Renewable energy group gives Kintyre wind farm update

A volunteer group which works to ensure maximum financial benefits for Kintyre communities impacted by wind farm developments has updated the community councils it represents.

 

The East Kintyre Renewable Energy Group (EKREG) presentation updated representatives of Kintyre community councils on the current status of wind farm developments in Kintyre; provided clarification on wins to date for Kintyre communities and the ongoing work with a number of developers to secure community shared ownership in approved wind farms for the benefit of Kintyre residents.

 

'The landscape is changing fast, driven by the Scottish Government pushing for more renewables, developers keen to build and Scottish and Southern Energy Network (SSEN) providing the needed infrastructure to connect all new Kintyre developments into the national grid,' said an EKREG spokesperson.

 

'There can be no doubt upland Kintyre windspeeds provide a rare opportunity to optimise renewable energy generation via wind turbines without offshore expense.

 

'Kintyre is therefore an attractive proposition to wind farm developers due to the high financial returns that can be returned to developers in the present renewables climate.'

 

EKREG reported on several wins to date, not least ensuring developers are held to account on providing community benefit funds for the lifetime of approved wind farm developments.

 

'Community benefit provides welcome funds to our communities and we are already beginning to see significant benefit across Kintyre to local groups, community enterprise companies and charities,' said the spokesperson.

 

'However, the main thrust of EKREG’s activities relates to negotiating community shared ownership, since this offers the opportunity for communities to share in the net profit created by the developers of windfarms and should return as much, if not considerably more, community benefit funds to communities.'

 

"attachment_839230" "aligncenter" "200"] Slides from the presentation show the difference between Kintyre's wind farm developments in 2019, top), and now, bottom.

 

EKREG is currently negotiating with several developers to achieve community shared ownership for the Kintyre communities – following Scottish Government good practice guidelines – with as much as a 49.5 per cent stake on the table for negotiation in some developments.

 

The group also highlighted its positive early-stage discussions with key investors to be able to raise the capital required to realise the communities’ community shared ownership opportunities at no risk to the community councils.

 

EKREG has also been working to provide communities with templates to help them  establish their charity funding vehicles, with some already in action including East Kintyre Community Fund, West Kintyre Community Fund and Campbeltown Community Windfarm Fund.

 

'It is an exciting time for communities to realise what can be achieved by being part of the renewable future rather than as a bystander,' said the spokesperson.

 

Community councillors in attendance at the presentation expressed appreciation of the work undertaken by EKREG and look forward to future community shared ownership possibilities.

 

They have been asked by EKREG to start planning ahead for the future so their communities are in a position to move forward once funding flows through.

 

EKREG has set up a website – www.kintyrewind.com – and a 'Kintyre Wind' Facebook page to communicate information and ensure transparency.

 

Updates relating to community shared ownership and community benefit funds are posted on the website, where there are also links and details of how funds are being disbursed to communities.