The Alternative Technology Centre (ATC) is a not-for-profit organisation established in 1999 on the banks of the Rochdale Canal in Hebden Bridge.

As an educational resource centre, we aim to make sustainability achievable and simply irresistible by working from a strong base within our local community to provide inspiration, accessible information and advice to improve the quality of life using sustainable means – economic, environmental and social.

What's New

Feed in tariffs

dffs

From April 1st, households and communities who install generating technologies such as small wind turbines and solar panels can earn money for the low carbon electricity they produce, even if they use it themselves. They will get a further payment for any electricity they feed into the grid. A typical 2.5kW well sited solar pv installation could offer a homeowner a reward of up to £900 and save them £140 a year on their electricity bill.

The Department of Energy and Climate Change has also published plans for a scheme to incentivise renewable heat generation at all scales. This will come into effect in April 2011 and guarantee payments for those who install technologies such as ground source heat pumps, biomass boilers and air source heat pumps.

Under the proposed tariffs the installation of a ground source heat pump could be rewarded with £1,000 a year and lead to savings of £200 per year if used instead of heating oil.

Newsflash - as from May 24th 2010, the Low Carbon Buildings Programme has been scrapped completely. Existing contracts will be honoured and applications in with DECC will be processed.

For details on tariffs and rates click here.

For details on all renewable technologies click on the technology

Solar PV

Solar water

Biomass

Wind

Hydro

Heat pumps

CYCLE RECYLCE

A new project at the ATC.

Cycle recycle aims to reuse unwanted bikes – stopping them from being put into landfill (or the canal) – and helping people to be able to buy bikes at a reasonable price.

It also hopefully encourages more people to get out of their cars and onto their bikes, get fit and have some fun at the same time.

We take old bikes, as long as they are not too far gone, parts and accessories (except for helmets).

You can drop off anything at the Alternative Technology Centre but please give us a ring first on 01422 842121

See www.cyclerecycle.org.uk for more details

Power from the Landscape

The use of water power in the South Pennines can be traced back from the very early corn and fulling mills through to powering the Industrial Revolution of the 19thC. 

Power from the Landscape aims to make water power a common feature of the landscape once again and provide clean community owned energy for the people of the area. 

The landscape of the South Pennines is of steep sided valleys with small fast flowing rivers. The energy from this can be harnessed using modern micro hydro turbines to generate electricity to be fed into the grid.

If you have a site that you think would be suitable or would like any more information, please contact Pete Hill on pete@powerfromthelandscape.co.uk and see the website at www.powerfromthelandscape.co.uk

Free Low Energy Light bulbs

We have now given out the last of the free low energy light bulbs. This means that, to date, we have given out at least 30,000 over the last ten years, to people in the upper valley.

We do still have energy display monitors that people can borrow for up to 3 weeks. These will show what the appliances in your house are using - and help to identify high power users!

To take this up, pop into the Green Shop or give us a ring.

The Green Shop also sells everything green from solar panels, wormeries, Earthborn and other eco paints, solar toys, wind up radios, energy saving bulbs of all types and much more.

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Power in the Landscape

The Power in the Landscape project, carried out by the ATC with support from the Local Heritage Initiative, Hebden Royd and Calderdale Council and the local community, explores the water powered mills of the Upper Calder Valley, in particular the Colden Valley.

The Calder Valley was the powerhouse of the Industrial Revolution and the project has also looked at the potential for putting hydro power back in.