Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 18 June 2013
18 Jun 2013 · S4 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Hydro Power
Water is important to us. That is a self-evident truth, not least because each and every one of us is made up of about 80 per cent water. Without water, there is no human being or human race.
The only chemical formula that many people will probably know is that of water. When H2O is mentioned, the light goes on, even for people who know nothing of chemistry; they know that it means water.
Water is absolutely central to us. Too much of it and a person will drown and die; too little, and a person will wither and die. If people have the right amount of water, they prosper. It is important however one looks at it.
Ken Macintosh referred to Fort Augustus and the first hydro power station that was built there. In 1896, the aluminium factory had what is described as—at least in Wikipedia, so it must be true—
“the first large-scale commercial hydro-electric”
generation.
Ken Macintosh also made reference to Sir James Henderson-Stewart and some of the remarks that he made in Parliament during the war years. I was quite astonished that he did not pick up on some of the important linkages between that man and other events. For example, the 1961 by-election that followed Sir James Henderson-Stewart’s death was the first parliamentary election in which I had a role. Perhaps more crucial to Ken Macintosh is that that by-election was the first parliamentary outing for John Smith—the subsequent UK Labour Party leader. He received 8,882 votes, which was some 26 per cent of the poll. He managed to move the Labour Party up to second place, so he did pretty decently. He did not sustain that in the 1964 election, moved on elsewhere and was eventually elected in 1970.
Water is a great reservoir—I think that that is the right word—of innovation. Its use led to engineering innovation in irrigation thousands of years ago. The Archimedes screw that we are familiar with today almost certainly should not be called the Archimedes screw because it probably predates him by 500 years. It is thought that it came from the time of the Assyrian king Sennacherib, around 700 BC. It was originally a device for lifting water, and was turned by hand, but it became one of the very first sources of generating hydro power by water being allowed to fall through it. It was particularly effective where there was waste material and the water was contaminated because the screw was free flowing—it did not get jammed up in unfavourable conditions.
That brings us to an essential point about water in relation to the debate—1m3 of water weighs 998 kilograms, which is about 1 tonne. Therefore, one can see the power of water that moves horizontally or vertically. An early example is the undershot method, in which the power of the water flowing under a waterwheel is extracted from flow and not from fall, whereas an overshot waterwheel is a combination of underflow and overflow, in which the power is also extracted from the weight of the falling water.
It is worth saying that there is a formula—I am sure that I have it somewhere in my notes. It basically states that 1m3 of water falling 1 foot every second produces something like 96MW. That gives an insight into the power that there is in water. I hope that that formula is right; I simply cannot find the note that I had written it on.
Water has resulted in innovation in lots of other ways. The first combustion engines were dependent on water, the first of which was constructed in the first century AD, when the Greek engineer Hero produced a machine called the aeolipile. The aeolipile was basically a drum that contained water. When the drum was heated, the water heated up, steam came out of vents and the drum spun on an axle. Incidentally, 2,000 years ago, Hero was also the inventor of the first coin-operated dispenser, which dispensed—yes, you have guessed it—water.
Electricity is one of the great benefits from our use of water in Scotland, but transmission of it is a significant problem. We have talked about some of the problems around the network, which we are far from solving. It takes a long time to create the right kind of infrastructure, and transmission was probably the most challenging aspect of the development of hydro power in Scotland. The question was not just how to generate the electricity but how to get it to consumers.
My wife was brought up in a council house on the shores of Loch Ness, at the opposite corner from where, 60 years earlier, the first electricity from hydro power had been generated, but she was in secondary school before electricity reached her. To this day, the brass paraffin lamp beside which she studied when she was a youngster sits in our living room, as a reminder that in her lifetime and mine—and in the lifetimes of one or two other members—the world was very different and electricity was not something that was delivered to all but a few homes.
There are other ways of transmitting power from water. In some places that is done by compressed air. I say to Mary Scanlon that that is a more mechanically efficient approach, because the power from water energy can be transferred to another location without using moving parts of any kind—hence there are no mechanical losses associated with such transmission.
It is worth saying that water is a strategic asset for countries. We need only consider Nasser’s building of the Aswan dam, for irrigation and for hydro power, and the current debate—I think that “debate” is the right word—between Sudan and Egypt, as Sudan seeks to dam the Nile.
