Highland Community Generating Own Hydro Energy
Published on by Water Network Research, Official research team of The Water Network in Technology
A remote Highland community is set to generate their own green power at the site of what is believed to be the country’s first hydro-electric scheme.
The new project, which will generate up to 100kw of electricity, will be near the dramatic Corrieshalloch gorge, near Ullapool.
The community-owned group BroomPower is aiming to raise £900,000 to fund the development, with members of the public being invited to buy shares.
The run-of-river scheme will generate up to 479,000 kilowatt hours of electricity annually – enough to power more than 100 homes.
Power will be fed into the grid, with the scheme being one of the last to benefit from the original rate of feed-in tariff before it was slashed by the UK government.
From an intake high up on the hillside, a pipeline will deliver water from the Allt a‘Mhuilinn burn to the turbine. The steep terrain and wet climate make the spot ideal for hydro power – a fact that has already been proven with the system set up by Fowler primarily to run a sawmill on his Braemore Estate.
It will be at least 51 per cent community owned but we are not excluding anyone from Scotland, the UK or the rest of the world.
Stephanie Clark of Scottish Renewables, said: “The Highlands of Scotland are hydro power’s traditional heartland, so it’s great to see a community project looking to develop in such a historic location.”
Source: The Scotsman
Media
Taxonomy
- Energy
- Hydro Power
- Renewable Energy