Eco Evolution Blog

The Highland Council is planning to install a Hydro Electric Archimedes Screw at Whin Park Lade. The 100kW turbine will control the water flow from the River Ness through to Whin Park and is estimated to generate 672,529 kWh, which is equivalent to the power for 150 homes. The renewable energy project is estimated to generate an income for the Council of around £90k to £120k at current prices.  The annual operating cost will be in the region of £15k.

Illustration of the proposed Archimedes Screw Hydro-power project

This modern, innovative project provides an excellent opportunity for the council to generate income and renewable energy and make savings As well as producing power equivalent to the power for 150 homes the electricity will also be used to supply council buildings and local venues including the Aquadome and the archive centre, generating further savings. It is anticipated the planning application for the installation of the Torvean Micro Hydro Scheme Archimedes Screw will be submitted in the coming months and will include consultation with relevant statutory consultees.

Site of proposed Archimedes Screw project

Once again we see the Ancient power of Archimedes being used for hydropower generation because if it’s fish-friendly credentials. The Archimedean Screw turbine provides a fish-friendly alternative to conventional turbines, ideally suited to low-head sites, and sites with fish protection issues. Extensive fish passage tests have conclusively demonstrated that the large water chambers and slow rotation of the Archimedean Screw allow fish of all sizes, and debris, safe passage through the turbine. As a result, the Environment Agency has agreed that no screening is required.

If you are the owner of an old mill site or a potential hydro site or are a community group interested in developing a hydro project for community use please contact us here.

The Highland Council contracted AMECFW and senior specialist in Archimedean Screw hydropower systems, Mannpower Consulting Ltd, to develop the project design.

The Brahan estate Archimedes Screw hydropower project, an ultra low head scheme operating on only 1.5m head and producing 100kW from twin screws was commissioned near Inverness ahead of schedule and is now delivering power to the local farm with excess being sold back to the National Grid. The river level upstream varies throughout the day by up to 700mm because of sudden water releases from a large hydropower station upstream, requiring a unique design with each screw set at a different height to optimise generation.

Rated at 100kW this semi compact Archimedes Screw hydro turbine at Brahan Estate will save 258 tonnes of CO2 annually.

The Archimedes Screw hydropower turbine is a new application of an ancient technology. For thousands of years the screw was used to pump water up from rivers or streams to irrigate farm land. Now, using the same system in reverse the Archimedean Screw is being used to harness the power of the water to generate hydroelectricity. Once your turbine has been commissioned and connected to the grid you’ll be generating hydro-electric power 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Whether the power is for your own property, to sell back to the grid or a combination of both, the Archimedean Screw will likely pay for itself several times over in the course of its operational lifetime (depending on the feed-in tariffs available) . And what’s more these turbines can be scaled to suit all needs – from small domestic applications to huge industrial installations.

Mann Power Consulting Ltd., the UK based Archimedean Screw specialists designed the equipment for the Brahan Estate project.  After various consultations it was decided that the most suitable turbine for the site was a semi compact Archimedes Screw Hydro turbine which was manufactured by Landustrie based in Holland.

The hydropower scheme also required two fish passes operating at different levels, and an automatic bypass sluice gate to maintain ecological flows at all times.

Archimedean Screw turbines offer a hydropower solution that is:

• Commercially attractive & cost effective
• Practical & efficient
• Fish-friendly
• Easy implementation in existing situations (no civil constuction work)
• Insensitive to clogging
• Low maintenance costs
• Improvement of water quality
• Self regulating to changing water flow
• Long life time
• Scaleable & bespoke

The basic requirements required for an Archimedes Screw hydro turbine are:

• A water source with a drop of at least 1.5 metres
• Access rights to that water source
• A grid hook-up point less than 500 metres from the water source – unless the Screw is being used for ‘off grid’ generation only.

If your site satisfies these criteria then there’s every chance you will be able to harness the power of the waterway to generate hydroelectricity. And Eco Evolution will be delighted to pilot your scheme all the way through to delivery.

If you’re still not sure whether your site is right for an Archimedean Screw turbine, get in touchand we will be happy to discuss the specifications and requirements in greater depth.

Energy generated from flowing water resources gives the highest efficiency rating of all sustainable energy sources!

The Archimedean Screw hydropower turbine is a new application of an ancient technology. For thousands of years the screw was used to pump water up from rivers or streams to irrigate farm land. Now, using the same system in reverse the Archimedean Screw is being used to harness the power of the water to generate hydroelectricity. Hydropower installations generate renewable energy from flowing water resources. This could be from a lake, river, stream or from old mill sites.

Archimedean Screw turbines offer a hydropower solution that is:

• Commercially attractive & cost effective
• Practical & efficient
• Fish-friendly
• Easy implementation in existing situations (no civil constuction work)
• Insensitive to clogging
• Low maintenance costs
• Improvement of water quality
• Self regulating to changing water flow
• Long life time
• Scaleable & bespoke

This technology lets you harness the power of the water that flows over or through your land. Once your turbine has been commissioned and connected to the grid you’ll be generating hydro-electric power 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Whether the power is for your own property, to sell back to the grid or a combination of both, the Archimedean Screw will likely pay for itself several times over in the course of its operational lifetime (depending on the feed-in tariffs available) . And what’s more these turbines can be scaled to suit all needs – from small domestic applications to huge industrial installations.

Overview of an Archimedean Screw ~ Photo Credit: Landustrie

If you’re not sure whether your site is suitable for an Archimedean Screw we’ve put together a checklist of requirements for your reference. Archimedean Screw turbines offer a uniquely flexible hydropower solution that can be installed at sites with a broad range of topographical features. But there are some fundamental requirements your land will need if a project can go ahead.

