How Is Scotland Becoming a Hydro Nation

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How Is Scotland Becoming a Hydro Nation

Scotland's Hydro Nation Strategy launched in 2012, it is designed to deliver economic growth for Scotland through maximising the economic benefits of the country's water resources by reducing energy use and improving efficiency

Coinciding with the congress, Scottish Water International announced it had won a contract to provide advice and support to SA Water, a utilities firm owned by the government of South Australia. It is the latest win for Scottish Water's international subsidiary, which has exported more than £2 million of services to global clients in the past year.

The deal is a timely demonstration of how Scotland can export its national water expertise. After all, the Scottish and wider UK water industry has a strong global reputation. But it is still some way from transferring that expertise into commercial gain.

The UK water sector has historically lacked an aligned vision and failed to grasp how high-quality research can be commercialised. It has not supported the transition from strong academic research to marketable products, or given early-stage technology companies the commercial know-how to think about products and markets on a global scale. A lack of centralised resources for testing and validating new products has hampered innovation.

This is why Scotland's Hydro Nation Strategy is so vital to the country's economic prosperity. Launched in 2012, it is designed to deliver economic growth for Scotland through maximising the economic benefits of the country's water resources by reducing energy use and improving efficiency.

A key component of this strategy is the Hydro Nation Water Innovation Service, announced by Derek Mackay, minister for transport and islands, at the congress. It is believed to be a world first for the water sector, bringing together industry, academia and government.

Scottish Enterprise and Highlands & Islands Enterprise have appointed global infrastructure services firm Aecom, and its partners WRc and UK Water, to deliver the service on behalf of the Scottish Government. The three-year programme aims to increase innovation, turning Scotland's water expertise into market opportunities.

Aecom, which employs nearly 800 people in Scotland, and its partners will principally work with Scottish environmental technology SMEs in the water and waste water sector, to help turn near-market research into tangible opportunities.

Source: The Scotsman


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