Welcome to our AGM

• The AGM will start shortly
• Notes for those on Zoom
• During the presentation please set your Zoom viewing preference to SPEAKER, this will give you the best view of the meeting being shared from the audience camera.
• Everyone other than the speaker should be muted
• You can use the chat function to make comments, ask questions or raise any issues during the AGM
• If in the room and you wish to ask a question, please wait for the microphone so all can hear you

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AGM – 12^th June 2026

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OBJECTIVES

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To build, commission and operate a community hydro scheme at Harlaw Reservoir.

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To provide financial support to the community through Balerno Village Trust.

Agenda

• Welcome
• Apologies
• Approval of minutes from 2025 AGM
• Annual Reports
• Chairman's remarks
• Finance
• Approval of annual accounts
• Agreement to verify the 2026/2027 accounts
• Maintenance
• Engineering Developments
• Election of the Board
• Balerno Village Trust
• Community Chest

Approval of Minutes from 2025

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• If you are in the hall please raise your hand if you approve.
• If you are using Zoom simply raise your hand to approve the minutes.

Agenda

• Welcome
• Apologies
• Approval of minutes from 2025 AGM
• Annual Reports
• Chairman's remarks
• Finance
• Approval of annual accounts
• Agreement to verify the 2026/2027 accounts
• Maintenance
• Engineering Developments
• Election of the Board
• Balerno Village Trust
• Community Chest

Chairman’s Remarks

• A Community Success
• Initiated in . . Funded by . . Managed by . . the Community
• Our Technical Team, bolstered by new volunteers over the last couple of years, has made some impressive progress: they will report on this.
• Balerno Village Trust, our raison d’etre, has acquired and is converting the former Balerno Police Station, into The Welcome Station. This new village amenity provides lots of opportunities. Emma will report on BVT’s plans.
• After the AGM, all those attending are invited to have a look round the Welcome Station where drinks and nibbles will be on offer.

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The Year in Summary

2025/26 2024/25

INCOME (£) from generation 88K 189K

POWER sold (MWh) 201 287

BVT Donation 45K 120K

MEMBER RETURN 4% 5%

Further Support for BVT

• If any member would care to provide more help to BVT by reducing their shareholding the capital can be returned to them OR they could donate it to BVT. (1 £50 share is all that is required for membership of Harlaw Hydro).
• Another option is to donate your interest to BVT and gift aid it.

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A big THANK YOU to the team for their time, skill and wisdom.

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Agenda

• Welcome
• Apologies
• Approval of minutes from 2025 AGM
• Annual Reports
• Chairman's remarks
• Finance
• Approval of annual accounts
• Agreement to verify the 2026/2027 accounts
• Maintenance
• Engineering Developments
• Election of the Board
• Balerno Village Trust
• Community Chest

Harlaw Hydro Ltd�Finance Report to AGM on12/6/26

From TREASURER Gordon Grassick

Year to 31 March 2026

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File : FinanceHH-AGM26

The Turbine House, and Cascade (the Threipmuir overflow bypass) Jan26

Harlaw Hydro Ltd – Finance Report – Year to 31/3/26�A reminder - The Turbine : Electricity Generation = INCOME

Finance OVERVIEW at 31/3/26 – Year 11of Operations

• The Financial records are in a healthy condition
• We continue to use (the excellent) Xero Accounting Software
• Independent Verification was completed by Gordon Mavor. Gordon is happy to act for another Year.
• Total Cash INflow - £89,201
• Total Cash OUTflow - £251,030

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• The 24/25 BVT Donation of £120,000 was most significant payment

Another significant payment was the Investment in BVT of £70,000 to assist with the development of the former Police Station.

• Total Bank Balances at 31 March 26 - £104,758.

Financial Statements to 31/3/26 – Key points

• A satisfactory set of Financial Statements - Independently Verified
• Not such a good “bottom line” as in some prior years
• BUT still providing a useful Donation to BVT
• Generation kWh – Down 30%
• Generation Income – Down 52%
• Expenses – STABLE
• BVT Donation – Down from £120,000 to £45,000
• Provisions – No change at £84,500
• Share Interest 4% - Down from 5%
• Bank Balances – Down from £266,587 to £104,758
• However, NO surprises in any of these numbers

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The BUDGET process for 26/27

