Micro-hydro electric power at Holwick: a proposal of work.

 

Ian Consterdine, July/August 2005

 

 

Water flowing through Holwick (OS NY 900270) along Scar and Holwick Becks (two names for the same physical channel) could be intercepted and used to generate useful (240VAC) electrical power at installation and maintenance costs before the water is returned to the beck. (plan.)

 

The proposal needs access in the ‘Right to Roam’, HMG UK 2005 region indicated on local maps⁰. The result shall not damage the Scars. The ten, or so, street lights along the Holwick road would be supplied as the test load (500 Watts) by techniques in use, for example, at Langdon Beck Youth Hostel. Internet monitoring technology would be used to control the power generated and distributed. Excess power output (over the street light and control requirement) from a prototype device would contribute to the National Electricity Grid (NEG) at other times.

 

The ‘income’ for the village and community includes a local tax rebate for the street lights and their maintenance (roughly £500 to £1000 per annum, Durham County Council, 2001¹). Income from sale of power to the NEG would not exceed 365.25 x 24 = £87.66 p.a. per kilowatt hour (or ‘unit’) sold at 1p per unit and pro rata.

 

The prototype 3-phase motor-as-generator supplied by AB Engineering, Boldron, Co. Durham is configured to yield a maximum output of 1.6kW (roughly 1 unit) and would be expected to earn more than £100 annually from sale of power. Practical limits to such schemes are presented in “Micro-Hydro Power”² where it is shown that an approximate 50m head, flowing at ten litres per second, give or take a litre, yields between 1kW and 6kW of useful power. The available output reaches 300kW for a cubic metre per second of flow at the same head pressure. Such flow rates in Teesdale Becks are commonplace during the winter months. (25 mm of rainfall ~ 250 Tonnes of water per Hectare.)

 

Suitably housed and connected Pelton Wheel-driven turbines, designed for low flow, moderate head systems, intercepting some of the flow at the head of Holwick Scars could supply 3kW (£2.5k annual income if sold at 1p per unit) continuously. A maximum of 300kW (£250k annual income @ 1p per unit) using more complex “Crossflow, Francis & Turgo”² turbines approaches the full potential of this proposal although, if the water were piped from Cow Green reservoir to Lingy Home (say) on the same OS, 1:25000 map, the numbers grow quickly: potential > 1 MW, 21 hours per day, 6-7 days per week: Community Income > £1M per annum.

 

I hope this finds you well and in good spirits,

 

Const.

 

California, read ‘ed.’

 

 

Requirements

 

Repeat: The result shall not damage the Scars.

 

Additional:

 

Engineering work. Source: Local.

 

Pipe: 200mm ID Kevlar™-lined hose (length ~1 km) and fittings or cheaper (4.5-bar capable) industrial pipe. Source: Military surplus fuel line, oil industry waste or other.

 

Pelton Wheels & housing. Source: e-bay and/or local.

 

Control/sensor electronics, wireless Internet connection and metered power connection to NEG. Source: In-house and N-Power.

 

 

Local opinion

 

Morgan Lynch, “Will it work?”

Keith Robertshaw, “If it saves me money… wel…”

 

If checked, the proposal has no objection from:

 

Alan Bell, Holwick Head House         √

David Wesson, Hield House              √

Diane Wesson, Hield House              √

Richard Walton, Hield House Farm

Strathmore & Kinghorn, The Lodge

Craig Lowes, The Mizzes

Richard Laidlaw, Low Pikestone        √

Mandy Laidlaw, Low Pikestone         √

Andrew Laidlaw, Low Pikestone        √

Morgan Lynch, Pikestone                 √

Joan Lynch, Pikestone                      √

Robert Laidlaw, Castle Cottage         √

Ian Cook, Green Cottage                   √

Zoe Taylor, Castle Cottage                 √

Joe Robson, West Farm Cottage       √

Newhouse Farm                                √

1 Cross House

2 Cross House

3 Cross House

Bluebell Cottage

Middle Farm

School House                                    √

6 Allen’s Hill                                     √

5 Allen’s Hill

4 Allen’s Hill

3 Allen’s Hill

1 & 2 Allen’s Hill

The Reading Room

Bank House

The Barn

The Strathmore Arms & Campers     √

Greenacres                                        √ (2x visitors)

Roadside House

Low Way Farm

Hungry Hall

Park End Farm

West Crossthwaite Farm

East Crossthwaite

Rock Villa

1 Station Bank

2 Station Bank

3 Station Bank

4 Station Bank

Step Ends Farm

 

Additionally, the proposal has the support of:

 

Alan Bell, Holwick

Eric Blundell, Middleton in Teesdale

Freda Blundell, Middleton in Teesdale

Ray Bottley, London

Ted Cambridge, London

Ian Consterdine, Holwick

Keith Consterdine, Horwich

Peter Consterdine, Westhoughton

Ian Cook, Holwick

Jeff Crossley, Holwick

Alan Hallimond, Holwick

Hillary Hallimond, Holwick

Emma Hay, Holwick

Melodee Hill, Newbiggin

Janet Jones, Farnworth

Richard Laidlaw, Holwick

Morgan Lynch, Holwick

Joan Lynch, Holwick

Vince O’Leary, Middleton in Teesdale

Daniel Martin, Barlborough

Kevin Nixon, http://www.kevinandfatma.blogspot.com/

Margaret Pentland, Witton-le-Wear

Simpson Renicks, Wilmslow

Keith Robertshaw, Holwick

Martin Smith, Grimsby

Celia Smith, Grimsby

Johnnie Walker, Keswick

David Wesson, Holwick

Diane Wesson, Holwick

 

References

 

0 http://www.climbonline.co.uk/holwick_scar.htm

 

1 Durham County Council, Engineering Department, 2001.

 

2 Tim Kirby & Brian Horne, “Micro-Hydro Power”, 1999, The Centre for Alternative Technology, Powys, Wales.

 

Consultants: Alan Bell, John Bell, Constance Consterdine, Ian Consterdine, Janet Consterdine, Keith Consterdine, Neville Consterdine, Peter Consterdine, Ian Cook, Melodee Hill, Morgan Lynch, Joe Robson, Andrew Robinson, Julie Robinson, Terry Robinson.

 

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