Chance to see energy generation on Edinburgh’s doorstep

An innovative community hydro energy project on Edinburgh’s doorstep is opening its doors as part of Scotland’s leading farm renewables programme.

Harlaw Community Hydro Scheme, established near Balerno, will be the focus of the next Renewable Development Initiative (RDI) meeting taking place on Wednesday 25 November.

Meeting at Ogston Hall, St Josephs Centre in Main Street, Balerno, at 10.00am, visitors will first hear about the work required to design, build and operate a community hydro project before moving on in the afternoon to visit the community-owned hydro project on the edge of Edinburgh. The project is predicted to generate more than £1 million of benefit to the local community.  

Martin Petty, the Director who led on the project, said: “We have developed a straight forward hydro system which can hopefully be easily replicated by other community groups and landowners.”

“Initially grid and BT connection paperwork was very challenging but once we overcame that, the people we dealt with were helpful and cooperative.”

The visit is part of NFU Scotland’s three-year RDI project, designed to provide sound, independent advice to farmers and land managers across Scotland on renewable energy. Through a programme of on-farm events, co-ordinated by Thomas McMillan of Savills Smiths Gore, the initiative has already shown more than a thousand Scottish farmers and land managers energy projects that are contributing to farm businesses or are at the planning stage.  It is meeting its aim of helping Scottish farmers and land managers fulfil their energy generating potential.  

Notes to Editors

• The Harlaw Hydro event on Wednesday 25 November is free to attend and there are still places available.  If you would like to attend and have not yet booked please contact Leah Cole on 0131 344 0888 or email leah.cole@savills-smithsgore.co.uk.
• Visit www.renewableenergyonfarms.co.uk for further details on the NFUS Renewable Development Initiative.
• For media who would like to attend contact media@nfus.org.uk
  The next event for the NFUS RDI is as follows:
  Anaerobic Digestion (Gas to Grid) and Biomass in Fife – 8 December.  Hosted by Ross Forster at Peacehill Farm, Wormit, DD6 8PJ, this project is currently under construction and is the first gas to grid AD project in Fife.  The AD plant covers a two hectare site and is fed from cereal and vegetable stock and managed by the production of a three year crop plan to match the expected output of the AD plant. In addition to the AD plant, Peacehill Farm has two biomass boiler systems which supply heat to a series of chicken sheds. In addition to creating a new income for the farm the biomass boilers have also improved the quality and survival rates of the chickens.

These events are free to farmers and land managers to attend. If you would like to book a space or join the mailing list, email jennifer.grosset@savills-smithsgore.co.uk or call 0131 344 0888.  

Ends

Contact Bob Carruth on 0131 472 4006