Delivering Sustainable Innovation for a Net-Zero Future

About the project

Glen Earrach Energy is a 2GW, 34GWh pumped storage hydro project located on the Balmacaan Estate above Loch Ness. Using the site’s unique topography and a 480m head height, it will be one of the UK’s largest and most water efficient energy storage schemes, delivering first power in 2030.

Facts at a glance

2GW of installed pumped capacity, 1.8GW of installed electrical generation capacity
34 GWh of clean energy output
10% reduction in the electricity grid’s post-2030 carbon footprint.
Over £2.9 billion in savings to electricity grid running costs

Energy Security and Economic Growth

This project is set to be one of the UK’s largest energy storage schemes. It will help in achieving net-zero goals, enhancing energy security and reducing energy costs.

Environmental Impact

As landowners of the Balmacaan Estate, we are committed to maximising this project’s positive impact, and we’re working to integrate it into the environment and the community by listening to the feedback of local residents

We are working closely with the world’s best experts including AECOM and Alpiq to design a project that preserves the natural landscape and has minimal visual impact.

Long duration energy storage (LDES) reduces the need for gas-fired power plants by storing excess renewable energy and releasing it during peak demand.

Proven Technology

PSH is a proven technology that has delivered for over 100 years and is bankable, predictable, with a proven record of environmental partnership. Aiming to deliver first power by 2030, Glen Earrach Energy is at the forefront of this development.

Efficiency

By harnessing the unique geography of the Balmacaan Estate, Glen Earrach Energy will be the most water-efficient Pumped Storage Hydro (PSH) project in the UK.

The 480m height difference between the upper and lower reservoirs maximises power generation with minimal impact on Loch Ness. This means that our project will generate more energy using less water.

The project’s central grid proximity to existing wind farms increases the potential efficiency of the project and will play a vital role in unleashing existing renewable energy sources like solar and wind.

About Pumped Storage Hydro

Pumped Storage Hydro is a sustainable method for storing electricity. It operates by using the gravitational force of water stored in two reservoirs at different elevations. During periods of low electricity demand, excess energy is used to pump water from a lower reservoir to an upper one, storing energy. When demand increases, the stored water is released back down, passing through turbines to generate electricity. This process provides a reliable and flexible energy supply, efficiently balancing the grid.