The Hydro Boys: Pioneers of Renewable Energy

by Emma Wood

This work is an account of the pioneering days of hydro-electricity in Scotland. It shows how each hydro project brought its own set of technical challenges, underlining the remarkable engineering achievements involved in bringing hydro-electric power to the wild glens of the Scottish Highlands. It concludes by looking at the future of hydro-electric power worldwide. Is hydro-electric power the sustainable technology of choice in a new century already riven with ecological angst.

Genres: Nonfiction

Paperback

First published May 1, 2002

Reviews

[Owen Hatherley · Rating 4 out of 5]

There ought to be several books on Tom Johnston's TVA/Five Year Plan inspired programme to electrify the Scottish Highlands through hydropower - a road not travelled for nationalised industry, with explicit social commitments and explicit rejection of the infrastructure functioning in a normal capitalist way - but this is a good one from twenty years ago. It rightly stresses both how useful its ideas are now - as a pioneering sustainable, zero-carbon energy project - and how much it was, like its inspirations, very end-justifies-means, sometimes chillingly so. It's hard to care so much for the landlords whose land was 'ruined' by concrete dams or even the two or three tiny villages that were relocated as they were flooded: much more shocking is the safety record on the un-unionised building projects, which resembled the North Sea Oil rush of the '70s - workers suddenly awash with cash, yes, but also a lot of workers dead.

[Andy Diament · Rating 3 out of 5]

At it's best when it focusses on the social history and leadership; weakest on the redundant analysis of energy needs early 2000s

[Leigh · Rating 2 out of 5]

Don't read this expecting a balanced account.

I don't mind disagreeing with Wood's political views and devotion to the hydro projects, it's just that she goes on and on about it. Despite having trained in mechanical engineering, and being interested in renewable energy, I found the book tiresome.

Some interesting accounts of day-to-day life for the workers, but that was about it for me.