Machynlleth:
Centre for Alternative Technology
Machynlleth:
| |
| Country: | a) Western Europe | ,b) United Kingdom |
| Language: | |
| Type: | Project |
| Area: | Outskirts, < 20,000 |
| Actors: | Publ.-priv. partnership |
| Funding: | Publ.-priv. partnership |
| Topics: | Consultancy |
| Environmental education | |
| Information and public participation | |
| Objectives: | Improve access to information |
| Increase public awareness | |
| Increase use of clean technology | |
| Instruments: | Demonstration and pilot project |
| Public participation |
The Centre for Alternative Technology (CAT, or in Welsh, Canolfan Y Dechnoleg Amgen), founded in 1975 in an abandoned slate quarry, is a well established collection of projects that demonstrate alternative, or sustainable interactions among people, nature and technology. Born out of the alternative culture of the 1960s and 1970s, CAT has over the decades had a focus on testing and publicizing local, smaller-scale community approaches to the conservation, use and reuse of natural resources. CAT is deserving of attention for the following reasons:
Based on concepts of appropriate technology, "small is beautiful," and local experimentation, CAT as a non-profit educational organization provides a bridge between those exploring or seeking ecological systems and ways of living, and the decades of relevant experiences accumulated for example at CAT and with its experts. Following are some of CAT's main objectives:
CAT is located on seven acres in Mid Wales on the southern edge of Snowdonia National Park. The grounds encompass a number of interactive displays of wind, water and solar power, energy efficiency, low energy construction and organic gardening. A "water-powered cliff railway," a wind pavilion and the UK's largest fully integrated photovoltaic roof offer spectacular 'living examples' of sustainable technologies. The CAT site had been used since the mid-19th century as a slate quarry, finally closed in 1951. When CAT activists began to work and live at the site in 1975, they were faced with overgrown piles of discarded slate and derelict buildings. While CAT is a good distance away from any population center, the remoteness has also contributed to its special character. As people generally have to travel a ways to reach CAT, they tend to spend more time there and can concentrate more on the exhibitions and projects then they might with a similar center in an urban area.
The main CAT site is found on the top of a 5 acre slate plateau, accessed by a steep and rocky 300 meter track leading up from a parking lot. To more comfortably bring more visitors up to the CAT demonstrations, the decision was made to build a "water-powered cliff railway," meaning two passenger cars connected by cables, each of the cars being weighted and balanced with water tanks they carry under them. This new railway was built on the site of the old quarry's slate-balanced railway, that was used to take slate down the hill.
Whereas CAT began with ideas of self-sufficiency, it was quickly seen that they could only grow a limited amount of their own food. To begin with there was very little natural soil on this site, so the creation of gardens meant extensive efforts at composting and generating soil. While much of the site has been left to evolve in its own way, an on-site organic garden does provide some produce for the CAT vegetarian restaurant. Local waste water is all processed on-site in a self-designed system of reed beds. It is in itself a wonder in the way that a barren hill of slate waste has been transformed into a rich and diverse ecosystem.
Alternative technologies, or what have also been known as "intermediate technologies," have always been a central focus for CAT. Serious experiments here with solar energy date back to 1975, and the construction of a solar heated building, employing an inter-seasonal heat storage system. Other projects in the 1970s involved experimentation with wood gas burners that used wood chips for fuel, methane digesters, and demonstrations of co-generation power plants.
While an emphasis has been on methods for conserving energy, for example with improved insulation techniques, the energy-generating systems at CAT have inevitably received more attention. CAT itself is powered 90% by locally-generated, renewable energy, and its local energy system is tied into the national energy grid.
CAT has demonstrations of both solar water heating technologies as well as photovoltaic systems. A variety of water heating collectors are on display that are appropriate for smaller households.
Britain's largest fully integrated photovoltaic solar roof generates over 13 kW into C.A.T.'s independent electricity grid. Covering an area of over 100m2, the roof generates 9 megawatt hours of electricity each year. Constructed using an innovative mounting system developed by C.A.T. and The University of Wales, the new system allows standard solar modules to be integrated into buildings, either as part of the roof or as cladding. The roof will be monitored, providing performance data vital to the design of future large scale solar power projects. C.A.T.'s next step will be to export surplus electricity to the grid.
Experiments have been carried out with a wide range of ecological building techniques at CAT, including everything from self-build timber structures to straw bale construction to modern systems using steel and glass. A "Low-Energy House" was designed and built at CAT back in the mid-1970s, applying super-insulation methods, a heat recovery system, massive wall construction, quadruple-glazed windows and other systems that helped to dramatically reduced the energy consumed.
CAT receives thousands of enquiries each year, from individuals but also from government and business. Receiving about 80,000 visitors every year, CAT offers a range of exhibitions and learning situations. To better deal with these growing thousands of interested people,
CAT marked its 25th anniversary with the official opening of AtEIC in September, 2000.
The new information centre - the first "autonomous building" in the UK - was designed by the country's leading green architects, Pat Borer and David Lea. Providing a model for commercial buildings, AtEIC is constructed using a range of innovative low impact materials, exploring modern versions of some very traditional technologies. AtEIC demonstrates:
Featuring the latest in energy conservation, heating, waste and water management, the AtEIC building includes: the UK's largest array of roof mounted solar collectors; a community heat main using renewables; rain water harvesting; low flush and compost public toilets.
