asked the government to accelerate transmission and battery storage projects, some of which face up to two years of delay. The federal power ministry has said it is fast-tracking interstate transmission lines to support renewable energy. While Rajasthan is the worst affected by curtailments, other major green energy producers such as the southern Tamil Nadu state, and Gujarat and Maharashtra in the west are also curbing output, according to four industry officials and analysts. Data compiled by Tamil Nadu's Renewable Energy Producers Association showed solar output was 10% lower than forecast in the quarter ended June. J Radhakrishnan, a spokesman for the Tamil Nadu energy department said solar was being curbed as a "last resort" measure, and that coal power was also being curtailed amid low demand. India's renewable energy generation, mainly solar, rose at a record pace in the six months ended June as previously awarded projects came online, while overall power generation growth was largely flat compared with an increase of nearly 6% in 2024. However, solar projects awarded in the three months ended June fell 75% annually and tenders for new projects declined 65%, according to clean energy consultancy Mercom. The decline reflects a "temporary recalibration rather than a slowdown," MNRE said, adding that bids were being issued in line with national targets and demand. Government data shows the usage rate of solar capacity fell to 21.4% in May and 19.5% in June. The MNRE said some of it was due to lower irradiance, adding it expected capacity utilisation of 21%–25% range from February to June in the future.
Reuters
5 hours ago
- Reuters
Australia's Woodside posts 24% drop in first-half profit on lower prices, depreciation costs
Aug 19 (Reuters) - Australia's Woodside Energy ( opens new tab recorded a 24% slump in its first-half profit on Tuesday, pressured by lower realised prices and depreciation costs in its Sangomar oil project in Senegal. Volatility in oil prices, driven by OPEC+ production increases, geopolitical uncertainty, and U.S. tariffs, resulted in the company achieving an average price of $61.8 per barrel of oil equivalent in the first half, down from $62.6 per boe a year earlier. Meanwhile, production costs, depreciation and amortisation related to the Sangomar project came in at $773 million during the period. Consequently, the oil and gas giant reported an underlying net profit after tax of $1.25 billion for the six-month period ended June 30, compared with $1.63 billion last year and in line with Visible Alpha's consensus estimates. Woodside's operating revenue, however, rose 10% to $6.59 billion, with the Sangomar project contributing nearly $1 billion. It declared an interim dividend of 53 cents per share, lower than 69 cents declared last year. Shares of Woodside dropped 1% to A$26.620 in early trade. The company said it continues to receive "strong interest from high-quality potential partners" as it explore further sell-downs of the $17.5 billion Louisiana liquefied natural gas (LNG) project. Woodside has already sold a 40% stake in the company holding the project's infrastructure assets to U.S. investor Stonepeak for $5.7 billion and has also agreed to explore potential collaboration with Saudi Aramco on a possible equity investment and offtake agreement. The company also said it was continuing to consult with the Australian government on the proposed conditions tied to the environmental approval of its North West Shelf LNG project extension. Woodside is the operator and has 33% participating interest in the project, which is the country's oldest and largest LNG plant and a key supplier to Asian markets.
Times
6 hours ago
- Times
The inheritance tax hotspot that pays ten times as much as Wales
Families in London have paid triple the amount of inheritance tax than those in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland combined. Estates of those who died in the capital paid £1.53 billion in the 2022-23 tax year, according to the latest HM Revenue & Customs data. This compares with the total £525 million that was handed over by estates in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The average bill in London was £300,000, compared with £213,000 nationally. Some £6.175 billion was paid by estates in England, and the UK total was £6.7 billion. The figures come as Rachel Reeves is said to be considering an inheritance tax crackdown in the autumn budget, which could involve a cap on financial gifts given to family members while still alive. The surge in inheritance tax payments is down to rising house prices and frozen inheritance tax allowances, which have pushed thousands more families into the tax net, delivering a record windfall for the Treasury. The value of homes included in estates that had to pay the tax has jumped more than 50 per cent in three years, from £10.1 billion in 2019-20 to £15.6 billion in 2022-23. Over the same time, the number of the estates subject to inheritance tax that included residential property rose from 19,000 to 26,600. The cash savings held by estates that paid inheritance tax grew from £5.1 billion in 2019-20 to £7.15 billion in 2022-23, while the value of shares increased from £8.9 billion to £10.8 billion. These increases have been compounded by a freeze on the inheritance tax-free allowances. The £325,000 nil-rate band (the value of an estate you can leave tax-free) and the £175,000 main residence band (available if you leave your main home to a direct descendant on an estate worth less than £2 million) will not go up until at least 2030. Above these allowances inheritance tax is charged at 40 per cent, although anything left to a spouse or civil partner is inheritance tax-free, and they can also inherit one another's allowances. This means a couple can pass on up to £1 million tax-free. Sean McCann from the wealth manager NFU Mutual said: 'The continuing rise in house prices coupled with the long-term freeze in the tax-free thresholds means that a growing share of UK property wealth is being caught in the inheritance tax net. With the thresholds set to remain frozen until at least 2030, this is a trend that is likely to continue.' Nationally, 31,500 estates paid inheritance tax in 2022-23, raising that total of £6.7 billion for the Treasury. London's three top paying constituencies — Kensington; Chelsea and Fulham; and Finchley and Golders Green — each generated more than £100 million. The southeast (excluding London) recorded the highest number of taxable estates, with 6,650 paying a total of £1.45 billion. In Scotland 1,680 estates paid £331 million, in Wales 1,030 estates paid £155 million and in Northern Ireland 334 estates paid £40 million. Together, London and the southeast accounted for 44 per cent of all inheritance tax receipts. The Office for Budget Responsibility forecasts that inheritance tax will raise £14.3 billion in 2029-30, with 9.5 per cent of deaths triggering the levy. From April 2026, agricultural and business property relief will be made less generous, and pension pots will be brought into the tax net from April 2027. McCann warned that these changes would 'significantly increase' the number of families affected. 'We are seeing a sharp increase in calls from those seeking inheritance tax advice, particularly in the light of proposed changes to agricultural property relief and business property relief from April next year which will have a huge impact on farming and business communities,' he said. He added that giving away assets in your lifetime can help to reduce inheritance tax: 'Each tax year you can give away gifts totalling £3,000 immediately free of inheritance tax. If you haven't used the previous year's allowance, you can go back one year — so a couple could potentially give away £12,000 without worrying about the seven-year rule.' Under the seven-year rule if you give away an asset — whether cash, property or shares — and live for seven years or more after making the gift, it will be exempt from inheritance tax. If you die before then, the value of the gift will be counted as part of your estate, although the rate of tax due on it falls on a sliding scale after three years.
