Riding Mill this Thursday - A Debate on how we achieve a sustainable low carbon energy enviroment

This Thursday in Riding Mill at 6.45 there is the latest debate organised by the St James Forum, on how we achieve a sustainable low carbon energy environment, featuring two of our best local experts in Tynedale. 
Past discussions have included debates on Genetic Technologies, Stem Cell Technologies, the Israeli view of the West Bank issues, the banking crisis, farming issues and so on. The Speakers are two experts - Bob Hull, who worked for the European Commission on sustainable energy issues, and both the Higher Education Funding Council and the Council of Newcastle University specialising in low carbon energies, will be debating with Malcolm Reid, who is a tireless campaigner on energy issues, including working with Bob on the Hexham Hydro Project; both are very active in the wonderful Transition Tynedale.

The format for the evening is speakers and food, followed by an open discussion. The evening is in the Parish Hall Riding Mill and begins at 6.45pm - ending at about 9.15pm. If you have not been you should go this Thursday.

Hexham River Hydro project shelved

The budget has got just too big for this ambitious project which hoped to marry up the need for a fish pass and the desire for renewable energy, by simply using the power of the River Tyne. I have long supported the work of all the huge team of volunteers who were trying to pull this off, particularly Transition Tynedale, the Hexham Community Partnership, and most of all Gillian and Bob, who genuinely have given well over a year of their lives to try and make this happen. This included winning the Energy Share competition, poor Gillian taking a morning swim in the Tyne in December for publicity, a lot of public engagement, and so much more. That it will not now go ahead for now is beyond doubt, but several points remain, as is well set out on their website: http://hexhamriverhydro.wordpress.com/
For my part, I still believe that there remains a need to utilise the power of the rivers / tides in this country to create an energy source that is not affected by fossil fuels.
I also believe that there are good examples where a hydro project, a fish pass, and a need to maintain both the fish in the river and their smooth passage upstream do exist. On this occasion we have not been able to make it work due to lack of money, but the evidence put before me last year makes it clear that this can be done. It is important to note that at all stages the Hydro team were adamant that they did not want to disturb the fishing, and all the pleasure and tourist revenue that the Tyne generates.
The BBC has reported the story here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tyne-22884896