A hydro-electric scheme is being developed as a community owned and run scheme just outside Newtown in Montgomeryshire. The scheme has been set up as a not-for-profit co-operative with the opportunity for individuals to invest in the construction of the scheme.

Surplus income, after payment of dividends and interest to investors, will be returned to the community through support for other projects that promote renewable energy and sustainability.

The scheme will be located at the Penarth Weir, about two miles East of Newtown. The weir was built to feed the Montgomery Canal and has a head of about 2m of water. Feasibility studies have demonstrated that this is sufficient to feed a 100kW Archimedes screw turbine. The Archimedes Screw is not damaging to fish (which pass through unhurt) and suffers less from blockages caused by debris than other technologies.

I was commissioned via the Co-operative Enterprise Hub, as part of consultancy.coop to register the co-operative society and to help with strategic planning. We worked closely with Robert Owen Renewables and ROMCUL (Robert Owen Montgomeryshire Credit Union Ltd), providing advice on the savings account, share certificates and share application documents.