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• The kWh Long-Term Average (LTA) generation is updated every month
• The LTA is used as the basis of an Annual Budget
• LTA’s for the last 2, 5 and 10 years have been calculated
• There have very significant monthly kWh variations
• The variations apply to every month of every year – no pattern !
• The LTA is our best Budget guide to future Generation and Income

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• The LTA over the last 5 years has been chosen for the 26-27 Budget
• The Budget suggests generation of 259,800 kWh
• Current FIT + PPA rates of Electricity sale indicate Income of £110,000

General Comment

• Finance Reporting is discussed at routine Board meetings, and is also circulated ad-hoc as appropriate

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• I check the Power Meter web page daily for kWh Generation
• I take monthly Meter Readings at the Turbine House
• The Readings are used to verify Invoices for Electricity sold
• The Vat Report for 25/26 was submitted timeously by 31/5/26

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• Financial Statements will be submitted post AGM to the FCA
• Interest paid to Shareholders will be submitted to HMRC

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Share Capital – 2015 to 2016 (Reductions since 2018 of 28.3%)

Harlaw Hydro Ltd – The Balance Sheet at 31/3/26

• Shareholder Funds are healthy - £334,339

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• Bank balances will reduce shortly by circa £57,000 once the BVT Donation and Share Interest payments are made

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• ”Debtors” are FIT and Export Income, and a Vat recovery
• “Creditors” are Accruals – mainly a BVT Donation and Share Interest
• “Long-term Creditors” are the Repairs and Property Provisions
• So, in summary :
• Thank you very much for all of your Investments – Invaluable !
• Thank you too for your attention to my Finance Report
• This Report will be added to the Harlaw Hydro website

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Harlaw Reservoir - A reminder of the beautiful local resource – Dec21

Agenda

• Welcome
• Apologies
• Approval of minutes from 2025 AGM
• Annual Reports
• Chairman's remarks
• Finance
• Approval of annual accounts
• Agreement to verify the 2026/2027 accounts
• Maintenance
• Engineering Developments
• Election of the Board
• Balerno Village Trust
• Community Chest

Agenda

• Welcome
• Apologies
• Approval of minutes from 2024 AGM
• Annual Reports
• Chairman's remarks
• Finance
• Approval of annual accounts
• Agreement to verify the 2025/2026 accounts
• Maintenance
• Engineering Developments
• Election of the Board
• Balerno Village Trust
• Community Chest

Maintenance – Alister and Colin

Maintenance

Having been the person responsible for the daily maintenance since the start I’m now handing over to Colin for this aspect of the mechanical Maintenance. Andrew will go into more detail on the control side.  What we do to check everything is running as it should be is the following.

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1. Daily check Environment and sensors

2. Monthly greasing and visual inspection

3. Bi-Annual Service by Proterra, independent Renewables Engineering Company

4. Modifications, Improvements, repairs as required to ensure smooth and cost- effective running

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Daily Checks

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• These are done remotely using our secure website link to turbine control system and cameras

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• Using this remote link we can also interact with parameters and cure non-critical faults

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• Cameras are used to ensure systems are operating as indicated by sensors

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• Cameras used to check outside environment in immediate vicinity of plunger valve and building

Power Meter https://www.harlawhydro.org.uk/power-meter

Control System

Monthly Greasing and Visual Inspection

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• Turbine Bearings are greased manually each month

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• A full visual inspection of control panel innards, warning lights and UPS systems

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• Spreadsheet record made of bearing temperatures before/after greasing and hours run to date

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• Inspection of Building inside and out, state of access paths, and drainage ditch flows into Harlaw

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• Liaison with HH Board and CEC on any matters arising which require authorisation for attention

BI-Annual Service by Proterra

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• Independent Survey and service of all mechanical and electrical aspects of turbine

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• This is an insurance requirement but because of good rapport with engineers is also a learning tutorial for HH staff in attendance

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• Proterra are also on call remotely and, if required, in person to assist with solutions to malfunctions or aberrant turbine behaviour which is enhanced by their knowledge and our attendance at servicing. Talk through and solution via phone has worked because of this.

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• Additionally R-Controls are able to make remote alterations to our Omron control system through dialogue with Andrew

• Revision of Sensors and sensor positions

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There are two active water level sensors, one in the dam and one inside the Penstock tower.

The dam sensor does all the control and is essential to the smooth running of the operation. The tower sensor monitors the drawdown inside the tower when operating.

