Robert's Renewable Revolution
Documentary now available on iPlayer!
2 June, 2017
We're sure you know by now that Robert Llewellyn is a pretty eco-friendly kind of chap. From installing solar panels on his house to whizzing around in electric cars, he's developed a keen interest over the last decade or so in sustainable energy solutions. But did you know that Robert has also inspired a similar wave of sentiment across the entire village in which he lives?
That's the subject of The Great Village Green Crusade, a one-off documentary that aired on BBC Four this week. The 90-minute film sees Robert attempting to persuade the residents of his village, Temple Guiting in the Cotswolds, to switch their power use from fossil fuels to renewable sources:
Packed with scientific insight and explanation of the latest renewable technology, from Archimedes screws to solar photo-voltaic panels, the programme follows Robert as he tries to win over his fellow villagers with grand designs of a windmill at the top of the local hill, a water turbine in the village stream and solar arrays on parish roofs.
Robert takes inspiration from the extraordinarily rapid change in energy supply happening in perhaps the most surprising of locations - Las Vegas. In the neon-drenched gambling capital of the world, a revolution is under way, as the city attempts to power itself entirely by renewable electricity in 2017.
Back in the Cotswolds, Robert and the village face a challenge as they find the local electricity grid cannot absorb the extra load from their proposed renewable scheme. He seeks out a solution in battery technology, comparing and contrasting the cutting-edge science of lithium-ion and air batteries. Is this technology that Temple Guiting can use, and can Robert's dream become a reality?
And although it's already had its initial airing on BBC Four, you can see the documentary now by heading over to the BBC iPlayer! You can also follow Robert on Twitter, @bobbyllew, to keep up to date with this and other green initiatives he's been involved in lately.
Watch The Great Village Green Crusade on iPlayer now!
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