Hydro Ness wins prestigious national construction award

Hydro Ness, Highland Council’s new renewable energy installation, has scooped a prestigious national construction award.

The Archimedes Screw installation on the banks of the River Ness in Inverness was named Small Project of The Year at the recent British Construction Industry Awards (BCIA 2022).

This latest award comes just days after Hydro Ness was commended with a Merit at the national Structural Steel Design Awards 2022.

The renewable powerhouse has also won the Scottish Highlands & Islands Renewable Energy Award for Best Onshore Renewable Energy Project 2022 and is a short-listed finalist for The VIBES - Scottish Environment Business Awards.

Hydro Ness uses the natural flow of the River Ness to generate electricity and incorporates a public viewing gallery and visitor attraction. The power generated will supply the nearby Inverness Leisure centre and provide approximately 50% of its electricity needs, saving over 140,000kg of CO2e each year.

The scheme is expected to reduce carbon emissions by over 140,000 kg per annum. This is also strengthened using natural resources in the form of an historically and ecologically important river. 

The project was delivered by Highland Council, with support from architects Leslie Hutt Architect, structural engineers Hasson Engineering Solutions, steelwork contractors M. Hasson and Sons Ltd., and the main contractors Bradley and Company, Hydro NI.

Chair of Highland Council’s Economy and Infrastructure Committee, Cllr Ken Gowans, said: “This is fantastic news, and the second time this innovative and important project has been recognised this month.

“Hydro Ness is a shining example of how Highland Council is already rising to the demands of the climate and ecological emergency, whilst helping to achieve our net zero emissions ambitions by 2025.”

Head of Property & Facilities Management at Highland Council, Finlay MacDonald, said: "The Project Team were delighted to be recognised at these national awards, which demonstrates how significant the project has been.

"There was excellent collaboration and great passion from all involved to achieve such a functional and unique structure. The project outcomes will leave a lasting legacy, which will benefit the local community, help develop skills, provide education and of course help the environment.”

Cllr Karl Rosie, Chair of Highland Council’s Climate Change Committee, said: “Everyone involved in the delivery of the Hydro Ness project should be rightfully proud of this fantastic achievement.

“The new Climate Change Committee aims to build on the success of Hydro Ness and identify other creative ways in which we can build sustainability into everything we do going forward as a Council.”

Inverness Provost, Cllr Glynis Sinclair, said: “This is wonderful news for the team who worked so hard on this amazing project.

“It’s a very exciting time for Inverness right now. The city is at the forefront of Highland Council’s green revolution thanks to projects like Hydro Ness and we hope this will soon be followed by the new sustainable energy centre, which proposes to provide a heating solution for Inverness Castle, currently being developed into a world class visitor attraction.”