New Year Newsletter 2026
- Anna Threadgold
- Jan 2
- 4 min read
Updated: Jan 5
As the new year begins, we're excited to share an update on the progress of our hydropower project at Marlow-Bisham. Thanks for your continued interest and support as we work together to bring clean, renewable hydropower to our community.
A year of progress
2025 was a year of progress in advancing our vision for sustainable energy generation on the Thames… Over the past year, Bridge Hydro achieved several important milestones in our journey to deliver clean, renewable hydropower from the Thames and ultimately, community benefits.
We continued our wide ranging and thorough examination of available hydro technologies, continued our rolling programme of engagement with the community and key stakeholders, and with partners MaidEnergy, engaged in a constructive dialogue with the Environment Agency (EA). Additionally, we formally established our Community Benefit Society (CBS) legal entity, including registration with the Financial Conduct Authority, and we became members of both Community Energy England and the British Hydropower Association. All of this foundation work enables us to move forward as a wholly community-focused enterprise, looking to help the climate and benefit the community.
Engaging our community
We believe that community support is essential to the success of Bridge Hydro, which is why we actively shared our vision across Marlow and Bisham. Throughout 2025 we attended several key events, meeting and talking to numerous members of our community:
April - Marlow Smart Energy Show, at Great Marlow School
April - Meeting with the local fishing syndicate
June - Marlow Regatta
July - Presentation to the Marlow Town Council
August - Presentation to Joshua Reynolds, MP for Maidenhead
September - Marlow Carnival, Green Village
October - Meeting with Joshua Reynolds, MP for Maidenhead
These conversations were invaluable, helping us explain what we're doing, why it matters, collecting community feedback and questions, and communicating how hydropower can benefit our community for generations to come.
Finding the right turbine
One of our priorities has been identifying the hydropower technology that will work best for the Marlow-Bisham location. We've been carefully evaluating options that balance aesthetics, cost-effectiveness, and power generation efficiency. Inevitably, there are trade-offs to be considered, so a thorough examination is key.
Our research in 2025 included a detailed examination of Turbulent, a Belgian company with numerous installations worldwide, as well as the Fish Friendly Hydro Company, a UK-based firm offering their innovative Pico Stream technology. Turbulent is a vortex style turbine and the Pico Stream is a smaller turbine that may still offer a viable solution for Marlow. In addition we’ve also continued our examination of VLH (Very Low Head) and VETT (Venturi Effect Turbine) hydropower options.
The VLH technology is currently one of the stronger technology options in our consideration set. Unlike some other technologies, a VLH turbine sits predominantly below the water, has a track record of performance across numerous European installations, and has already met stringent fish-testing standards imposed by various European countries.
We're committed to finding a solution that not only generates clean energy but also respects the character of our historic location and protects local fish and wildlife.
Working together
Climate action requires collaboration, and we're grateful to have been able to work alongside MaidEnergy, another long standing local organisation dedicated to addressing climate change. MaidEnergy were very generous with their time and expertise, and together we were able to advance our shared vision for hydropower at Marlow. We also started working with the British Hydropower Association along with 3 other hydropower schemes proposed for the Thames, that are all at various stages of development.
How you can help
Your support remains vital to our success. We're currently seeking volunteers with specific skills, to join our team:
Grant Funding Support: We need someone with experience in identifying and applying for grants from businesses, charities, and government entities. If you have expertise in this area, (or even if you don’t have experience but fancy having a go) we'd love to hear from you.
Civil Engineering Design Expertise: We're looking for someone with a background in civil engineering design who could partner with existing team members, and help us develop and refine aspects of our conceptual plans.
If you or someone you know might be able to help, please get in touch with us.
Looking forward
While the path ahead has its challenges, we remain committed to bringing sustainable hydropower and subsequent financial community benefits to Marlow-Bisham. The climate crisis demands action, and community-led renewable energy projects are growing as a national force to be reckoned with. As evidenced by the significant uptake of grants from the Great British Energy Community Fund, there is a huge nationwide appetite for new, community-run renewable energy generation. Projects like Bridge Hydro are part of the solution, supporting the global move away from fossil fuels to renewables, for electricity generation.
Thank you for your continued support and interest in our project. Together, we can make clean, renewable energy a reality for our community.
Stay connected
To learn more about Bridge Hydro or to get involved, please contact us at contactus@bridgehydro.co.uk
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