A wifi camera with solar panel power has been fitted to the gantry to remotely view the water level in the dam via the gauge. NEW SENSORS HAVE BEEN FITTED AND ARE NOW OPERATIONAL WITH THE NEW CONTROL SYSTEM

• Revision of Dam sensor position

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The original dam sensor is positioned inside a steel pipe hanging down from the top of the tower and is still there as we cannot easily remove it but is not used.

A new trial sensor was added directly into the water attached to a rope with a weight on the end copying the taut wire system used for ship positioning.

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Having worked well for a year this was replaced by a new sensor on a stainless wire. The inside tower sensor was also replaced and BOTH ARE NOW CONNECTED AND OPERATIONAL ON THE NEW CONTROL SYSTEM

The gauge camera is at the head of the red arrow.

Planned Maintenance

Four major and one minor maintenance and upgrade issues were addressed in this year.

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Accumulator Replacement

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Counterweight Hydraulic Overhaul

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Second Cabinet fixing for new control PLC

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Change of Pressure Transducer

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Recalibration of Plunger Valve

Maintenance

Finally

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We are now blending well into

the environment but it is time for

some tidying up around the premises. Especially as CEC have also altered the landscape

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Perhaps we can get a group of volunteers together to do a morning of grass and

branch clearing once the nesting and wild flower phases have past.

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Agenda

• Welcome
• Apologies
• Approval of minutes from 2024 AGM
• Annual Reports
• Chairman's remarks
• Finance
• Approval of annual accounts
• Agreement to verify the 2025/2026 accounts
• Maintenance
• Engineering Developments
• Election of the Board
• Balerno Village Trust
• Community Chest

Engineering – Andrew, Sean and Robert

Engineering

• Control of Generation, Operation and Maintenance – all run by Volunteers – and we have two new ones!
• We often have interesting problems to solve requiring creative solutions�
• We continue to make both big and small changes designed to further Improve the system�
• Control System Replacement
• Widescreen TV public information system

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Engineering

• Control System – working - a few final changes needed�
• Guide Vane Control (GV% Max Analysis)

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• New Flood Prediction Module – Sean and Robert

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• Grafana Public and Internal dashboards, Public TV display updated
• Robert will take us through this powerful graphic reporting tool

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Control System

• New Maintenance Mode – allows servicing without manual disconnection of MIV sensor
• Password Protected
• Permits opening of GVs
• Change to Guide Vane opening Limit in Flood conditions
• Flood Mode
• Adjust Target Reservoir level temporarily to lower by a user-defined amount (e.g.500mm)

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Guide Vane Limitation

• What the heck are Guide Vanes???
• Why do we need to limit their opening?

Guide Vanes??

Guide Vanes??

Our Hydraulic Limitation

GV Max Proposed Settings at different Levels

Flood Prediction Module – Why?

If we had 24 hrs earlier warning..

• 1 Drawing down Harlaw at say 75kW earns 24x75=1800kWh extra
• 2. Refilling Harlaw to normal target -900 level = another 1800kWh
• 3. Filling Harlaw up to notch at full power takes anther ~6 hours at say 450kWh – possibly not extra
• 4. BUT Opens up the possibility of not overtopping at all if a short storm

Grafana Public and Internal dashboards

• Enhanced to show even more data from multiple sources
• A Significant Development effort
• Robert will cover the tool we use but if you want to see it live
• Public bit.ly/hhpubdash
• (The Public Widescreen TV version presently being shown at the old Community Centre cycles round multiple pages including the Power Meter, then the Grafana screen the and Local Bus 44 timetable)
• STOP PRESS:-will also be installed soon at the Welcome Station
• Internal Operational Reporting https://harlawhydro.grafana.net/public-dashboards/c76870141f3d468898478d62e2ae9791
• https://harlawhydro.grafana.net/d/rokwhkl/harlaw-hydro-dashboard?orgId=1&from=now-2d&to=now&timezone=browser&refresh=auto&kiosk=true&var-generation_period=day

Handover to Sean and Robert

• Sean will cover the Flood Prediction Module
• Robert will explain Grafana, a graphical reporting tool
• Any Questions - perhaps at end?

Flood prediction model

• Aim: 24-hour warning for overspill conditions at Harlaw dam

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• Method – Mass balance model using:
• Existing data collection
• CEC Threipmuir data
• Rain forecast

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• Result - If works more £££
• >£1200 per overspill event , had 51 events since 2015.
• That’s £60,000 if we could have predicted it was going to occur!

