River Kennet hydro power idea back on council's agenda

The River Kennet has a 100m fall across West Berkshire

Energy generated from rivers could be used to power local authority buildings, 20 years after the idea was first suggested.

West Berkshire Council heard there were opportunities for small-scale hydroelectric power generation on the River Kennet.

A feasibility study was carried out in 2008 but was not proceeded with.

Members of the cross-party environment advisory group said it should revisited as part of its climate change policy.

A meeting of the group heard the River Kennet has a 100m fall across West Berkshire which would provide enough of a drop to generate the power.

Electric street lighting was powered by a turbine in 1904, and the site at Greenham Mill was last used in the 1950s.

Lib Dem councillor Roger Hunneman said in the 2000s he secured funding for a feasibility study into using an Archimedian screw generator - yielding about 20-40kW - at Victoria Sluices in 2003, and later at Lock Island.

"This activity died out in 2011 as it became clear that cost of the civil engineering needed would be too much to warrant spending for the likely electrical output at that time of austerity," he said.

'Continuous power'

Mr Hunneman said resurrecting the idea of renewable power for the council offices in Newbury would be "a very good way of cutting the district's carbon footprint".

Belgian hydropower company Turbulent also gave a presentation on the opportunities for low level hydroelectric power.

They include installing turbines near weirs or along rivers, using technology that has moved on from the technical solution suggested 20 years ago.

The company's Maria Elvira Zeman said: "For the same amount of energy as one 70kw turbine, you would have to install a solar plant the size of a football field, and that doesn't provide continuous power either."

She explained that the generator is put under water, and so does not create noise.

Another member of the advisory group, Conservative Richard Somner, said be was "very keen" for the idea to be investigated further.

"We also have the Thames flowing through in the north east of the district, so we should be mindful of other areas as well as those in Newbury," he added.