Active Energy was a twelve-year project that commenced in 2007 as a response to Queen Mary University research into older people’s experience failing to inform development of new technologies. Through this artist Loraine Leeson met The Geezers, a men’s group at AgeUK Bow, who wished to work with tidal power. With the help of engineers and further fundraising they developed and tested a prototype turbine for the Thames, held two exhibitions, worked with young people to produce a wind turbine for an AgeUK roof, contributed to three university research projects, conducted numerous joint presentations, collaborated with a seniors’ group in Pittsburgh, and produced floating water wheels to provide aeration for rivers, the last installed in 2019 in London’s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.

2. 2007
A research project commissions artist Loraine Leeson to investigate
the fact that the experience of older people is failing to inform the
development of new technologies.
She meets The Geezers…

4. Members of the Geezers Club meet regularly at an AgeUK centre in Bow, East London,
as a way to offset the isolation and loneliness that particularly affects older men.
Loraine asks them what technology they would like to see developed that would best
support themselves or their community.
…they choose tidal power on the basis that older people cannot afford to heat their
homes and yet, as they point out, the Thames is a tidal river and just down the road…
Loraine admits she knows nothing about tidal power but will take them every step of
the way she can as an artist to help realise this.

6. They explore House Mill, the world’s oldest and largest tidal mill. It is
located in their local Three Mills complex, though currently not working.

10. …then begin to explore turbines and discover that funding for tidal
power was halted in the 1980s by the Thatcher government. Few new
designs have been created since that time, and they are advised to
look at wind turbines that can cope with two-way flow.

13. They also discover that a barrage across the river is needed – but also
that this could be provided by the existing Thames Barrier.

17. The Not Quite Yet: on the margins of technology
exhibition opens at SPACE Gallery 27th January 2007

23. renamed Active Energy, the project continued with a small amount of
funding from Comic Relief

29. 2009
Engineer Toby Borland from University of East London
joins the team.
Professor Stephen Dodds, renowned for developing the
control system for the European Space Commission,
also supports the project.
SPACE raises further funding and the group runs
workshops in Bow Boys School. The school prefer to
concentrate on wind power.

40. Meanwhile the quest continues to create a prototype for a low cost
tidal turbine capable of generating power from the River Thames
The project finds funding support from Big Lottery

53. 2012
The project is interrupted when Loraine Leeson is offered a
residency in Pittsburgh
She sets up online communications between The Geezers in
London and Northside Seniors in Pittsburgh, who then
develop their own project
Both are shown at the Mattress Factory Museum of installation

62. Meanwhile back in London plans for a turbine in the
Thames continue and a barge in central London is
offered as a testing base

82. 2013
The turbine is tested in the River Thames

87. 2014/15
Loraine Leeson joins the AHRC funded Towards Hydrocitizenship research project at
Middlesex University, which supports further development of Active Energy, though it
has to be conducted in the River Lea, a tributary of the Thames.
Plans commence for a floating water wheel to be located in a tidal basin at Three Mills
that will drive an aerator to support fish and wildlife during periods of high pollution.
Thames21 provides help and environmental advice.
House Mill offers a venue for meetings and launch.

90. The wheel will be driven by the outflow from the mill pool as the tide recedes. Since it
floats it can rise and fall with the tide and cope with both deep and shallow water.

98. 2016
wheel construction at House Mill

106. 2017
installation

112. 2018/19
A new wheel for the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park

116. Workshops in renewable energy are run at the same time for pupils at Bow
School, now co-educational.
Canal and River Trust provide information on the pollution affecting the river
and why more aeration of the water driven by wheels such as this is needed.

119. The Geezers, together with students of Art and Social Practice at Middlesex
University, assist with the workshops.
Pupils build working models of the kinds of turbines that can be used to
generate renewable energy.

128. 20th September 2019
Commencement of a week of global action on climate emergency.
The project is celebrated at an event in the Olympic Park attended by
participants and public.
Artist, engineer and members of the Geezers Club present the project, while
the environmental crisis is addressed by speakers from the London Legacy
Development Corporation, Canal and River Trust, Greater London Authority
and the campaign group Culture Declares Emergency.

131. The pupils and Geezers question the GLA Senior Manager for Energy and
Climate Change on plans to address climate emergency in the capital.

134. The Active Energy team has involved
Loraine Leeson, artist
The Geezers Club
Toby Borland, engineer
Fiona Fieber, SPACE
Ann Light, professor of design and creative technology
Stephen Dodds, professor of spacecraft control systems
working with
Age UK, SPACE Studios, University of East London, Bow School, Northside Seniors and the Mattress
Factory Pittsburgh, Tamesis Dock, Towards Hydrocitizenship, House Mill, Thames21, Love the Lea, Canal
and River Trust, London Legacy Development Corporation, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, Middlesex
University and cSPACE
Financially supported by Queen Mary University/SPACE (commission), Comic Relief, Big Lottery, Leaside
Regeneration, Action for Bow, Woodlands Trust, Mattress Factory (commission), Awards for All, RegenSW
Green Energy award, AHRC, National Lottery Community Fund and Middlesex University’s ACI research fund