10 years of renewable energy innovation

Last week Mayor Dave Hodgson visited the Hydro Power Facility on the River Great Ouse. The facility has been generating clean, renewable energy for Bedford Borough and beyond for over 10 years. Since then the Council have been installing and promoting new innovative ways to generate clean energy and reduce the Borough's carbon emissions.

The two Archimedean Screw Generators run independently and will produce approximately 130,000 kWh of power each year. The energy is then exported to the National Grid for which the Council has received over £300,000. The screws are highly efficient and the facility will have paid for itself in 5 more years.

Mayor Dave Hodgson said "The screws have been a great success. They produce lots of energy that was previously being lost, have a very low environmental impact and also provide a fantastic educational resource for visitors. We must continue to find innovative solutions to the climate emergency and ensure a just transition to renewable energy sources."

It's not just hydroelectric power that the Council have been producing. Generating energy from solar panels has become widespread across the Borough. The Council has installed solar panels on all Council-owned buildings helping it reduce its carbon emissions by 62% in 2018. The Council has also helped residents install their own solar panels through the Solar Together scheme. Over 2,000 households across the Borough applied for low-cost solar panels.

Most recently, the Elstow Solar Farm has been fully energised and has started exporting low-carbon electricity to the National Grid. The facility is made up of over 8,000 solar panels and is capable of powering 1,000 homes whilst saving 900 tonnes of carbon compared to non-renewable sources.

Mayor Dave continued "This latest investment into renewable energy demonstrates our commitment to becoming net-zero by 2030. But we must continue to work hard and find sustainable solutions to tackle climate change."