£1m community hydro share offer launches

Businesses, individuals and social investors are being invited to invest in three new community hydroelectric schemes in the UK.

The £1 million share offer is being launched by social enterprise H2oPE. The hydroelectric schemes – one in Bainbridge, Yorkshire, and two in Stockport, Greater Manchester – together will create 45 kilowatt (kW), 54kW and 76kW of electricity, respectively for at least 40 years – enough to power 175 homes. They will save a total of 12,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions during their lifespan.

The social investment will help fund the capital costs of the hydro power plants. Any surplus monies from the sale of the electricity will fund energy saving measures and other local environmental projects, said H2oPE.

Serious about ethical investment

“We’re looking for people who want a blended return on their investment; people who are serious about ethical investments and are interested in long-term benefits,” said Steve Welsh, managing director of H2oPE.

“Share holders will take an active part in deciding how surplus monies will be spent, so investing in community hydro is a unique way to demonstrate commitment and support for sustainable environmental projects.”

The scheme is likely to appeal to companies that already have a carbon reduction strategy in place or are already reducing their carbon emissions and want to ‘offset’ unavoidable emissions through renewable projects. Investing just £500 into these schemes will help save 28.06 tonnes of CO2 emissions.

The share offer qualifies for the Enterprise Investment Scheme and capital gains savings worth 20 per cent of an investment.

For more details of how to be involved please contact Mr Peter Moore (peter.moore@viridisec.co.uk) to see how you can get involved or develop your own Hydro system.

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