The only chemical formula that many people will probably know is that of water. When H2O is mentioned, the light goes on, even for people who know nothing of chemistry; they know that it means water.
Water is absolutely central to us. Too much of it and a person will drown and die; too little, and a person will wither and die. If people have the right amount of water, they prosper. It is important however one looks at it.
Ken Macintosh referred to Fort Augustus and the first hydro power station that was built there. In 1896, the aluminium factory had what is described as—at least in Wikipedia, so it must be true—
“the first large-scale commercial hydro-electric”
generation.
Ken Macintosh also made reference to Sir James Henderson-Stewart and some of the remarks that he made in Parliament during the war years. I was quite astonished that he did not pick up on some of the important linkages between that man and other events. For example, the 1961 by-election that followed Sir James Henderson-Stewart’s death was the first parliamentary election in which I had a role. Perhaps more crucial to Ken Macintosh is that that by-election was the first parliamentary outing for John Smith—the subsequent UK Labour Party leader. He received 8,882 votes, which was some 26 per cent of the poll. He managed to move the Labour Party up to second place, so he did pretty decently. He did not sustain that in the 1964 election, moved on elsewhere and was eventually elected in 1970.
Water is a great reservoir—I think that that is the right word—of innovation. Its use led to engineering innovation in irrigation thousands of years ago. The Archimedes screw that we are familiar with today almost certainly should not be called the Archimedes screw because it probably predates him by 500 years. It is thought that it came from the time of the Assyrian king Sennacherib, around 700 BC. It was originally a device for lifting water, and was turned by hand, but it became one of the very first sources of generating hydro power by water being allowed to fall through it. It was particularly effective where there was waste material and the water was contaminated because the screw was free flowing—it did not get jammed up in unfavourable conditions.
That brings us to an essential point about water in relation to the debate—1m3 of water weighs 998 kilograms, which is about 1 tonne. Therefore, one can see the power of water that moves horizontally or vertically. An early example is the undershot method, in which the power of the water flowing under a waterwheel is extracted from flow and not from fall, whereas an overshot waterwheel is a combination of underflow and overflow, in which the power is also extracted from the weight of the falling water.
It is worth saying that there is a formula—I am sure that I have it somewhere in my notes. It basically states that 1m3 of water falling 1 foot every second produces something like 96MW. That gives an insight into the power that there is in water. I hope that that formula is right; I simply cannot find the note that I had written it on.
Water has resulted in innovation in lots of other ways. The first combustion engines were dependent on water, the first of which was constructed in the first century AD, when the Greek engineer Hero produced a machine called the aeolipile. The aeolipile was basically a drum that contained water. When the drum was heated, the water heated up, steam came out of vents and the drum spun on an axle. Incidentally, 2,000 years ago, Hero was also the inventor of the first coin-operated dispenser, which dispensed—yes, you have guessed it—water.
Electricity is one of the great benefits from our use of water in Scotland, but transmission of it is a significant problem. We have talked about some of the problems around the network, which we are far from solving. It takes a long time to create the right kind of infrastructure, and transmission was probably the most challenging aspect of the development of hydro power in Scotland. The question was not just how to generate the electricity but how to get it to consumers.
My wife was brought up in a council house on the shores of Loch Ness, at the opposite corner from where, 60 years earlier, the first electricity from hydro power had been generated, but she was in secondary school before electricity reached her. To this day, the brass paraffin lamp beside which she studied when she was a youngster sits in our living room, as a reminder that in her lifetime and mine—and in the lifetimes of one or two other members—the world was very different and electricity was not something that was delivered to all but a few homes.
There are other ways of transmitting power from water. In some places that is done by compressed air. I say to Mary Scanlon that that is a more mechanically efficient approach, because the power from water energy can be transferred to another location without using moving parts of any kind—hence there are no mechanical losses associated with such transmission.
It is worth saying that water is a strategic asset for countries. We need only consider Nasser’s building of the Aswan dam, for irrigation and for hydro power, and the current debate—I think that “debate” is the right word—between Sudan and Egypt, as Sudan seeks to dam the Nile.
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (John Scott)
Con
The next item of business is a debate on motion S4M-07024, in the name of Fergus Ewing, on hydro power in Scotland.You have a generous 14 minutes, minister.1...
