Voith Hydro starts new year with expansion of operation and maintenance business for hydropower plants by acquiring majority stake in Green Highland Renewables

• The transaction was agreed on at the end of 2021
• More than 40 hydropower stations are already managed by Green Highland Renewables today
• Both companies will join forces to bring the highest operation and maintenance standards for hydropower fleets to customers worldwide

At the end of last year, Voith Hydro acquired a majority shareholding of Green Highland Renewables (GHR). With this step, the company expands its business in the field of maintenance as well as the operation and development of hydropower facilities.

The German full-line supplier for hydropower equipment and the Scottish service provider create a perfect fit and customers worldwide will benefit from both joining forces. There are already several plants the companies have worked on together – until now separated through the respective scopes of supply. In that way, Voith Hydro was supplying electro-mechanical equipment whereas GHR was responsible for development activities, service and operations at the site.

“Our customers will benefit from a new single-source approach and we together will be able to accompany them through the entire project lifecycle – including plant operation”, explains Moritz von Plate, Head of Voith Hydro’s HyService business unit to which the GHR portfolio will be linked. “Apart from that, there is still a lot of room for growth for both of us. For example, GHR’s strong footprint in Scotland will be a great basis to service also larger hydropower projects and for the entry into the international markets where Voith Hydro is already active.”

Up to now, GHR is one of the leading hydro companies in the United Kingdom especially in the segment of so-called small hydro facilities with up to 20 MW of total output. First projects to be tackled together have already been identified and there is a lot more to come as Alex Reading, CEO at GHR who will remain in this position, indicates:

“I am happy that we have Voith on board bringing in their technical expertise from very small to very large hydropower stations but also modernization know-how and digital tools. I am sure that our customers will benefit from it.”