Thanks to the hydro’s recent high output, we’ve reached a huge milestone in community renewable energy in West Oxford – the generation of the one millionth unit of green electricity from community owned renewables. We’ve come a long way since the very first installation in 2009 by West Oxford Community Renewables – an 11kWp array on the Kings Centre.
We’d like to say a special thank you to the many organisations and individuals in West Oxford and beyond, without whom this would not have been possible. Thank you times a million!
Although we’ve been operating for less than a year, Osney Lock Hydro has played a significant role in this achievement. These last few weeks have seen some very good generating conditions on the river with the total output double in just two months. Indeed we reached our own milestone, with the 100,000 kWh mark been reached in the last few days.
The graph below shows the fluctuation in generation, in response to changing river conditions. The low initial output being a result of the very dry summer, whereas the winter rains have resulted in periods of high day output.
Over the past seven years, WOCORE and Osney Lock Hydro have installed over 200kWp of solar across West Oxford, as well as the hydro and a small wind turbine at Hogacre Ecopark. In addition, West Oxford Primary School and Community Centre both own their own solar arrays, all helping to reduce the carbon footprint of our community.