The Minister for Energy, Enterprise and Tourism (Fergus Ewing)
SNP
Thank you, Presiding Officer. I will revert from fortissimo to pianoforte in my tone.I very much welcome the opportunity to discuss the development of hydro ...
Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con)
Con
I fully support the expansion of hydro schemes. Hydro is a wonderful industrial success. Will the minister ensure that it is also an environmental success, i...
Fergus Ewing
SNP
I agree that environmental issues are important and must be more seriously taken into account.Mary Scanlon has somewhat spoiled my peroration, such as it was...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Con
I call Ken Macintosh, who has a very generous 11 minutes.14:29
Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab)
Lab
Including the minister’s four unused minutes, Presiding Officer?I suspect that many members feel, as I do, a sense of pride and achievement in Scotland’s hyd...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Con
I call Mary Scanlon, who has a generous seven minutes.14:40
Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con)
Con
We are delighted to contribute to this debate on hydro power in Scotland in recognition of the celebration of the 70th anniversary of the Hydro-Electric Deve...
Richard Lyle (Central Scotland) (SNP)
SNP
Hear, hear.
Mary Scanlon
Con
I thank Richard Lyle for his comments. He was very supportive in my recent members’ business debate on the subject.For all that—and all that—two contractors ...
Mike MacKenzie (Highlands and Islands) (SNP)
SNP
Hydro power is perhaps the least contentious of our renewables technologies, and the lack of amendments to the motion might be evidence of that. However, tha...
Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con)
Con
Does Mr MacKenzie remember those days?
Mike MacKenzie
SNP
I am grateful to Mr Fraser for introducing a note of humour into the debate.It is hard now to relate to those concerns of more than a century ago, and it is ...
Margaret McDougall (West Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
I have to say that until now I have enjoyed the history lesson that has been part of the debate.It is right that we celebrate all that has been achieved in g...
Mike MacKenzie
SNP
Does the member accept that it is the UK Government’s failure to upgrade our grid quickly enough that is limiting our ability to decarbonise the energy suppl...
Margaret McDougall
Lab
No. I will not turn around and blame the UK Government; there are things that we can do in Scotland.Supplying 100 per cent of Scotland’s energy from renewabl...
Fergus Ewing
SNP
I agree with much of what the member has said. She said that she would like the Scottish Government to do more to strengthen the grid. Given that there are p...
Margaret McDougall
Lab
Perhaps I can explain that as I go on.I fully appreciate that the Scottish Government is not solely responsible for the implementation of new hydro power sta...
Rob Gibson (Caithness, Sutherland and Ross) (SNP)
SNP
Tom Johnston brought about his hydro power revolution as a result of the particular conditions of total war, when landlord opposition could be waved aside in...
Claire Baker (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab)
Lab
I am pleased to take part in the debate. Hydro power provides energy and jobs to many rural communities, and it can also play a significant part in Scotland ...
Fergus Ewing
SNP
I entirely agree that we want to do everything practical and sensible that we can to encourage communities to develop their own schemes and, when possible, t...
Claire Baker
Lab
Those are welcome comments from the minister.When I speak to people in the sector, the feeling seems to be that there is quite a gap between a community that...
Stuart McMillan (West Scotland) (SNP)
SNP
This is a timely debate that examines the past, present and future of one of Scotland’s most valuable assets—a source of renewable energy that can help to co...
Liam McArthur (Orkney Islands) (LD)
LD
As Margaret McDougall rightly said, we have already had a historical tour de force. I particularly commend Rob Gibson’s speech, in that respect.On the 70th a...
Mike MacKenzie
SNP
As the member for Orkney, surely Mr McArthur is frustrated with the UK Government for not getting on and putting in place the interconnector to Orkney so tha...
Liam McArthur
LD
I certainly share the frustrations of those who are looking to get on and deliver renewables, not just in Orkney but in the other island groups, but I do not...
Stuart McMillan
SNP
Will Liam McArthur give way?
Liam McArthur
LD
I will make some progress, but will come back to Mr McMillan, if I can.There seems to be a case for looking again at how degression will apply in relation to...
Stewart Stevenson (Banffshire and Buchan Coast) (SNP)
SNP
Water is important to us. That is a self-evident truth, not least because each and every one of us is made up of about 80 per cent water. Without water, ther...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Elaine Smith)
Lab
Mr Stevenson, will you begin to conclude, please?