Castlefields Weir

lenmarlow — Thu, 27 May 2010 15:05:44 +0000

Two years ago, we submitted proposals to Shropshire Council for a community-owned hydro generation scheme on the River Severn at Castlefields Weir, Shrewsbury. In May last year, the Council then asked for anyone who wished to show an Expression of Interest for a lease of land owned by the Council at the weir, to submit their proposals by 4^th June. We have sent in our Expression of Interest based on the proposal we made last year and the Council is currently evaluating this and any other proposals received.

This is an exciting vision for hydropower at the weir, working jointly with Energy4All, the UK’s foremost experts in community owned renewable energy.

A year on…

Interest is building for a community owned hydro development in Shrewsbury.
Transition Town Shrewsbury have set up a community group, Shrewsbury Hydro. They have been shortlisted by Energyshare to receive an award to continue the preliminary environmental work.

Follow the links to Transition Town Shrewsbury site to learn more.

Further down River Severn

We are working with Sustainable Bridgnorth to establish potential hydro sites in the Bridgnorth area. Sustainable Bridgnorth have successfully secured funding from the Energy Saving Trust to work with other hydro groups in South Shrophire to develop various hydro projects. We are very pleased to be supporting them in this initiative.

Meanwhile in South Wales

All Rivers Hydro Ltd are working with the local community group to provide a 50kW hydro installations on the redevelopment of Navigation Colliery, Crymlyn.

And in Pershore

Hydropower scheme a possibility – The Evesham Observer reports

By Gary Smee 24/02 Updated: 24/02 13:34

THE POSSIBILITY of building a new hydropower scheme at Nafford Weir near Pershore will be looked into it has been revealed. Transition Pershore, the community group seeking to increase local sustainability, has won a government grant of £34,000 to see if it can be done. The award, from the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC), was made from the department’s Local Energy Assessment Fund, recently set up to fund exploratory work for community renewable energy generation or energy saving schemes.

It will allow the group to use a specialist company, All Rivers Hydro, to fully assess the potential and viability of the proposed scheme, to carry out surveys and to prepare specifications and estimates. Meanwhile the Sharenergy Co-operative will assist with the business side.

Dr Trevor Pryce-Jones, chairman of Transition Pershore, said: “We’re all very excited about the scheme. “Our immediate challenge is to carry out all necessary preliminary work by the end of March, the Government’s deadline. “Early indications are that the site is an excellent one for the development of a hydropower plant, with potential to generate around 190 kW when operating at peak conditions. “Being almost equidistant between the villages of Birlingham, Eckington and Great Comberton, and only four miles from Pershore, we believe the scheme will attract lots of support from these communities. We are looking forward to being able to present our proposals once the preliminary work has been done.”

Transition Pershore will be holding a public meeting on Friday, April 20 at 7.30pm in the Courtyard Room at Pershore Number 8 when there will be an opportunity to learn more about hydro power from Len Marlow of All Rivers Hydro.

For more details log onto http://transitionpershore.org