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GREEN REVIEW


it was just about generating electricity, not about gener- ating “renewable” electricity. Many of the water resources still exist today and there are opportunities to either re-es- tablish the generation system or create a new one.


The average payback period – when the initial investment of installing a hydro plant is recouped by the energy gen- erated and the investment be- comes a return – is between 


It can take two years to get planning permission to install a hydro plant and a further twelve months for construc- tion. Costs can be anything up to £150,000. But the rewards can be lucra- tive – each plant will gener- ate between £300,000 and £400,000 a year and, as Mat-


thew Crosher Sales Manager for the UK at Gilkes explains, hydro plants have a much longer lifespan than some oth- er renewables. He said: “We have some plants which are more than 100 years old and still operating. On average, our turbines have a lifespan of about 50 years.”


In 2008 Gilkes established Gilkes Energy Ltd as a hydro project development business to help clients develop and     focus on Joint Ventures with landowners. In 2011 Forestry Commission Scotland joined forces with a consortium, which includes Gilkes Energy to explore the development of small-scale hydro projects on the national forest estate. In December     


ments were announced and Gilkes Energy will be inves- tigating two of them. They include The River Lochy; a scheme that feeds Loch Awe, near to Inverlochy on the A85.


The second is the Coire Ealt scheme, which is located on the banks of Loch Eck. Col- lectively these schemes could provide enough power for up to 1700 average homes. Gilkes can supply the com- plete water to wire solution in- cluding design, manufacture, installation, commissioning, testing, routine service and plant upgrade. For more information about the services and products of- fered email hydro@gilkes.com or visit the company website: www.gilkes.com.


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