Off grid homes harness river to power whole village
From Snowdonia waterfalls to solar panels on police stations, communities are trying to harness their own renewable energy
27 February 2021 • 6:00pm
Saskya Huggins (R) and Ruth Finar, who are both Volunteer Directors of the Osney Lock Hydro
Credit: John Lawrence
When a small community just west of Oxford watched as the Thames destroyed their houses in a dramatic flood, they realised just how powerful the river was.
Now, they have harnessed that force and protected their homes by using their little stretch for hydroelectric renewable energy.
The people of Osney Lock are just one of the communities which hope to be the first to go truly off grid under plans to allow local people to buy renewable energy which is generated nearby.