Abingdon Hydro clearance work underway

Abingdon Hydro clearance work
Thanks to Spike for the first picture that shows clearance of the Abingdon Hyrdo site is already well underway. The Hydro will generate Hydro-electricity from the Thames alongside Abingdon Weir
Abingdon Hydro clearance work
Since Wednesday Volunteers from Abingdon Hydro have been clearing the site. Three trees have been felled and a lot of undergrowth cleared.
Abingdon Hydro clearance work
The large hollow dead tree nearest the weir had no evidence of bats, and came down fairly easily, but volunteers are putting up bat boxes on alternative trees, to provide a bat habitat, just in case.
Abingdon Hydro clearance work
Transporting the firewood from the site is not easy as the nearest place for vehicles is the Abingdon Health and Well being Centre on Audlett Drive – over the foot bridge and 50 metres along a footpath.

9 thoughts on “Abingdon Hydro clearance work underway

  1. Janet

    Apparently the electricity will service 700 houses and they are going to build 1000 on the Eastern side of Abingdon. I was surprised how many people in Abingdon live in fuel poverty. One woman said she spends time in Abingdon library so that she does not have to have the heating on at home. One wonders about the subsidy we all pay for green energy. Apparently the National Grid pay the wind turbine companies over a million pounds a day to switch off the turbines as the grid cannot cope with the extra electricity generated. When people cannot afford to switch their ovens on and have their heating on it seems like a lot of consumer money is being wasted.

    Reply
  2. Cassandra

    I don’ t know very much about water turbines but will the elerctrticity produced actually be ‘ dedicated’ to local supply?
    I thought that any electricity produced by small/individual turbines, whatever their location, would be sold to the National Grid? Maybe I should read some of the literature.

    Reply
  3. Spike S

    Que ? Difficulty transporting the wood ?
    There is one of England’s prime navigable waterways alongside !

    Notwithstanding that comment, it’s good to see the hydro scheme underway as a technology demonstrator if nothing else.

    Reply
  4. SpikeM

    Hmmm. Well they’ve certainly laid waste to that nice bit of woodland .
    Let’s hope the turbine doesn’t mess things up for the dozens of local kayakers who enjoy playing in the weir.

    Reply
  5. maineb52

    I am appalled by the tree felling, all for a vanity project that may produce about 1% of Abingdon’s electricity, and only made possible by subsidies which are added to our electricity bills.

    Reply
  6. summer76

    Sounds like the perfect carbon neutral project, Fell a load of trees and replace it with a hydro scheme.

    Maybe they should re-plant a palm oil plantation there in its place

    Reply
  7. Angela

    Janet, if you are happy for backstreeter to give me your e-mail I would like to get in touch with you about the woman in the library.

    Reply

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