Improvements to Osney Lock Hydro visitor experience
A digital display helps inform visitors at community-owned hydro.
West Oxford Community Renewables (WoCORE) received a grant of £500 from Low Carbon Hub’s Community Grant Fund to install a digital display and new signage at this landmark community hydro in central Oxford.
The challenge
Osney Lock Hydro is a popular site for learning about renewable energy generation and community energy, but it lacked data and information on site to share with visitors. The existing signage was also worn and deteriorating.
The goal
Install a digital display showing real-time data on clean energy generation and river flow data and refresh signage to improve visitor engagement and understanding.
What happened?
- A local volunteer developed a digital display with live data on electricity generation, battery storage, river flow rates and biodiversity.
- The display is visible even when the site is closed.
- New, refreshed print signage was installed.
- The new display was launched at the 10-year anniversary party of Osney Lock Hydro.
Impact
- Tour guides can better answer visitor questions using the display information.
- Improved visitor experience.
- Visitors are better able to understand the project.
These kinds of grants are vital for small, often volunteer-run organisations like ours – they give us the support we need to turn good ideas into action, helping us make a real difference in our communities.
Saskya Huggins, WOCORE
What’s next?
The team is exploring ways to display the live data on their website. To find out more about their work visit www.wocore.org.uk
Learn More
If you are a member of Low Carbon’s Hub Community Network and have an idea for a project that needs funding, find out about our latest grants available here.
For more inspiring stories of community-led action on climate change, visit Communities Stories.