Micro-hydro Scheme
Our micro-hydro scheme powers a 60 kW turbine situated down by the main road at Tighchuig. The water intake is up above the tree line to the north west of the cabins, at a height 180 metres above the turbine. Not all the water is abstracted from the burn, a residual flow is maintained at all times for the wildlife living in the burn.
We conducted surveys in consultation with our local fishery board to ensure that we weren't abstracting water from any stretches of the burn used by migrating fish. Fortunately there is a series of steep falls immediately above our turbine site meaning fish were never able to reach these parts. The electricity generated is nearly all used on site to power the domestic demand and hot water in the cabins.
Many people believe that the water gushes furiously down the pipes of hydro schemes and smashes into the turbine, this is not true, the entire pipe length is full of water at all times, the pressure alone forcing the water at incredible pressure through a jet much smaller than the pipeline width. With all the pipework buried underground, we feel our micro-hydro scheme is un-obtrusive both to guests and the wildlife, the only visible elements the small intake weir and the turbine house, three walls of which are set into the hillside.. We have made a foot-path up to the weir intake for any guests interested to have a look.
