Hydro-electric Power
A hydro-electric turbine has been installed next to the Transport Interchange site which converts energy from the river as it flows rapidly through a weir. The weight of the water turns the screw-shaped turbine, generating electricity.
Rochdale will become home to the first transport interchange in Europe to run partly on hydro-electric power. This is thanks to an innovative scheme recently completed by Spaans Babcock, a Heywood based company, to harness the power of the River Roch.
The hydro-electric power project is part of ‘Ticket to Kyoto’, a European initiative to reduce carbon emissions in public transport. Financed by Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM), the Northwest Regional Development Agency and the European Union's INTERREG IVB programme, the hydro-electric power scheme makes use of the existing weir close to the interchange site.
Spaans Babcock undertook the works as a complete turnkey project and as such, was responsible for all civil, Mechanical & Electrical aspects. The project was managed for TfGM by WRE.
The works involved the construction of a completely new civil structure alongside the weir, into which a Spaans Screw Generator has been installed. The generator has a peak output of over 20kW and produces an annual output of around 86MWh. Power is generated using a flow of approximately 1,950 litres per second, over a head of around 1.5 metres. The scheme uses Spaans Babcock’s own in-house developed control system alongside an ABB regenerative drive. This enables maximum overall output whilst keeping noise to a minimum. Additionally the system benefits from remote monitoring capability via camera system and condition monitoring of key components.
The system will produce up to a quarter of the electricity needed to power the proposed interchange. Ahead of the interchange being built, the surplus electricity will be sold to the National Grid. A carbon counter will be installed which will be open to the public to view. This will show how much energy is produced and saved by the scheme.
The system also includes a fish pass, part-funded by the Environment Agency. This will allow fish to negotiate the weir easily upstream as well as down and encourage brown trout to spawn in the river.