Miles and Gail Fursdon designed and built a 90 kW micro-hydro scheme at Old Walls, their family farm which lies within the Dartmoor National Park in Devon. It generates about 400 MWh/year of electricity, equivalent to the consumption of 80 homes, which is sold back into the grid.
The scheme was supported by the Parish Council and local school-children studied the construction and now use the facility for parts of the curriculum. Colleges and universities are also encouraged to use the project for a variety of educational purposes. The project has been a huge achievement for the whole Fursdon family, from the design of the scheme, to securing a NFFO (renewables supply) contract and planning permission. The plant has made a significant contribution not only to environmental protection, but also to the economy of a local farming community.
