Farmers show interest in Micro-hydro power
Nigel Moore, Senior Renewable Energy Technologist, Greenmount Campus, CAFRE
A large group of interested farmers recently attended a workshop covering Energy from Micro-hydro on the Focus Farm of Eoin McCambridge near Ballycastle.
In a suitable location small-scale hydropower is one of the most cost-effective and reliable of the renewable energy technologies. It has several advantages over wind and solar power, with a high level of predictability, varying with annual rainfall patterns. It is a long-lasting and robust technology and systems can readily be engineered to last for 50 years or more.
Those attending were given an understanding of the principles of micro-hydro, connecting to the Grid and the economics of potential systems. Eoin was then able to demonstrate the plant on Ballynalough Farm.
Renewable Energy Event at CAFRE’s Enniskillen Campus on 22 February
For those in the West interested in energy from micro-hydro and other renewable technologies, DARD, in conjunction with the UFU and AFBI are running another Practical On-farm Renewable Energy Event, this time at CAFRE’s Enniskillen Campus on Wednesday 22 February from 1.30pm through to 10.00pm.
There will again be a series of seminars throughout the day on each of the main renewable energy technologies; wind power, biomass production and utilisation, anaerobic digestion, solar hot water, micro-hydro, and heat pumps. A second series of seminars will deal with many of the issues facing those considering a green energy source. Topics covered will include the proposed Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI), grid connection, planning, NI Renewable Obligation Certificates (NIROC’s), business planning, taxation, as well as finance and funding options. In addition there will be a Trade Exhibition and the opportunity to see the biomass boiler installation at Enniskillen campus.. For further details contact Connor Maguire at 028 6634 4853 or connor.maguire@dardni.gov.uk
Nigel Moore, CAFRE, and Eoin McCambridge, Focus Farmer (centre) with John Henderson, Ballykelly and Liam Corry, Castlederg, who attended a CAFRE workshop on Energy from Micro-hydro on Eoin’s farm near Ballycastle recently.
