On Friday 9th March, Glyn Davies MP visited the site of the planned Penarth Weir Hydroelectric project on the River Severn. The project is being run by Robert Owen Renewables, a non-profit cooperative based in Newtown. It is currently planned to install a 100kW Archimedes screw turbine, which is safe for fish to pass through and is less likely to suffer blockages than other technologies.
The scheme, which is being part funded by Powys County Council and partly through individuals buying shares, will produce around 400,000kWh of electricity per year. The cost is expected to be £450,000.
After the visit, Glyn Davies said “Due to the amount of publicity spent on wind power many people now associate renewable energy with wind turbines. I am keen to raise awareness of the other types of renewable energy which are available, which can be effective but on a much smaller scale. Robert Owen Renewables is a local cooperative being run by people living in Newtown and the project is in scale with its environment. The Penarth Weir hydro scheme shows that we can oppose inefficient, oversized onshore wind developments while still being responsible for our energy needs.”
Jeremy Thorp, who is on the board of directors at Robert Owen Renewables, said “We have been delighted with the support given by Powys County Council. I am sure that this project will serve as an example to many other local community groups who want to get involved in local energy generation schemes. We are very happy to have had the opportunity to show Glyn around the site and we are grateful for his support. Anybody interested in investing in the scheme can go to www.ror.coop and click on ‘Investing in a Project’ to find out more.”
The planned start date for installation of the hydroelectric is Spring 2013.
