Technology installed at a Scottish Water reservoir is converting water-power into electricity, saving the equivalent of 93 tonnes of carbon dioxide a year – and is enough to power approximately 100 homes annually.

The scheme at Lower Glendevon Reservoir Perthshire harnesses energy from water which is drawn down from the reservoir each day then processed through a hydro-turbine.

The green electricity generated through renewable technology, constructed by engineering specialists Torishima, is then supplied to the National Grid.

The scheme is helping Scottish Water achieve net zero emissions by 2040 - the water company is aiming to produce or host three times the amount of renewable energy to the electricity it uses by 2030.

Patrick Stakim, project manager for Scottish Water’s energy team, said:

“This technology at Lower Glendevon Reservoir is a great example of how Scottish Water is working hard to protect the environment by working with other agencies to generate green power.

“Treating water is an energy intensive process and with Scottish Water’s carbon footprint dominated by electricity at around 69%, natural resources are being put to good use here to help off-set the amount of electricity we use."

Scottish Water is one of the biggest users of electricity in the country, consuming about 440 Gigawatt hours (GWh) per year of grid electricity.

The utility has 37 operational turbines located on 25 different sites to help off-set its energy usage - with an installed capacity of 7.2 Megawatts (MW), these have a design generation of 40.19 GWh per annum.

Cara Dalziel, Policy Manager at Scottish Renewables, said:

"Hydro provides around a fifth of Scotland's renewable electricity and is key not just to meeting our stretching climate targets and tackling the climate emergency, but also to supporting the financial viability of rural businesses and to developing the smart, local energy systems we need for the future.”