Back to the future

AS befits a county that was at the forefront of the Industrial Revolution, and which now wants to be a trailblazer for green energy, it is symbolic that the historic Linton Falls is going back to the future.

By The Newsroom

Published 8th Dec 2011, 08:04 BST

It will now use the power of the River Wharfe to generate electricity for Grassington in the heart of the Yorkshire Dales for the first time since this monument was abandoned in 1948.

Though small in scale – the scheme will power 90 homes – it will prevent 216 tonnes of harmful carbon dioxide emissions being released into the atmosphere each year, a pertinent point as environmentalists debate a new climate change accord in Durban.

It is also a reminder, as concerns persist about the impact of wind turbines on rural areas, that the power generated by rivers continues to offer much untapped potential as policy-makers attempt to safeguard future supplies, and meet this country’s obligations towards the environment.

Yorkshire Dales River Wharfe