A Revolution in Energy Production

A Community Hydro Electric Scheme for Settle

SETTLE HYDRO IS GO!
Construction to start on Monday 15th June

We are delighted to bring you the news you have all been waiting for – construction starts on the Settle Hydro site on Monday 15th June!

The Directors of Settle Hydro would like to take this opportunity to thank Yorkshire Forward, Future Energy Yorkshire, The Charity Bank, Helen and Steve from our project management partners H2ope, Chris and Hugh from I’Anson’s for their invaluable advice and help, and last, but certainly not least our 165 individual shareholders who have made this project possible. It has certainly been a winding road to get to this point, but by working closely with all the interested parties we have made it possible. So our thanks also go to Craven District Council, the Environment Agency, and local supportive anglers in Settle.

There will be an approx 75 day build to install our Archemedian screw by our contractors, Lakeland Marine Construction, under the leadership of Richard and Julie, and we will bring you all the news, views, photos and anecdotes as we go along. Keep up to date (from next week) on www.greensettle.org.uk/hydro, and on our soon to be added Facebook page, details of which will be forwarded in due course. By October we will be producing clean, green, renewable energy, from a sustainable source.

We know that some of you may wish to visit during the build period. You are more than welcome to do this, to take photos, or just have a look, but please obey all the signs and do not enter the building site itself. On some days you may even see some people from the BBC who will be filming the project through to completion, or you might come across people from other parts of the country who want to do the same in their towns and villages! We hope to have one or two ‘shareholder’ days during the summer when you can come down and have a look, and perhaps meet some of the other like minded shareholders, and meet the directors.

Our updated contact details are:

ann@settlehydro.org.uk Tel 01729 823155 - for general or more detailed enquires, group/individual visit requests, publicity and press. If you wish to visit and let me know in advance , we will try to arrange to meet you and explain what’s going on, but please be aware that Settle Hydro isn’t our full time job so it may not always be possible.

steve@settlehydro.org.uk - for any queries about shareholding, and general progress queries.

As you can imagine, there’s lots to do today, before our start on Monday, so we’ve kept this newsletter fairly brief. So all it remains for us to say , once again, on behalf of the people of Settle, and on behalf of those who will benefit from clean , green electricity- thank you.

Ann Harding , Steve Amphlett and Helen Walker.

Directors Settle Hydro.

FREE ADVICE FOR POTENTIAL COMMUNITY HYDROS

Due to overwhelming interest in community owned hydro schemes, Water Power Enterprises (h2oPE) are running a series of free workshops for community groups wanting to set up small-scale hydros.

The first workshop takes place on Thursday 30 April at the Manchester Knowledge Capital, Oxford Rd, Manchester and there will be further workshops on 01 July, 28 July, 29 September, 29 October and 24 November. The practical sessions will show people the various stages needed to develop their own community hydro scheme, using the success of the UK’s first community-funded hydro at New Mills as a case study.

Steve Welsh, MD of Yorkshire-based Water Power Enterprises (h2oPE) who initiated the scheme at New Mills and is currently working on Settle Hydro said:

“These workshops will provide people with an A-Z to setting up a community hydro scheme, from having the initial idea through to producing green electricity. We’ll be able to show them on a step-by-step basis what’s involved from choosing a site, obtaining permissions, raising the finance and the legal structures required for community ownership. We’ll also be able to advise on fundraising and share our financial model. At the end of the workshop, we hope people will either want to work with Water Power Enterprises, or feel confident that they can set up a community hydro scheme themselves.”

Attendance at the workshops is by invitation. Anyone wanting to be considered should contact Steve via email steve.welsh@h2ope.co.uk or telephone 07964 106037.

Attendees will be expected to do some ‘homework’ on their site before the workshop and Water Power Enterprises (h2oPE) will spend time with each individual project to discuss their particular issues.

Press contact: for further information, or to arrange an interview contact Clare Walker on 07595 873221/0161 374 5868 or email claremwalker@hotmail.co.uk

Notes to Editor:

1. Water Power Enterprises (h2oPE) were responsible for the UK's first community-funded hydro in New Mills. The Co-operative Group has backed Water Power Enterprises (h2oPE) with a £48,000 Co-operative Fund grant to develop three community-led renewable energy projects, including the Settle Hydro project. This funding will enable the community to set themselves up as a Co-operative (or Industrial and Provident Society) for the benefit of the whole community.

2. The Co-operative Bank is also looking to provide funding to the Settle project.