The weir at Marlow has been assessed by technical experts as having an excellent flow and fall rate to produce reliable hydroelectricity throughout the year. Producing electrical power near its point of use, reduces transmission and distribution losses, so less power is wasted.
Why Marlow?
Small community-based environmental projects, such as hydroelectric schemes, are crucial in promoting sustainability and fostering positive attitudes towards a sustainable future. They offer a renewable alternative to fossil fuels, reducing carbon emissions and combatting climate change. These initiatives empower local communities through direct engagement, enhancing understanding, and proactive environmental protection.
They also serve as educational platforms, particularly for the youth, and stimulate local economic growth. Overall, these projects integrate environmental conservation with community empowerment, education, and economic development, paving the way for a resilient, environmentally conscious society.
Why schemes like Bridge Hydro matter
Hydropower or hydroelectric power is produced by using the natural flow of water to produce electricity. According to the British Hydropower Association ‘Hydropower, or waterpower, is one of the most reliable, predictable and least environmentally intrusive of all the renewable energy technologies’.
Hydropower is a clean energy source because it generates electricity without emitting greenhouse gases or other pollutants: it helps decrease fossil fuel consumption, thereby reducing air pollution and mitigating climate change, and it provides renewable energy that is sustainable. This is because the energy sources, namely rivers and streams, fed by the natural water cycle, are renewed. Furthermore, a hydropower scheme does not take water away from the environment. That’s because whatever is removed is completely given back over time: its water footprint is therefore small.
As local residents, we understand that preserving the aesthetics of the vista at the heart of our beautiful town is of the utmost importance. We are keen to preserve the existing aspect of the weir area as much as possible and so we are intending to minimise the visibility of any hydroelectric technology. Therefore, the hydro scheme we are proposing will mostly be subterranean or sympathetically covered or landscaped.
Why Hydropower?
How does it work?
International renewable energy agency
“The participation and ownership by citizens or members of a defined community in a renewable energy project creates local socio-economic value and helps foster more positive attitudes towards renewables. This, in turn, increases citizen support for the energy transition, which further contributes to accelerating a just and inclusive transition."
The Bridge Hydro initiative is more than a hydroelectric project; it’s a pledge to our future, a commitment to more sustainable living for Marlow, and a testament to the power of community.
Championed by members of the local community for the benefit of the communities of Marlow and Bisham. The hydro scheme will be one of Marlow's most tangible contributions to helping reduce global CO2 emissions, harnessing Marlow's greatest natural asset - The Thames.
The aim of the project is to generate surplus funds from the sale of the electricity generated by the hydro scheme and to create a ‘Green Sustainable initiatives community fund’. This fund will be available to help finance further sustainable, community-based initiatives in Marlow and Bisham.
The project
Our Vision
Timeline of events
Team Members
Rob Olney
Project Lead
(Resident for 12 years)
Vicki Scott
Community Engagement
(Resident for 21 years)
Joe Middleton
Legal
(Resident for 18 years)
Pete Barber
Communications
(Resident for 27 years)
James Wild
Sustainability
(Resident for 22 years)
Grant Jenkins
Project Manager
Luke Geeves
Design
(Resident for 10 years)
Lawrence Corbett
Finance Lead
(Resident for 15 years)
Alex Brown
Environmental/ Ecology
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Vaishnavan Kuselan
Environmental Sciences
Graduate
Joe Poots
Communications
Anna Threadgold
Communications
The team
We are a dedicated team of local residents, united by our passion for sustainable energy and community development. Each of us is deeply rooted in this community, with our children attending local schools and our daily lives intertwined with the neighbourhood. We are acutely aware of the natural beauty surrounding us and are determined to implement the project without causing any harm to the local ecosystem. Together, we bring diverse skills and perspectives, but our common goal is to create a sustainable energy future for our community while maintaining the delicate balance of our natural surroundings.