Partners

Halton Carbon Positive

Halton was selected in 2010 as one of twenty “test bed” communities in the UK to create a green and low carbon infrastructure that could significantly cut carbon emissions. The hydro project was awarded grant funding as part of this project. The organisations that form part of Halton Carbon Positive are:

Halton Community Association

The Halton Community Association (HCA), is a non profit making Registered Charity, run for the sole purpose of providing and maintaining a Community Centre for the inhabitants of the village of Halton and its wider community. As well as being an early sponsor of the hydro and helping to gain grant funding, the Association is involved in overseeing the use of that grant funding for the construction of all the special environmental measures for the hydro area.

Lancaster Cohousing

Lancaster Cohousing (LCH) is an award winning community development, based upon ecological values, which is at the cutting-edge of sustainable design and living. The 41 private homes are built to Passivhaus and Sustainable Building Code 6 standards. LCH have built a private wire network to accommodate the electricity generated by their PV and the hydro, including a sub station to export the surplus to the National Grid.

LESS (Lancaster) CIC

LESS was set up in March 2007 to promote sustainable lifestyles and provide sustainable solutions in Lancaster District. Current projects include energy advice and saving and food growing projects. LESS administers a fund generated from solar PV installed on an office building in Halton, to be spent on energy saving in the local area.

Halton Lune Hydro Ltd. has received advice and support from a wide range of statutory, commercial and voluntary organisations.

Dave Hollings of Co-operative and Mutual Solutions Ltd has provided practical guidance on setting up an IPS and issuing shares, through the Co-operative Enterprise Hub.

Fishtek Consulting, founded in 1999, is our specialist fisheries consultancy offering a range of technical services, including fisheries impact assessments, hydro-power studies, fish pass design/fabrication and fisheries mitigation technology.

Chris Brett, Managing Director of Hydro Survey Ltd and a Director of the British Hydropower Association has been providing expert advice. Chris is a member of the Institite of Engineering & Technology (IET) and the Institute of Civil Engineers (ICE).

Encraft, a leading consulting engineering company specialising in energy efficiency, low carbon buildings and distributed energy projects, are providing design and specification input to the hydro high and low voltage systems.

United Utilities PLC, who own Forge Weir, have leased the hydro allocated area to HLH. HLH will be putting money aside every year to restore the site to it’s original state at the end of the project, which hopefully won’t be for 50 years or more.

Our legal advisor is Vivian Cowle of Cowle Smart Solicitors, Cheltenham. We have also received invaluable advice from Kathy Smyth, cofounder of Wey Valley Solar Schools Energy Co-operative.

The project has received significant financial support from:

EDF Green Energy Fund (£4,000);
Lancashire County Council Give-it-a-Go competition (£5,000);
Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC) Low Carbon Challenge Fund,(£8,000);
Lancashire District Local Strategic Partnerships (£14,200);
The Rural Carbon Challenge Fund, with Halton Carbon Positive, (£303,030).