On Tuesday 20th March, a group of Lles members visited Jolyon and Alex Higgs' farm at Twlwch, to see their newly installed micro-hydro system.

The system has a capacity of 5.5 kW and was commissioned in February 2012, and has already produced more than 4000 kWhrs to the grid.

We started at the intake, where Jolyon explained the need for a settlement weir to remove stones, and several gratings to prevent debris from entering the penstock.

The intake to the penstock allows a "hands off flow" to remain in the stream bed together with a large overflow pipe to accommodate any excess beyond the capacity of the system.

The Penstock - a 600m length of 200 mm high pressure plastic pipe - is fed from a holding tank at the intake, where final settlement takes place. The pipe travels almost along the contour, for nearly its whole length, before plunging down the last 35 metres to the Turbine House. 

The water is split into 2 pipes before entering the turbine, and is at a pressure of 60 psi. Spear valves adjust the water flow to maintain a constant level of water in the intake's settlement tank. This allows the turbine to operate correctly when water flowrate changes. The generator can produce up to 5.5 kW - and this power is fed into the grid via the farmhouse electrical connection.

Jolyon told us that the project had started 3 years ago, when the Environment Agency (E.A.) was initially contacted. Since then he has been required to submit several reports on fish, invertebrates and plant life along in the stream, in order to obtain E.A. approval. Further licences for water abstraction had also to be obtained, together with planning permission from the local authority. The Highways Department needed consultation for the burial of the penstock and the elecricity board and infrastructure companies approached for their approval. Jolyon said it was an uphill struggle, but was worth it in the end.

We were all very impressed by the micro-hydro at Cwm Fron and were extremely grateful to Mr and Mrs Higgs for giving us the opportunity to see the system at close quarters and discuss it in such great detail. Thank You Jolyon and Alex!

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Young Energy People!: YEP!

Saving energy at Llanidloes High School

Donning boiler suits and carrying their clipboards, eco-conscious students at Llanidloes High are surveying their school this week looking for opportunities to cut carbon emissions and save money through the award winning Young Energy People! project. .

Young Energy People! or YEP! was developed by the sustainable energy charity Severn Wye Energy Agency and has been running successfully in Gloucestershire schools since 2007. A national award winner for sustainable energy last year, YEP! is now making its first mark in Wales, delivered by Llanidloes Energy Solutions (LLES Ltd) with the support of Powys County Council, the Powys Environmental Partnership and Llanidloes Rotary Club.

Introduced to YEP! through Pathfinder, the Welsh Government’s scheme to support community action on climate change, Diana Berriman, of LLES Ltd, said;

“YEP! is a great scheme and we’re delighted to deliver it here in Llanidloes - we hope to help the High School make big savings on fuel bills and carbon emissions. If we are to address new challenges like climate change and rising fuel prices, the current generation must be empowered to save energy and protect the environment. The pupils are a bright bunch with lots of ideas. I’m confident we can make a real difference.”

YEP! trains teams of students to survey, monitor and report on the energy use in their school, recommending improvements and campaigning for individuals to conserve energy.

YEP! is steered in the school by the School Energy Management Team. Following a real life job interview, student recruits have taken up their positions in roles as diverse as IT and Marketing to Energy Advisors and Senior Project Leaders.

Students are sharpening their knowledge of energy and climate change, getting the skills to survey school buildings and, like energy detectives hunt down areas where energy can be used more wisely.

YEP! teams will present their findings to staff and governors and spread their message throughout the community with an energy efficiency campaign to tie in with the World Wildlife Fund’s Earth Hour on 31st March.

Darren Davies, Head Teacher of Llanidloes High School explains why he was attracted YEP!:

“I’m expecting YEP! to build academic and personal confidence as students apply Science, Maths, IT and English to understand how their school works, learn about heating and lighting systems, take up work placements and launch campaigns to encourage greater resource conservation and environmental stewardship.”

Acknowledging the high level of support for students’ endeavours through YEP!, the survey day was attended by Councillors Ken Harris, Cabinet Member for Waste, Climate Change and the Welsh Language, Stephen Hayes, Cabinet Member for Learning and Leisure, the Mayoress and Deputy Mayor of Llanidloes, Mrs Diana Whittal-Williams and Cllr Christina Edwardes.

According to Councillor Ken Harris:

“I have been impressed with Llanidloes students’ knowledge of climate change and ideas to control energy use. I’m excited by YEP! and I’m keeping a keen eye on the project to see how YEP! might help us cut carbon emissions and save energy bills in other schools in Powys."

Find out more about the work of the Severn Wye Energy Agency at www.swea.co.uk

Contacts: Mark Stead (YEP! Programme Officer, SWEA) – 07814-970-199, Diana Berriman (Development Officer, LLES) – 07899-766-123, Simon Bishop (Pathfinder Officer, Powys and Ceredigion – 07791-331-481)