The UK's first 'district heat main' based on integrated renewable energy systems is being built, which will link an existing woodchip boiler to a solar water heating system installed in the AtEIC. The heat main will be linked to all seven major buildings at the centre and allow for 'heat-trading' across the site. The design aims to demonstrate how renewable energy resources can be integrated to supply both heat and power to any area where there is a high density of buildings such as industrial centres, business parks, a village or a town. 'Heat grid's' are common in Europe but only a couple exist so far in Britain.
CAT offers a broad spectrum of learning opportunities for all sectors of the public. For those that never get to the CAT site, there is a long list of articles, books and journals that have been published and distributed by CAT, through a mail order service and now through the Internet. Specific resources have been developed to assist teachers, such as videos, slides and learning kits, and visits to CAT can be organized as day tours or weekly residential stays in the CAT Eco-Cabins. More than 40 different CAT courses each year are offered which deal with everything from windpower, to hydro electric power systems, the art of composting and working with willow.
CAT also offers its many years of experience as consultants to both the public and private sector. CAT experts are recognized for their expertise in environmental building systems, biological water treatment technologies, renewable energy, ecological landscaping, organic gardening and other fields as well. CAT experts have worked with a wide range of clients, including: the Birmingham City Council, the University of Wales College of Cardiff, Amoco (UK) Ltd, The Earth Centre in England, and British Rail.
Founder Gerard Morgan-Grenville, with his interest in environmental issues made a trip to the United States in the early 1970s to visit and learn from existing alternative communities and projects. He sought to create a bridge between the conventional and alternative worlds, and in his search for a site to build such a bridge came across the Llwyngwern Quarry in 1973. The initial years were ones of considerable struggle, with much idealism but little ability to implement. An emphasis was placed on self-sufficiency, and many at CAT wanted to be as separate as possible from the larger society around them. The isolation did not last long, and visits in 1975 by Prince Philip and in 1978 by The Prince of Wales generated a great deal of publicity - and credibility. Visitors came by the thousands, and CAT was not allowed to anonymously and quietly go about its tinkering.
At the end of the 1980s CAT went through a self-described "gearchange." The world was changing around them, and to survive CAT also need to change and grow. To attract more attention and visitors a dramatic phase of modernisation was embarked on. CAT succeeded in its changes and developments, and continues to actively demonstrate not just the more obvious technologies concerning energy and water systems etc., but also social and economic structures. At CAT the workers are also the managers and everyone is invited to participate in decision-making. As of the year 2000, about 30 people were working for CAT.
A great amount of idealism has accompanied CAT over the decades with respect to its relationship to money. During the start-up phase, most people were working voluntarily, for little or no pay. At the beginning, the primary founder, Gerard Morgan-Grenville, was able to raise £20,000, which was enough to get things rolling. For many years staff were paid according to their determined needs, but as of 1995 all CAT staff have been paid an equal amount.
Funding over the years has come from semi-public organizations such as the Wales Tourist Board and the Development Board for Rural Wales. Projects have been staffed through government training schemes and over the years with many hundreds of volunteers. A variety of fund raising drives and borrowing initiatives have been carried out. EU funding has been gained for some of the larger expansion and construction efforts, for example the building of a new educational facility.
In 1988 CAT began with the organization of a public limited company (plc), which meant that a C.A.T. plc would be existing alongside the C.A.T. charity. Thus, a bookshop and mail order service, a Quarry Shop in Machynlleth, a restaurant, consultancy and visitor centre are all part of the C.A.T. plc. The financial health of CAT is very much dependent on the income generated through the visitors and what they spend in the shop, restaurant, and on courses and consultant services. Other activities including education, publishing, and information services as well as feasibility studies are part of the Charity.
In 1991 the C.A.T. plc issued shares that raised £1 million for a major development programme.
The AtEIC, with a total estimated cost of £630,000 has benefited from a number of major donors, including public and private organizations.
While there is an alternative if not a radical history behind the Centre's name, many of CAT's demonstrations have gone on to be mainstreamed. CAT has successfully institutionalized its own operations, and has played a role in the institutionalization of a range of technologies and practices in the UK. One of the earliest such centers in Europe, CAT now has more than a 25 year history CAT and has managed to make a name for itself internationally, attracting visitors from around the world as well as sending out publications to interested groups and individuals on all continents. CAT is involved with a local initiative, the Dyfi Eco Valley Partnership, which aims to turn the whole area into a model of renewable-energy development.
A CAT interpretation of sustainable development is expressed in the following statement, found in their publication The CAT Story:
Centre for Alternative Technology (1995) Crazy Idealists? The CAT Story.
Centre for Alternative Technology (C.A.T.)
Kelly, Roger (1999) "Eco Demonstration Centers". Sustainable Energy News. No. 24, February 1999. pp. 12-15.
www.cat.org.uk
| Name | : | MacDermot |
| Firstname | : | Jacinta |
| Telefon | : | ++44 1654 702 400 |
| Telefax | : | ++44 1654 702 782 |
| Address | : | Centre for Alternative |
| Technology | ||
| Machynlleth, Powys | ||
| SY20 9AZ | ||
| United Kingdom | ||
Project was added at 24.08.2001
Project was changed at 13.09.2001