Hydropower

A waterfall at Stickle Ghyll, Cumbria

Harnessing the power of water can be traced back to 200 BC. Hydropower has not only shaped our industrial past it also has a key role to play in building a greener future.

Listen to our podcast and meet the innovators of days gone by whose ingenuity is still helping us reduce our carbon footprint by making the places in our care more sustainable. We've also got lots of tips you can try at home to save water and live a more sustainable lifestyle.

We aim to produce 50 per cent of the energy we use from renewable sources by 2021, and hydropower is helping us to achieve this.

  • Hydropower already generates a total of 299,382 kilowatt hours for 10 of the places in our care.
  • A further 10 National Trust places sell the energy generated by their hydropower systems to the National Grid, bringing the total up to 4,132,823 kilowatt hours of energy produced.
  • The money raised helps us continue vital conservation work and look after these special landscapes for future generations.  
Listen to our podcast on hydropower

The podcast was made possible thanks to the support of BMW i, the brand behind the state-of-the-art BMW i3. As our partner, BMW i is not only allowing us to expand our network of electric vehicle charging points it is also helping us achieve our renewable energy ambitions by investing in groundbreaking projects at National Trust places.

Cragside became Britain's first hydro-powered home in 1878

Britain's first smart home 

This episode explores the exciting capabilities of hydropower, an age-old technology that first used water to power mills and machinery hundreds of years ago. We shed light on how forward-thinking inventor Lord William Armstrong made his Northumberland-home Cragside into Britain's first hydro-powered home in 1878. Discover how an upgrade of the original hydro system is powering the estate into the future.

Listen on Apple podcasts

Episode 1: Britain's first smart home

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Hydro power at Hafod Y Llan

Did you know?

The energy generated by hydropower systems is measured in KWhs (kilowatt hours). A kilowatt (kw) is 1,000 watts, so a 1KWh hydro scheme produces 1,000kws in an hour, which is enough to power 66 LED light bulbs. But our scheme at Hafod y Llan is so powerful that it creates enough energy in an hour to power 6,666 light bulbs.

Hydropower at the places we care for
Gibson Mill in Hardcastle Crags, West Yorkshire, has a rich history of reinvention

Gibson Mill and Hardcastle Crags 

Gibson Mill, which was once at the centre of the industrial change, is now at the forefront of the green energy revolution. We've been running this site completely off grid for ten years, and it's the first place in our care that's solely reliant on renewable energy. Find out how we use biomass, hydropower and solar panels to keep this important piece of industrial heritage alive.

Pints of beer at Sticklebarn

Hydro-powered pints at Sticklebarn 

Sticklebarn's dramatic landscapes, forged by fire and ice, are not only beautiful to look at; they also have an important role to play in the creation of renewable energy. The Stickle Ghyll hydro, which was installed in 2015 and uses fast flowing water that falls down the hills in the Langdale Valley, to power the nearby pub. This means you can enjoy one of the greenest pints of beer in the UK.

The switch board in the hydro turbine building at Castle Drogo.

A long history of hydropower at Castle Drogo 

Sustainability isn't always about modern engineering and new technology. At Castle Drogo we harness the power of the rivers in the same way we did at the beginning of the last century. Discover how we've updated the castle's first hydro system, first installed in 1929, to power the visitor centre and heat the house.

Machinery in the Pump House at Cragside

Reviving hydropower at Cragside 

A water screw, known as the Archimedes screw, has reinstated hydroelectricity to Cragside in Northumberland, the first house in the world ever to use it. The green energy project continues the work of previous owner Lord Armstrong, who used water from the lakes on the estate to generate electricity through a turbine to light the house in 1878.

Doing your bit

A large-scale hydropower project is still out of reach for most of us, so we've come up with some other ways that you can channel the power of water. 

A waterfall in winter surrounded by trees
Flowers adorn a pair of toilets in Portsmouth in a photo by The Caravan Gallery
Visitor looking at a mid-nineteenth century shower at Calke Abbey, Derbyshire.
Our exclusive cleaning range is produced in small batches in Somerset by family-run business Greenscents
Ian demonstrating how to clear the screen at the intake

Save water with what you wear

It can take nearly 3,000 litres of waters to make just one T-shirt sold on the High Street. You could save water by buying less or buying second hand.

Flushed with success

Toilets made before 2001 use up to three times more water than new models. You can opt for the standard-brick system or buy a water saver if you’re looking for something more robust.

Shower power

Hydro-electric showers can cost anywhere between £50 and £300. You could even buy a shower head that gives you the feel of a high-pressure shower but uses less water. Or set a timer so you spend less time in the shower.

Green washing

Do you want to eco clean your home? Natural cleaning products and old-fashioned methods, like those on our online shop, are becoming more popular. A GuppyBag in your washing machine can also trap micro-plastics.

Hydropower in your home

Shared community hydro-projects are the most cost-efficient option. Otherwise you're looking at shelling out a large sum for a standalone project. You should also factor in any return on investment from lower energy costs.

Our work with BMW i 

BMW i is committed to creating a more sustainable future and makes use of many of the renewable energy technologies that we do. While hydropower is used to power many of the historic buildings in our care, it also plays an important role in the modern production of carbon fibre for its electric cars. 

BMW i3s made at the manufacturer's Leipzig plant take 70 per cent less water and 50 per cent less energy to build than a normal car. The car creates zero driving emissions and is up to 85 per cent recyclable.

Our partnership with BMW i means we can invest even more in renewable energy projects, and make travel to the places we care for more sustainable by expanding our network of electric vehicle charging points.