Energy from river weirs promises long-term revenue flow

The UK is missing out on an affordable and plentiful source of renewable energy through its failure to deploy micro-hydro technologies capable of generating usable power from existing river weirs.

That is the view of Steve Welsh, managing director of Water Power Enterprises (h2oPE), a so-called community interest company that aims to install 5MW of renewable energy capacity from micro-hydro projects by 2015 and reinvest its profits in community-led environmental projects.

"The infrastructure to do this is already in place, as there are thousands of river weirs across the country that were built during the industrial revolution and are still in good nick," explains managing director Steve Welsh. "As the infrastructure is already there the capital costs are manageable – the issue is picking the right sites, gaining planning permission, clearance from the Environment Agency and a lease from the landowner."

These barriers mean that renewable energy companies have so far largely ignored micro-hydro technologies on the grounds that the relatively small amounts of power generated means it would take five to seven years to deliver a return on investment. But Welsh insists that micro hydro technologies, such as modern Archimedean screws, will generate energy for around 40 years providing h20pe with a long-term and predictable revenue stream.

His comments come as the company announced it was teaming up with Torrs Hydro New Mills Ltd to launch a share offer to fund a new community-owned hydro power plant in Derbyshire.

From Friday, Torrs Hydro New Mills Ltd will offer individuals, local businesses and social investors the chance to fund the project by purchasing a minimum of 250 shares at £1 each. Profits from the £126,000 hydro power plant, which is expected to generate power for up to 70 homes, will then be reinvested in local environmental projects.

Welsh said the initiative was the first step in a wider project to tap into the abundant supply of renewable hydro power across Derbyshire, Yorkshire and Lancashire. He added that the company was investigating similar sites in Sheffield, Stockport, Halifax and Kirklees where micro-hydro power plants could be funded directly by h2oPE or through community share initiatives.

Friends of the Earth, which is supporting the New Mills project, said research showed there are at least 68 sites in Lancashire and Yorkshire that, if developed, could provide enough energy between them to power 18,000 homes.