Reading Hydro start work on Thames water turbine
Work starts on community project to generate electricity in the heart of the town.
Last updated 8th Oct 2020
Six years ago former builder turned sustainability consultant Tony Cowling suggested the idea to build a water turbine in the Thames and generate electricity for the community. This week the dream starts to become a reality.
Tony and some friends formed the Reading sustainability centre to advance the idea and attract grants to carry out feasibility work. Eventually the centre launched Reading Hydro community benefit society a form of not-for-profit charity.
Over the past twelve months a share offer raised almost a million pounds to purchase the hydro-electricity equipment that will be needed, and to employ a project manager.
Work is now starting next to Caversham Weir in the heart of Reading.
First up a pontoon will be built to enable equipment to reach View island. It's adjacent to here that the turbine will be sunk into the river bed and a natural fish pass constructed to allow fish and eels heading upstream to navigate around it. As part of the project bat boxes have been even been built to help the local eco-system. Tony says:
"We're hoping to have it generating electricity around Easter time next year. There's quite a few hurdles to overcome, we're struggling with a few things. Biggest risk we've got is the river flooding that could put us back a few months"
Most of the money raised for the project came from local people, and the electricity generated will be used by a local business. Any electricity left over will be sold to the National Grid. Current regulations mean it can't be sold directly to local homes but Tony believes this could change in the next few years. Tony adds:
"I like the idea of it (electricity) not costing anyone anything, everybody gets their money back and it finishes up as a community asset. In twenty years time, probably it'll be around £100,000 a year going into local charities.
Before that Tony hopes it'll be used as an educational tool allowing children to learn about sustainable energy and biodiversity.
"Children can come down here and look at an actual hydro electricity plant, even children 6, 7 years old can come down and look at life cycles of various invertebrates, amphibians, maybe even see fish spawning in our natural fish pass"
Tony wants it (the plant) to inspire schools to make sustainability part of their teaching, he says only one school in Reading has currently got it "running through their curriculum and management structure". He believes it's important for children to learn to live in a sustainable way for the sake of the next generation.
You can get more details on the project at hydro.readinguk.org