6.48 mm diameter nozzle delivering 0.91 l/s to the runner which is rotating at 1084 rpm and generating 225 watts into the grid at an overall efficiency of 47%.

Friday 15 April 2016

Two 'water years'

At the half way point in my 'water year' (1st Oct to 30th Sep) output to the grid is holding up better than in previous years, a reflection of the wet time we've been having here in Wales (the green line is this year's plot):




Perhaps this'll even be the year I'll reach that dreamed of total of 4 MWh. 

The end of March marked the end of a different water year, the one set by the Environment Agency for water abstraction returns to be made (1st Apr to 31st Mar).

My abstraction licence limits me to 49,982 m³ and the close of their year saw my actual abstraction coming in at 46,365 m³. So that was alright then !

When I tried to submit this information on-line in the way that was possible last year to the 'English' Environment Agency, there was a problem: during the year abstraction returns had been devolved to the 'Welsh' Environment Agency, aka Natural Resources Wales.

Unfortunately, and not only unfortunately but also un-surprisingly, NRW had not prepared for receiving abstraction returns at the due time.  A phone call to head office to ask how it should be done; a promise to call back with an answer which never happened ... what is one supposed to do in the face of such bureaucratic inefficiency?

The dead-line for a return is threateningly stated to be 28 April, - just 2 weeks away.  What enforcement action could they impose I wonder.

Then, - oh the relief! - I found I could submit my return to the 'English' Environment Agency in the same way as I did last year.  Too bad that it has gone to the wrong agency.  Let them sort it out.  I beg to submit, your honour, that I did send my return in, on time, by the only way I found to be possible !


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