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“All models are wrong, but some are useful”

Mass balance model

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Change in storage = (all inflows) − (all outflows)

All models are wrong, but some are useful”

Mass balance model

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Change in storage = (all inflows) − (all outflows)

Catchment inflows

Rain features

Challenges

• Limited data for Threipmuir (~9 months Jul25-Mar26) vs 10 years of Harlaw

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• Inflow estimation from rain and lag
• Solved by cross-correlation of historical rainflow timeseries with level data
• Found rain lag times to be 3 hours for Threipmuir and 3.5 hours for Harlaw
• Threipmuir best predicted by Harperigg rain station
• Harlaw best predicted by Torduff rain station

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• What is the storage volume at any given time ? Only have level measured
• Solved by calculating Stage/Storage (level) curve from Bathymetry

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Stage / Storage curve

Bathymetrical survey of the fresh water lochs of Scotland (1903)

Stage/Storage curve

Contours at 1m intervals

Stage / Storage curve

Now we can estimate storage volume from measured level ☺

Model vs reality

Max level in following 24 hours

Next steps

• Wait for rain and see how it does
• Refine model
• Use coarse Threipmuir data from CEC weekly sheets to increase dataset and re-evaluate model coefficients
• Bathymetry datum fix
• Valve flow estimates can be improved
• Turbine curve is currently not head dependent – easy to implement
• Implement alerting in Grafana and set up process for what happens after an alert is triggered – Robert will now explain Grafana and what it does…

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Harlaw Hydro

Grafana Dashboard

Robert Simpson

Who am I?

Robert Simpson

• Local Balerno resident
• Software engineer (oil & gas, power engineering, ad-tech)
• Got involved via C&B newsletter article
• Liaise closely with Andrew and Sean

Grafana dashboard project

Overall aims:

• Provide real-time HH data visualisations both both internal use and public use
• Integrate City of Edinburgh Council Flood Dept data with our systems
• Integrate SEPA rainfall data with our systems

How was it done?

• New Google Cloud database + deployed software services (~£6/month)
• New Grafana dashboards created linked to above deployment (free)
• All code hosted on private github repositories (free)

Engineering Dashboard

Public Dashboard

Future work

• Grafana dashboard for flood forecast visualisation and alerts
• Suggestions?

That’s All from the Engineering Team Folks!

• Any Questions?

Agenda

• Welcome
• Apologies
• Approval of minutes from 2025 AGM
• Annual Reports
• Chairman's remarks
• Finance
• Approval of annual accounts
• Agreement to verify the 2026/2027 accounts
• Maintenance
• Engineering Developments
• Election of the Board
• Balerno Village Trust
• Community Chest

The Board

• Rule 65
• Up to nine Directors can be elected by and from the Society’s Membership; one third retire each year.
• Up to three Directors can be nominated by Balerno Village Trust
• Board Membership – 2025-2026
• Simon Dormer (elected 2024)
• Andrew Clark (elected 2024)
• Gordon Grassick (elected 2024)
• Lynn Molleson (elected 2024)
• Richard Blackburn (elected 2023)
• Ian Hynd (elected 2023)
• Mike Molleson (elected 2025)
• Alister Skinner (elected 2025)
• Martin Petty (elected 2025)
• Emma Galloway (appointed by BVT)
• Karen Scott (appointed by BVT)
• David Spacey (appointed by BVT)

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Election to the Board

Retiring by rotation and standing for re-election are:-

• Ian Hynd

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Retiring

• Alister Skinner
• Richard Blackburn

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Agenda

• Welcome
• Apologies
• Approval of minutes from 2025 AGM
• Annual Reports
• Chairman's remarks
• Finance
• Approval of annual accounts
• Agreement to verify the 2026/2027 accounts
• Maintenance
• Engineering Developments
• Election of the Board
• Balerno Village Trust
• Community Chest

Election of Director

To elect Ian Hynd to the Board of Harlaw Hydro Limited

• If you are in the hall please raise your hand if you approve.
• If you are using Zoom simply raise your hand if you approve.

