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Developing Community Hydro Schemes in Oxfordshire. Alison Wilshaw Renewables Advisor TV Energy. Developing Community Hydro Schemes in Oxfordshire – Learning from the Goring and Streatley Project. What can we learn from the process of the Goring and Streatley project?
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Developing Community Hydro Schemes in Oxfordshire Alison Wilshaw Renewables Advisor TV Energy
Developing Community Hydro Schemes in Oxfordshire – Learning from the Goring and Streatley Project • What can we learn from the process of the Goring and Streatley project? • Can we use this experience to assist the delivery of future hydro projects in our area? • Guidelines to assist communities in the development of future hydro schemes
Goring and Streatley Hydro Project • Project managed by one community member (Dave Holt) with support from other members • Run-of-river scheme, - more complicated than mill stream schemes • Joint initiative between two communities; undertaken on not-for-profit basis
Feasibility Study (July 2006) Stakeholder meeting (March 2007) Fundraising Outline Design Study (completed March 2008) suggested peak output of 246kW with three spirals Photomontage of Goring Hydro Scheme Goring and Streatley Hydro – Stages in the Development Process
Baseline Flood Risk Assessment (July 2008): slight increase of flood risk during 100 year event Flood Risk Modelling, (October 2009 – March 2010) Environmental Survey – river ecology, visual and landscape survey (June 2008 – June 2009) Goring and Streatley Hydro – Stages in the Development Process
Share issue / fundraising Planning Application (SODC) Land Drainage Consent and Impoundment License Detailed design and specification Selection of contractor for construction Goring and Streatley - what next?
TV Energy Low Head Hydro Study Summary of South East low head Hydro Potential (assumes 2004 technology) Low Head Hydro Power in the South-East of England – A Review of the Resource and Associated Technical, Environmental and Socio-Economic Issues, TV Energy, 2004
Developing a community hydro scheme – will it work? • Basic data: Flow, Q and Head, H • P (kW) = 7 x Q (m³/sec) x H (m) • Schemes on the River Thames are generally low-head • Schemes over 10 kW may be suitable for further study • Several consultancies which deliver low cost or free prefeasibility studies
Proximity to sub-station or load for electricity (hotel, shops, houses) Landowner permission Access for construction traffic Space at side of weir Existing mill stream Community hydro – key site data
Involve the Environment Agency at earliest stages Environmental Surveys Flood Risk Analysis Fisheries Abstraction License; Impoundment License Local Planning Authority Lease of land fromlandowner Permissions
Feed-in-Tariff for Hydro schemes In addition to the above, a guaranteed export price of 3 p/kWh Worked Example: Head: 2m, Flow rate: 3 m³/sec P = 7 x 2 x 3 = 42 kW Annual generation at 50% capacity factor: 182,070 kWh Installed cost @ c. £5000 / kW = £210,000 Annual revenue of scheme = 182,070 x (0.178 + 0.03) = c. £37,871 Simple payback 5.6 years
Financing the project • Project capital may be financed through: • Equity in the project, through local share issue • Loans, but need to be long term • Finance packages negotiated with financial management companies • Part debt, part equity – banks may be more willing to lend where equity can be used to leverage further funds • Direct investment, e.g. Eon, EDF, to enlarge their renewables portfolio
Setting up the legal structures • Form a legal entity to access grants, loans, or to issue shares • Private Limited Company • Industrial and Provident Society • Not-for-profit organisation • Co-operative group • The type of structure depends on the purpose of the legal entity
Other examples of community energy projects • Torrs Hydro, New Mills, Derbyshire • Baywind Energy Co-operative, Cumbria • Westmill Windfarm Co-operative, Oxfordshire • Energy4All – www.energy4all.co.uk • South Somerset Hydropower Group
Dorchester-on-Thames (Days Lock Weir) Henley-on-Thames Whitchurch / Pangbourne Benson / Wallingford / Brightwell-cum- Sotwell South Oxfordshire Hydro Communities
Guidelines for Developing Community Hydro Schemes in Oxfordshire Thank you for listening alison.wilshaw@tvenergy.org