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Going full circle: the story of mean moor
Community co-operatives successfully raise £5.7M to repay Thrive’s Community Energy Funding Bridge.
Posted: 26 Jun 2020
Beochlich hydro electric site
Project location
The Beochlich Burn is located on the south-east side of Loch Awe in Argyll, Scotland, recognised as one of the best areas for small scale hydro-electric generation in the country.
Through our nationwide community benefit programme we are pleased to have supported work to return the Bridge of Orchy village hall to use. Our funding has paid for energy saving measures in the refurbishment work in a hall which provides valuable amenity to a remote community and to walkers on the West Highland Way.
Project summary
Our 1.0MW project consists of two turbines fed via a pipeline which creates the pressure to drive the turbines most efficiently. The scheme incorporates a storage reservoir which allows the flow to be regulated to an optimum level when rainfall is high as well as store water during periods of lower rainfall. Water extracted from the Beochlich Burn is returned to the same water course downstream.
Key stats
| Turbines | Pelton 21X2.45 |
|---|---|
| Number of Turbines | 2 |
| Site capacity | 1.0 MW |
| Operational since | 1998 |
| Annual forecast output | 4.5 GWh |
| UK homes equivalent | 1,126 |
