By Roger Harrabin

Environment analyst, BBC News

One aim is to make Brecon a net exporter of electricity A UK scheme to generate power from mountain streams is one of three winners of a £1m prize for saving carbon emissions at the local level. The prize is awarded by the lottery-funded body Nesta, which encourages innovation in the UK. The Green Valleys project in Wales' Brecon Beacons currently generates power from 10 wild mountain streams. The eventual aim of the venture is to make the Brecon area a net exporter of electricity. 'Intelligent support' Normally, hydro-power relies on dams but Brecon uses micro-hydro, which involves diverting up to 50% of a stream's flow into buried pipes which lead to camouflaged generators. The project is planning 40 more of such micro-power stations. With extra help from energy advice surgeries, super-efficient vehicles and wood-burning stoves, 13 local communities in Brecon have cut carbon emissions by about 20% in a year, according to Nesta. Grenville Ham, who founded Green Valleys, said the Environment Agency imposed strict rules to protect the water level of the streams and ensure that wildlife in the streams was not harmed. National Park rules ensured that the schemes were heavily disguised visually. "We put a few rocks into a stream to ensure that enough water is held back to cover the inlet to the pipe," he said. "Then the pipes have a mesh on so fish can't get caught. And the generators are all housed in huts no bigger than a garden shed and built of local stone with turf roofs. We normally put them among farm buildings so they blend in." Lord Puttnam, chairman of the Nesta judges, said: "Whilst Copenhagen showed just how difficult it is to reach consensus amongst governments, the Big Green Challenge shows how local efforts can triumph. "When people are empowered and are given intelligent support they can make the world of difference in the fight against climate change". Enterprise Another prize-winner is the Isle of Eigg, where 38 families are working together in a bid to halve their carbon emissions. The initiative is being led by the Isle of Eigg Heritage Trust and involves a wide range of projects from installing insulation and solar panels to producing local food and developing low-carbon community transport. They are attempting to live within a five kilowatt (kW)/household energy cap. The trust says its approach has generated interest from Ecuador, Galapagos and Alaska, as well as Birmingham and Edinburgh. Nesta says Eigg cut CO2 emissions in the past year by 32%. The other £300,000 prize was taken by Ludlow's Household Energy Service - a volunteer-led company that helps households reduce carbon emissions, improve energy efficiency and save money on fuel bills. It provides free energy surveys - conducted by volunteers - that identify practical energy-saving measures along with estimates of the financial savings they could generate. HES has expanded into Shropshire, Herefordshire, Radnorshire and Montgomeryshire - increasing its reach to 15,000 homes. HES cut CO2 emissions in the past year by 10%, according to Nesta. While Nesta applauds the enterprise of community-led schemes, other energy analysts would point out that for the UK to achieve its long-term emissions targets there would need to be a revolution in energy generation and supply way beyond the reach of small communities like these.



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