Historic mill getting £300k upgrade to return to water power
DERBYSHIRE’S historic Cromford Mill is going back to the future by returning water power to the Unesco World Heritage Site, while addressing climate change.
The Arkwright Society, which works to conserve the historic landmark, has secured £330,000 to install a water source heat pump and stateof-the-art hydro-turbine at the mill, as well as reinstate a waterwheel, thanks to Severn Trent Water and Derbyshire County Council.
Operations director Simon Gill said: “It’s probably the most significant thing that’s going to happen here to return water power to the original mill that created the first factory system at the start of the Industrial Revolution.”
Sir Richard Arkwright built Cromford Mill in 1771, revolutionising industrial practices and making him the richest man in Britain when he died.
Mr Gill said an aspect of the scheme that was “close to his heart” was the reduction of the site’s carbon footprint and emissions.
The money will pay for the installation of a Francis turbine, generating 15kW of electricity, as well as a waterwheel, which will replicate the one of the original waterwheels and produce 1kW of energy. Belper firm Vaillant is providing the water source heat pump that will capture heat from water and use it to provide heat and power to one of the buildings on site. Using additional funding from the Wolfson Foundation, the Arkwright Society has been working with Cromford Parish Council to restore a dormant hydroturbine at Cromford Cornmill that will create 12kW of electricity and generate income for the village, which was built for the mill workers. Derbyshire County Council’s contribution of £133,000 was awarded through its Green Entrepreneur Scheme, and when the project is completed it will be exhibited as an example of a green initiative to educate people about renewable energy sources. Mr Gill said: “We will share our work and demonstrate what we’re doing on a challenging Grade I listed site”. Work on the scheme is expected to start in September, with the hope of it being fully operational by June next year.