Hydropower & planning: the facts
IIf you have a suitable water resource at your property, it’s a good idea to get to grips with the planning issues early on. Depending on the scale of your system, you may require various consents and licences including:
- An Environmental Statement. This includes an assessment of any effects on wildlife, any disruption caused during construction, noise, visual appearance and preservation of any archaeological remains and air and water quality.
- An abstraction licence. For most systems, this must be obtained from the Environment Agency. The license allows water to be taken from the river or stream and passed through a turbine.
- Special requirements are needed for rivers populated by migrating fish species such as trout or salmon. This could dictate the inclusion of a 'fish ladder' so that fish can move up and down the river and avoid the turbine.
All this bureaucracy may seem very daunting! However, most site owners prefer not to handle all the paperwork themselves. Many hydropower installers provide a service to produce the supporting paperwork and liaise with the relevant statutory bodies.
Finally, your hydropower system may comprise 'notifiable electric works' under Part P building regulations requirements. In this case, make sure your installer is certified for Part P, in which case they will notify your local authority on your behalf.
Hydropower planning tips:
- Check out your local authority website for local information about planning issues. Search the site for 'renewable energy' if you can’t find the right page
- Ask your installer for advice – especially if they are local!
- Always consult your local authority for precise guidance if you live in a conservation area or a listed building.
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