GALWAY City Council has secured €3.3 million in EU funding to pilot a hydro turbine project on the city’s canals, the first initiative of its kind for a local authority in Ireland.
The funding will support the installation of three small-scale hydropower systems to power electric vehicle (EV) charging points and streetlights, with a second phase planned to supply a public building with renewable energy.
City Hall heard this week that any excess energy will be fed back into the national grid, and the project has strong potential to become a sustainable tourist attraction.
Surplus revenue will be reinvested into local climate initiatives, including the rollout of further renewable technologies.
However, the project has drawn opposition from the Galway City Salmon Angling Association, which argues that turbines would obstruct fish migration.
Secretary of the Association, Billy Smyth from Shantalla, argues it is a “total waste of money” and “will be nothing more than a fish mincer.”
He is also on the National Executive of the Federation of Irish Salmon and Sea Trout Anglers Association.
“Our Wild Atlantic salmon is on the verge of extinction,” he says.
“It’s on the red list of endangered species. I believe any plans or project on something that may cause a detrimental effect will not be allowed to go ahead under the EU Habitats Directive.
“Inland Fisheries Ireland have a new barrier mitigation team set up in Galway headquarters at the weir and they are trying to remove all obstacles to migrating fish.
“This hydroelectric scheme will interfere with the migration of wild salmon smolts out from the Corrib and tributaries into the main Corrib River. Thousands of them pass down through the Eglinton Canal every year between March, April, and May.”
Mr Smyth has issued a stark warning regarding the scheme and its potential impact on salmon especially, stating it is not economically viable.
“If there is a hydroelectric scheme put in there — a turbine — it will be nothing more than a fish mincer. It will mince the salmon smolts that are migrating out to sea.
“There will be no mitigation available to stop that happening. Even if they put up grates, they will have to be cleaned on a regular basis, or turbines would have to be turned off between March to May. That would make them unviable, in my opinion.”
The project will see Galway City Council working in partnership with the Northern and Western Regional Assembly (NWRA), the University of Galway, Quirke Renewable Systems Ltd, and the Galway City Community Network.
It is also anticipated that a living lab will be established following installation, supported by the University of Galway, to create opportunities for upskilling and job creation.
Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.
Pictured: A section of the canal system in Galway