Community

Hydropower in
Somerset and Dorset
Mill Owners Working Together

Keith Wheaton-Green

Original
Power

How it started
UK Governments expectation of local
authorities

In future there will be more emphasis on local and regional

approaches in delivering our energy objectives. Local authorities have
a growing role as community leaders
We expect that local authorities help to deliver objectives on energy
through their various roles and functions

South Somerset District Councils corporate

objective to reduce CO2
Corporate tradition of proactivity

South Somerset
Hydro resource & Mill sites

First Contact
Keith & Mandy Careys Mill

Brian and Alison -Gants Mill

First Meeting

Funding Application
Energy Saving Trust Innovative Carbon
Reduction Pilot - 8k for feasibility
90k for implementation
SWEBs Green Electron Fund - 45k

Partnership Working

Potential Hydropower in the Stour Catchment

Gauging Station

Large Mills on River Stour 12 80 kW

Original
Power

Propeller and Kaplan Turbines

Keith Shoemarks Double

Regulated Kaplan
Turbine

A
breakthrough
in costs for
small site?

Pico +
Less than
600 (inc
electronic
controls)
Head
1.25m
Flow 35 l/s

0.24 kW
230v
50 Hz

Crossflow Turbine

Francis Turbine

Armfield

Hydrogenerations Polymer
Francis Turbine

Archimedes Screw Turbine

Fish
friendliness
validated
by
Turnpenny
Reduced
costs for
fish
screens

Stages in the development of a hydropower site

Feasibility study to assess the sites potential.
Environment Agency Initial contact with abstraction officer to discuss site details

and proposed hydropower development.

Production of detailed drawings and investigation of costs.

License Application through the Environment Agency.
License Application Advertisement - details on EA website and in local paper.
Planning Application - for any necessary planning and listed building consents.
Civil works any necessary clearing of leat, restoration of hatches, boards or sluices,

construction of turbine and generator housing.

Electricity Application - to distribution network operator for grid connection

Application for Low Carbon Building Programme Funding
Purchase of turbine, generator, penstock and grid connection box.
Installation of above.
Sales of electricity - repayment of investment leading to a long-term income stream

after payback period.

Feasibility Study
Electricity generating potential
This can be calculated using the formula P(kW) = Q x H x 9.81 x E

Catchment

Annual flows

Site flow calculations

Catchment area

= 10.42 km2

Average rainfall across catchment

= 1052.5 mm

Average evaporation rate

= 524 mm

Gross annual flow [A x (R E)] Qgross

= 5,522,600 m3

Mean annual flow

= 0.17 m3/s

Qgross (8760 x 60 x 60)

Q95

m3/s

= 0.061

Residual flow

= 0.020 m3/s

Provisional design flow Qrated = Qmean 0.02

= 0.15 m3/s

Q40

= 0.16 m3/s

(Qmean)

The first four sites for

licences Environment Agency
licence negotiation

1.0

3.00

0.9

2.90

0.8

2.80

0.7

2.70

0.6

2.60

0.5

2.50

0.4

2.40

0.3

2.30

0.2

2.20

0.1

2.10

0.0
0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

exceedence

70%

80%

90%

2.00
100%

head (m)

flow (m3/s)

Cards Mill Flow and Head Duration Curve

Canford School

Development costs for first seven

sites in South Somerset

Emergence of a Mill Owners Group

1. An enthusiastic individual
2. Local Authority support
3. Cooperative Environment Agency Staff
4. Grant support for feasibility funding
5. Core of determined mill owners with technical or project
management skills
6. Good communication