The Tweed as
a Source of Energy
The
rate of water flow in the Tweed in Peebles in March 2007 was 2.5
metres a second. The river is 30 metres wide and
probably an average depth of one metre. From the ordnance
survey maps the fall across Peebles is 100 metres. Thus the rate
of flow is 30*1*2.5 m3/sec= 75 m3/sec. The potential power
is
75*100*5=37,500kW and it could provide 37,500*24 = 900,000 kWh a day.
If each person uses 150 kWh a day this is enough energy for 6000 people
or electricity for 18,000 (One third of an individual's consumption is
as electricity). It is unlikely that more than one third of the energy
available could be used, but even so provision for 2000 or 6000 people
would be a useful contribution.
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