Waterside renewables

British Waterways has announced plans to generate renewable energy at canal and riverside locations across the UK.

Working with Partnerships for Renewables, British Waterways is the first public corporation to explore the opportunities for wind turbines and small-scale hydro power schemes.

Its proposals, which could provide annual savings in excess of 100,000 tonnes of CO2, would generate enough power for 45,000 homes - the equivalent to the canalside town of Blackburn.

The proposals are based on the assumption that 50 wind turbines could be built across the UK over the next five years generating 100MW of renewable electricity. Income that British Waterways will generate from the turbines will be reinvested into maintaining the nation’s historic waterways.

Robin Evans, chief executive of British Waterways, said: 'This is a real example of a public organisation using its land in innovative ways to generate additional income and work towards a more sustainable future. We look after 2,200 miles of canals and rivers throughout the UK and, while protecting their heritage, are proactively looking at how we can use this resource to make a contribution towards the fight against climate change.