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Water Power

As part of the series of articles on Transition, Chris and Jan write to tell us about micro-hydro scheme being run in Castle Douglas.

Written by Chris & Jan Attkins
Thursday, 4 September 2008

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As regular readers will know, we have been investigating alternative methods of generating power, making short video presentations of these to enable others to evaluate what might be applicable to their business or domestic circumstances. This week Jan and I travelled to Castle Douglas to film a micro-hydro scheme installed by Chris and Jean Mason at their old mill house.

It’s brilliant! Throughout the wet months of each year (so that includes August 2008) they generate nearly 3kW of mains electricity all day and all night, significantly reducing their electricity consumption from the national grid, while heating their home in the process.

Not everyone has a ready-made water supply like a millstream, but lots of Arran properties are close to a stream or other body of water. Modern turbine design opens the possibility of deriving electricity from quite a modest flow of water. We’re still researching this subject and hope to report further practical applications soon. Meantime, consider this: Good Energy currently pays 9p per kWh generated — even to those using their own power. This really does provide a realistic return on what is undoubtedly a high capital investment, for which a 30% government grant is currently available. Imagine being paid a thousand pounds a year for electricity YOU use free!


While down at the Scottish Borders we visited The CatStrand, Dumfries and Galloway’s newest arts and community venue, heated by a Kob 45kW wood pellet stove. This is a relatively complex installation since the water heated by the stove is used not only for the hot taps and underfloor heating, but also to heat the auditorium both by radiators and by pre-heating the air that feeds it.

Once again, a determined effort by those responsible resulted in significant grant assistance with the capital costs and the end result is a renewable source of heat for a public complex at the heart of the community.

Video case studies of both installations are currently in production and will appear on our Community Website, ArranOnline.com within the next fortnight.

If you know of a small-scale installation for generating electricity that might be applicable to Arran, please let Chris or Jan Attkins know by e-mailing janattkins@mac.com. Similarly, please tell us if you have first-hand experience of insulating older property.

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