The Kilbirnie wind turbine has completed its first full week of operations, becoming Scotland’s first community-owned development to operate commercially without long-term government subsidies. This watershed moment for community energy follows the UK government and Great British Energy publishing its Local Power Plan in March, aiming to invest £1 billion in locally owned clean energy projects and ensure communities directly benefit from the schemes they host.
The 2.5 MW turbine in Kilbirnie, North Ayrshire, can contribute over 7000 MWh/y of renewable electricity to the country’s energy system. That is the equivalent of powering over 2000 average Scottish homes. Additionally, the development will deliver over 3000 tpy of carbon emissions reductions.
The project will directly benefit local causes, with all profits from electricity sales going into Radio City’s programme of sustainable development projects that address the need for capital investment in a new Employment Hub, offering employment and training opportunities for local people, improve sustainable transport opportunities, and help to address health and educational inequalities locally, as well as upgrading local sports and recreational facilities.
Allan Wilson, a Director of ATTIX CIC, said: “This has been a long and at times torturous journey for our community, but we have prevailed and come out at the end stronger than we started, with a long-term valuable asset that will pay massive dividends for an area too long ignored for investment by others. We are now embarking on a different journey but bolstered over the long term by re-investing proceeds from our endeavours back into improving facilities and services locally and addressing some of this area’s many challenges.”
The UK government’s Energy Minister, Michael Shanks, added: “This is what community energy is all about – giving people a stake in energy generation so profits go to what matters, from tackling fuel poverty to improving local sports facilities in Ayrshire.
"With Great British Energy we are delivering the biggest public investment in community energy in Britain's history, through our Local Power Plan, so more communities can own and control clean energy projects that deliver benefits for their area.”
Scotland’s Energy Secretary, Gillian Martin, commented: “The Scottish government is committed to supporting the growth of community energy through CARES and we are proud to have provided this project with both funding and support. Every community project is important in helping us to achieve a just transition to a net-zero future and my congratulations go to the team at Radio City Association for reaching this important milestone in what is a significant and innovative development in delivering community-owned energy.”
It will also support the charity’s ongoing work to address the substantial fuel poverty in its community through assistance with energy vouchers, distribution of halogen heaters and electric blankets, as well as one to one advice to combat and reduce peoples’ energy bills.
The novel approach to funding the wind turbine provides a blueprint for financing the community-led energy transition from the ground up. It brings together £5.6 million in blended finance – £1.6 million in social investment from Social Investment Scotland and £4 million from Community Energy Catalyst, a £40 million facility managed by Thrive Renewables, in partnership with Better Society Capital. Local Energy Scotland supported the project through planning and design with a loan from the Scottish Government’s Community and Renewable Energy Scheme (CARES). The project has also received a combination of Great British Energy and Scottish Government grant funding via CARES.
CEO of Thrive Renewables, Matthew Clayton, stated: “The Kilbirnie wind turbine is proof of the vital role that communities have to play in the transition to clean energy, not only adding vital capacity to the grid, but ensuring the benefits are felt at a local level. We’re thrilled to see the turbine commissioned and look forward to seeing the impact it has within Kilbirnie, helping support some important community causes and initiatives that have historically struggled for funding.”
Joe Shamash, Investment Director at Better Society Capital, explained: “ATTIX shows what communities can achieve when they have the right tools and finance to take ownership of their local energy infrastructure. Community-owned renewable energy like this is an amazing way to help meet the UK’s growing energy needs while also ensuring the benefits flow back to the communities that host them.
“This project is a big milestone for community energy in Scotland. We are really happy to have played a small role in this, and we’re keen to see more partnerships like this between communities and investors this year.”
ATTIX CIC is a Community Interest Company established and asset locked to Radio City Association Ltd to develop the community turbine in Kilbirnie. As well as this onshore wind turbine, Radio City Association is also developing its wider ‘Electric Valley’ sustainability project including working with Scottish Water in the development of a small scale hydro site. This will also be used to re-invest back into the local community, promoting sustainable and affordable community transport and energy efficiency.
Alastair Davis, CEO at Social Investment Scotland, said: “We’re proud to have supported ATTIX CIC with a £1.6 million investment to help bring the Kilbirnie wind turbine to life. This project shows how community-owned renewable energy can deliver both clean power and long-term local benefit. We look forward to backing more partnerships that put communities at the heart of Scotland’s energy transition.”
Chris Morris, Local Energy Scotland Manager, concluded: “CARES funding has helped Radio City Association to develop this major community project, providing support from an initial idea, through the planning process and to energisation. Congratulations to the talented team at Radio City, whose hard work and tenacity have brought this project to life, so that the community will feel the benefits for years to come.”
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