| World news Global World Bank-ESMAP launches survey on gender gaps in hydropower sector
The World Bank’s Energy Sector Management Assistance Program (ESMAP), in partnership with the International Hydropower Association (IHA) and the Global Women’s Network for the Energy Transition (GWNET), has launched a survey which focuses on the role of women in all parts of the hydropower sector. The survey is part of a study which will identify and encourage best practice and practical approaches on gender equality in the hydropower sector. All practitioners, in the hydropower sector, both women and men, are encouraged to respond. The partners say that women remain underrepresented in
the hydropower sector - as they are in the energy sector in general - yet how underrepresented is difficult to determine as sex-disaggregated data and gender statistics on employment in the sector are scarce. Hydropower generates almost two thirds of renewable energy electricity, and it employs over two million people globally. It has therefore the potential to make a significant contribution to improving diversity and gender
equality across the energy workforce. With an increased global focus on maximizing the potential of hydropower comes the opportunity and the need to address barriers and gaps for women in relation to recruitment, retention, and promotion. Access to quality jobs and assets are key levers of change for women, communities, businesses, and economies. In developing countries, particularly, they are also fundamental drivers of economic growth, poverty reduction, and shared prosperity. The study, which will be led by IHA, focuses on developing countries. It will seek to determine the share of women in different functions in hydropower companies, and to identify the main barriers to entry and advancement of women, as well as effective strategies to address those barriers. As part of the study, the online survey targets various
stakeholders within the hydropower sector, including private companies, public utilities, governmental and non-governmental organizations. It aims to collect quantitative and qualitative data on women’s participation in this sector.
UK
Drax starts planning process to expand Cruachan project The Cruachan pumped storage plant in Scotland could see it capacity more than doubled as owner Drax Group seeks planning permission to expand the iconic project, often referred to as Hollow Mountain. The project, announced as the UK prepares
to host the COP26 climate conference in Glasgow, will support almost 900 jobs in rural areas across Scotland during construction and will provide critical storage capacity needed to support a net zero power system. The 600MW power station will be located inside Ben Cruachan – Argyll’s highest mountain – and increase the site’s total capacity to 1.04GW. The new power station would be built to the east of Drax’s existing 440MW pumped storage hydro station. More than a million tonnes of rock would be excavated to create the hydro cavern and other parts of the power station. The existing upper reservoir will serve both power stations. “This is an exciting and important project which underlines Drax’s commitment to tackling the climate crisis and supporting the energy system as it continues to decarbonise. Our plans to expand Cruachan will unlock more renewable electricity to power homes and businesses across the country, and support hundreds of new jobs in rural Scotland,” Will Gardiner, Drax Group CEO, said. “Last year, the UK’s lack of energy storage capacity meant wind farms had to be paid to turn off and we lost out on enough renewable power to supply a million homes. We need to stop renewable power from going to waste by storing it, and Drax is ready
to move mountains to do just that.” In order to expand the project, Drax must
secure consent under Section 36 of the Electricity Act 1989 from Scottish Ministers – a process which takes around one year to complete from the application’s submission. Alongside a successful Section 36 application, the project will also require an updated policy and market support mechanism from the UK Government. The existing lack of a framework for large- scale, long-duration storage and flexibility technologies means that private investment cannot currently be secured in new pumped storage hydro projects, with no new plants built anywhere in the UK since 1984 despite their critical role in decarbonisation. The first phase of the Section 36 application process includes public consultation this summer. Further consultation events are planned for later in the year, and an application is then expected to be submitted to Scottish Ministers in early 2022.
If it gets the go-ahead, building work on the project could start as early as 2024.
Pakistan
Dams are vital to meet power and water challenges says Pakistan PM The construction of new dams and reservoirs is vital to meet the impending challenges of water shortage and power generation in Pakistan, the country’s Prime Minister Imran Khan has said. During a visit to the construction site of Dasu Dam, the prime minister expressed satisfaction over the pace of ongoing work and lauded efforts towards completion of
project. He said completion of Dasu Dam would ensure cheap and clean electricity and would ease the burden on consumers, while ushering in a new era of socio-economic development in the country. Phase I of Dasu Dam will complete in 2025 when it will start supplying 2160MW to the national grid. After completion of Phase II in 2029, the capacity of the dam will be increased to 4320MW. Under Prime Minister Imran Khan’s vision of power sector reform and better use of the country’s water resources, the work at the Dasu Dam has been enhanced. The purchase of land for the dam has been finalized and the construction of dam is continuing.
Australia Major overhaul planned for Wivenhoe project A $14 million maintenance project started in July at the Wivenhoe Pumped Storage Hydroelectric Power Station in Queensland to preserve the ongoing reliability of the plant.. The major overhaul was announced by the Minister for Energy, Renewables and Hydrogen Mick de Brenni, and is expected to create 100 jobs under the Palaszczuk Government’s COVID-19 Economic Recovery Plan. Maintenance works will run from mid- July through until late October 2021 at the CleanCo owned project. Works will include the repair and refurbishment of one of the project’s 285MW turbines, corrosion protection painting of machinery and pipes, and repairs to a transformer. “Wivenhoe is the jewel in the crown
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