Shrewsbury Hydro win £15,000 funding in public vote

The group won £15,000 from the Energy Share Launch Fund of British Gas that will allow environmental surveys to take place which are needed before a hydro scheme in Shrewsbury can proceed.

The surveys include a full Flood Risk Survey, a Fish Pass Survey, a Protected Species Survey plus associated work so that everything is in place for planning purposes.

The Shrewsbury Hydro Group was formed in 2009 to generate green electricity by using the power of the River Severn at Shrewsbury Weir. Recent increases in fuel costs at power stations together with the introduction of “Feed-in Tariffs” for electricity generated from water and other renewable sources, make it viable to harness the water power of the Severn say the group.

A turbine installed alongside the weir in Shrewsbury could generate almost 2 million kilowatt hours of electricity a year. This will save up to 1,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions each year when compared to using electricity from a conventional power station.

The financial viability of a hydro scheme has been shown by the feasibility studies already carried out.

Shrewsbury Hydro will be owned by residents in Shrewsbury and nearby who wish to subscribe for shares. There will also be a local community fund set up to use some of the income from generating electricity. Projects include video and data links from the turbine to local schools to demonstrate at first hand the amount of green renewable energy produced and the saving of CO2 emissions; also, the installation of local charging points for electric cars/motorbikes so they can be fed with electricity produced directly from the water power of the river. It is intended that the small turbine house, faced in local stone, will be open to visitors and will be an interesting addition to the attractions of the River Severn.

For emore information on the group and project visit http://www.transitiontownshrewsbury.org.uk/hydro/

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