Former mill gets a makeover
Published Date:
22 June 2008
A 1950s water turbine originally used for milling animal feeds and flour is set for a new lease of life supplying electricity to homes in Mildenhall.
The refurbishment of the turbine at the Parkers Mill site has been undertaken by micro-hydropower experts Segen.
Its completion forms part of a major renovation project currently being undertaken by developers Freshwater Estates, which is in the process of building 14 new carbon-neutral apartments and ground floor offices on the former mill site.
Phil Davis, Segen's technical director, said: "The Parkers Mill project has shown how a 50-year-old turbine can be overhauled and upgraded to a modern specification."
Over the last six months, the turbine has undergone a complete overhaul along with having a modern generator installed to make it compatible for use on the national grid.
Mr Davis added: "The system will now operate for many decades, generating significant amounts of electricity for relatively low cost.
"With it being grid-connected, any surplus energy from the turbine will be automatically transferred to the national grid."
Estimates from Segen reveal that the system, which has cost in the region of £60,000 to refurbish, will pay for itself within five years and will produce around 156wh of electricity a year.
The full article contains 215 words and appears in n/a newspaper.
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Last Updated:
20 June 2008 4:32 PM
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Source:
n/a
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Location:
Newmarket
