Marine Forum

Canal plan to power 45,000 homes - wowzer!

Anonymous user

08 October 2008 10:21:07

Joined: Unknown | Posts: Unknown

Plans have been unveiled to power 45,000 homes with wind and hydro-electric turbines along Britain's historic canals and rivers.

British Waterways want to house 50 wind turbines and additional small-scale hydro schemes on land it owns over the next five years.

They say the scheme will raise more than £1m a year, which will be used for waterway upkeep.

The exact locations of the turbines have yet to be decided.

British Waterways, which is a public body in charge of the waterside land, was praised by its partner in the project for using its resources in an innovative and environmental way.

Partnerships for Renewables said the navigation authority was a "torchbearer for others to follow".

The £1m that will be raised will be used to help maintain and repair some of the 2,200 miles of canals, historic locks, bridges and rivers that the organisation looks after throughout the UK.

British Waterways' chief executive Robin Evans was delighted that the project will generate income and help with the government's renewable energy targets.

Mr Evans said that, whilst the authority is always protecting the canals and rivers' heritage, they are "proactively looking at how we can use this resource to make a contribution towards the fight against climate change.

"If we successfully develop this resource it would mean that the nation's canal network would generate more than 10 times more electricity than it consumes," he added.