There be hydros in them thar hills. Another stunning day out in the hills of Snowdonia. Yes it is a hard job but someone has to do it!
Yesterday and a stunning day around the Ysbyty Ifan estate looking at potential Hydro sites. Driving around with Llywarch, Ranger Andrew Roberts and John Millen the Hafod y Llan hydro project manager. The 20,0oo acre estate in North East of Snowdonia National Park is another treasure trove of ecology, culture, stunning landscapes and renewable energy sites waiting to be evaluated. We had a look at three potential 100kw systems and a 1Mw hydro. As ever what seem to be good sites need to be looked at through ecological, archeological, grid, build ability, economic, aesthetic filters. The 1Mw system has a potentially long 4km pipe. (can this be afforded, built and is the impact acceptable? – lets see what the detail is like) First things first and we need to run a LowFlows model on each of the catchments to see what we are looking at in terms of water availability and potential sizes before we launch into any form of feasibility.
On the moor the thousands of Ha’s of cotton grasses were showing the summer face of the Migneint and with blue sky’s and tumbling water it was officially a ‘nice day’
