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PROBUS CLUB OF THE SUSSEX WEALD
**ENERGY**
VISIT to ELING and MARCHWOOD – 13 June 2008
On a fine day in June we had a very interesting day on the shores of Southampton water where we inspected “old” and the “new” ways of using power to the benefit of local people.
First we
visited the Tide Mill, dam and Tollbridge at Eling. Here we had an escorted tour
of a working tide mill which uses estuary waters to harness the power of the
tide to grind wheat into wholemeal flour. There has been a mill on the site for
centuries with the current building being in use some 230 years. Unfortunately
we could not see wheat being milled but we had time for a coffee before moving
off to Marchwood.
Click picture to see enlarged copy of the Marchwood site
There we had a good lunch and an interesting tour of the Marchwood Energy Recovery Facility. The whole operation is housed in an impressive, unique and award winning building – an aluminium clad dome with a height of 32 metres and a diameter of 110 metres. Joanne Dixon gave us an illustrated presentation of the integrated waste management system in Hampshire in which this energy recovery plant forms a part and has been operational since 2004. This is one of Veolia Environmental Services facilities and can process 165,000 tones of waste per annum and supply 165 MW of electricity to the National Grid – enough for around 22,600 homes. Then we toured the plant and the control room where a strict check is made on emission control.
As with the Eling Tide Mill the Marchwood Energy Recovery plant uses the estuary water. At Eling it backs up Bartly Water which provides the power to drive the mill stones, whilst at Marchwood it provides cooling process for the steam which is used to power the turbine that generates the electricity.
Click picture to see enlarged copy of members in the control room at Marchwood
The Marchwood site is situated on the opposite shore to Southampton docks where we were fortunate to see two big cruise ships in dock, the closest one being the new P&O superliner, the Ventura.
Click picture to see enlarged copy of P&O cruise ship Ventura