The basic requirements required for an Archimedean Screw hydro turbine are:

• A water source with a drop of at least 1.5 metres
• Access rights to that water source
• A grid hook-up point less than 500 metres from the water source – unless the Screw is being used for ‘off grid’ generation only.

If your site satisfies these criteria then there’s every chance you will be able to harness the power of the waterway to generate hydroelectricity. And Eco Evolution will be delighted to pilot your scheme all the way through to delivery.

If you’re still not sure whether your site is right for an Archimedean Screw turbine, get in touch and we will be happy to discuss the specifications and requirements in greater depth.

The Archimedean Screw hydropower turbine is a new application of an ancient technology. For thousands of years the screw was used to pump water up from rivers or streams to irrigate farm land. Now, using the same system in reverse the Archimedean Screw is being used to harness the power of the water to generate hydroelectricity. This technology lets you harness the power of the water that flows over or through your land. Once it has been hooked-up your turbine will generate hydro-electric power 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Whether the power is for your own property, to sell back to the grid or a combination of both, the Archimedean Screw will likely pay for itself several times over in the course of its operational lifetime. And what’s more these turbines can be scaled to suit all needs – from small domestic applications like the Gara Bridge scheme or to huge industrial installations like the hydropower project at Shane’s Castle. The hydro project at Shane’s Castle was the first of its kind in Northern Ireland and rated at 214 kilowatts it is the largest single Archimedean Screw generator ever manufactured.

The hydropower scheme at Gara Bridge was developed to provide a renewable source of power to a private dwelling with any excess sold to the National Grid. The maximum output of this particular project is 15kW. The enclosed compact design which is suitable for smaller hydropower projects was the preferred design of screw for this particular site and the design also helped to minimise the installation cost.

Closed Compact –  Key Benefits:

• Screw + trough + gearbox + generator are all assembled into a single unit at the factory.
• Civil works on site reduced to a minimum.
• Installation time considerably reduced (approx 3-4 hours)

Archimedean Screw turbines offer a uniquely flexible hydropower solution that can be installed at sites with a broad range of topographical features. But there are some fundamental requirements your land will need if a project can go ahead. If you’re not sure whether your site is suitable for an Archimedean Screw we’ve put together a checklist of requirements for your reference.

Naturally we will conduct a detailed feasibility study on your behalf but there are a few key features whose presence will determine the location’s viability for a Screw.

The basic requirements to host a screw are:

• A water source with a drop of at least 1.5 metres
• Access rights to that water source
• A grid hook-up point less than 500 metres from the water source – unless the Screw is being used for ‘off grid’ generation only.

If your site satisfies these criteria then there’s every chance you will be able to harness the power of the waterway to generate hydroelectricity.

To keep up to date with what’s happening in the world of hydropower  follow us on Facebook or Twitter and  Google+ . To talk to one of our engineers contact us here

On our recent trip to the London we decided to bring the car and take the ferry to Fishguard to visit some of the hydropower sites we have worked on over the last year. Our first port of call was a visit to Penllergare Valley Woods, a picturesque landscape hidden away in a steep valley just a stone’s throw, yet a world away, from the M4 in north Swansea.

The Archimedean Screw along side the man made waterfall

As part of the upgrade and restoration of Penllergare Valley Woods a 30kW Archimedean Screw Hydro Turbine was installed to ensure a sustainable future for Penllergare Valley. A little over a year ago the hydropower scheme was commissioned and is now generating clean green electricity to power the new visitor centre with excess being sold back to the national grid. The Archimedean Screw with a length of 11m and a capacity of 2880 m3/h is situated next to the waterfall. The enclosed compact design was the preferred design of screw for this particular site as the design minimised the installation cost and doesn’t intrude on the existing landscape.

30kW Archimedean Screw

With its lakes and waterfalls, terraces, panoramic views, exotic trees and shrubs, this forgotten Victorian paradise is being slowly restored and brought back to life by the Penllergare Trust. Penllergare Valley Woods was once a famous gentry estate and home to John Dillwyn Llewelyn, the notable 19-century horticulturalist, philanthropist and pioneering photographer. It is Llewelyn’s design, vision and influence behind the picturesque and romantic landscapes of the park.

Penllergare Valley Woods is a place where you can enjoy the sound of birds, delight in the profusion of wild flowers, discover evidence of exotic plantings and uncover for yourself the hidden features of a grand design. Wildlife research carried out by Swansea Council has found the estate is very significant for amphibians and acts as a “corridor” for animals to thrive and move about.

One of the many ancient Rhododendrons in full bloom

Beautiful woodland walk

It was obvious throughout our visit that volunteers had been working hard replanting specimen trees and ornamental shrubberies which had been lost from the existing landscape. They have also been thinning and managing areas of dense trees and shrub to reopen historic views.

Visitors can enjoy over 12km of walks including along the Carriage Drive to the now demolished former home of the Dillwyn Llewelyn family, and also down into the gorge where the family created the upper lake with a stunning man made waterfall. Paths and tracks lead on down alongside the afon Llan as it meanders its way to Fforest fach.

Throughout the last few years the upper lake has been de-silted, and steps, terraces, the stone-arched Llewelyn bridge, waterfalls and cascades have been repaired and restored to reinstate the picturesque and romantic design.

Some of the many ancient trees

Using photographic evidence from the 19th century, the old stone bridge was recreated in the traditional style by local stonemasons.

The recreated stone bridge

After walking for hours and checking out the Archimedean Screw we spent some time browsing through the information books and leaflets in the visitor centre and then enjoyed a cup of coffee at the small cafe which has stunning views from the cafe terrace to the upper lake. If you’re ever in the area it is well worth a visit. Dogs are also welcome 🙂 🙂