Emma Galloway

Chair

Our charitable purposes

1. To advance community development within the area of benefit [Balerno community council boundary area]through the provision of activities and services that will improve and regenerate the physical, social, cultural and economic life of the community.
2. To advance environmental protection and improvement through the provision of activities, services and information that will promote and encourage sustainable development and the use of renewable energy within the area of benefit.
3. To advance education and promote the health and well-being of individuals living, working and volunteering in the area of benefit.
4. To provide grants, as funds allow, to other organisations for the provision of activities and services in support of the purposes detailed above [partnership to deliver the community chest small grants fund]

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Our History

• Became a company limited by guarantee (CLG) in 2009 to run the monthly Farmers Market
• Became a registered Scottish charity in 2012
• Formed Harlaw Hydro from our Energy subgroup in 2013
• Bought our first asset – the Red Phone Box for £1 in 2019
• Took over the lease on the Balerno community centre in January 2022
• Purchased Balerno Police Station in September 25

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Balerno Farmers Market

Community Led Activity

• Balerno Village Gardeners
• Friends of Marchbank Park
• Balerno Bees
• Red Phone Box
• Harlaw Land Reclamation

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Community Led Activity

Pentland Community Chest

• Joint Venture between Currie Balerno�Rotary and Balerno Village Trust
• Balerno Village Trust contributed £12,000 in 2025/26
• Grants of up to £600 are awarded to organisations in the upper Leith Water valley
• Awards made twice a year, June and December.

Pentland Community Chest 2025

• Juniper Green Tennis Club – Contribution toward purchase of perimeter fencing (2025-A)
• Balerno High School – Role Playing Club: Purchase of role playing equipment (2025-A)
• Balerno Children’s Gala Association – Purchase of new banners (2025-A)
• Dean Park Primary School – Netball Club: Purchase of netball hoops and bibs (2525-A)
• Nether Currie Primary School PTA – Purchase of fireproof secure storage for playground equipment (2025-A)
• Holy Trinity Food Bank – Tuesday Kitchen: Purchase of additional equipment (2025-A)
• Pentlands Open Studios – Purchase of banners, flyers and posters; community interest company set up costs; establishment of online presence (2025-A)
• Ravelrig Riding for the Disabled – Purchase of replacement saddle (2025-A)
• Balerno High School – Purchase of equipment and materials to create an allotment (2025-A)
• Pentland District Scouts – Purchase of coloured bibs, lanyards and a soup kettle for use at Pentjam 2026 and other Scout events (2025-B)

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Pentland Community Chest 2025

• Currie Primary School PTA – Purchase of four football goals and twenty four playground balls (2025-B)
• Nether Currie Primary School PTA – Purchase of two picnic benches (2025-B)
• 51st Balerno Scout Group – Purchase of four heavy duty portable tables (2025-B)
• Youth Vision – Purchase of hoodies, short-sleeved T-shirts, long-sleeved T-shirts and some winter hats for use by volunteers (2025-B)
• Pentlands Men’s Shed – Purchase of used wood lathe and associated personal protective equipment (2025-B)
• Balerno and District Schools Pipe Band – Purchase of four plastic bagpipe chanters (2025-B)
• The Mill at St. Joseph’s – Contribution towards a replacement refrigerated display unit (2025-B)
• Ravelrig Riding for the Disabled – Purchase of horse clippers (2025-B)
• Currie Football Club – Purchase of tracksuit tops for the 2012 Pumas (2025-B)

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Balerno Community Centre

Timeline

• March 2025 : Police Scotland agreed to an asset transfer of the building at Market Value £215,000
• July 2025 BVT received funding of £239,000 from the Scottish Land Fund towards the cost of the building plus essential repairs and a development officer.
• September 2025: BVT took ownership
• November 2025: Open day and Simply Play announced as childcare provider from August 2026
• December 2025: BVT receives £45,000 from CARES for Air Source heating Solar PV and Battery
• December 2025 Harlaw Hydro provided a loan of £70,000 over 7 years

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Timeline

• January 2026 Maxi Construction appointed
• March 2026 Building Work commences
• March 2026 : BVT receives a grant of £70,000 from DTAS towards the building works, which allows us to complete the toilets and shower area
• April 2026: Solar PV/Air-Air source heating and batteries installed
• May 2026 Youth Vision office confirmed
• June 2026: Renovations completed

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Key Improvements Required

• Air to Air Heating, Solar Panels and Battery - £55,000
• Complete re-wire £68,000
• Roof repairs including one section completely overhauled
• Re-modelling of building to create additional toilets

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Building Use:

Thank you Harlaw Hydro��It takes a Village to create a community��Please join us for Drinks in the Welcome Station after the AGM