Kilbirnie has defied the odds and secured capital funding to build Scotland's first 100 per cent commercially-operated but community-owned onshore wind turbine.
The ATTIX Community Interest Company (CIC) – established by Radio City Association, the charity behind the project – has received more than £5 million in investment for the project.
The turbine will operate without the benefit of government price support mechanisms.
The funding boost means the group can press forward with its plans to build the turbine just outside Kilbirnie, with construction expected to be completed by the end of next year.
Some £4 million in funding comes from renewable energy investment company, Thrive Renewables, while responsible finance provider, Social Investment Scotland, has invested £1.6 million as part of a blended finance package.
Local Energy Scotland also supported the project through planning and design with funding from the Scottish Government’s Community and Renewable Energy Scheme (CARES).
The turbine, which will have an operational capacity of 2.5 megawatts (MW), will be capable of generating 7,839 MWh (megawatt hours) of clean electricity per year - the equivalent of powering 2,234 average UK homes, once operational.
It will also deliver 3,324 tonnes of carbon emissions reductions each year.
Owned solely by the community, the profits from electricity sales will be reinvested back into the local area, which could include local sports and recreational facilities, as well as supporting the refurbishment of the Knox Institute building – a one-time important community hub.
Allan Wilson, secretary of the Radio City Association, who served as Scotland's deputy minister for environment and rural development from 2001 to 2004, said: “This is great news for the Garnock Valley as the turbine will secure more in community benefits for local people than all the commercially owned wind turbines visible in the area combined.
"We recommend the model to any community facing the same challenges.
"It represents a massive step forward for our Electric Valley Project which aims to promote sustainability and energy self-reliance and the investment of profits from locally sourced renewable power back into our communities.
"This will allow us to start addressing inequalities in employment, health and education created by years of neglect and absence of new investment.”
The group has overcome various challenges to get the project through to the construction stage, after commercial developers previously tried and failed to secure planning for the site.
Recognising the benefits an onshore wind project could bring to the community, ATTIX proposed a new planning approach for its project in 2018 and, after receiving vital development funding from CARES, the group successfully gained planning permission in 2019.
While the impact of higher energy prices, inflation and grid constraints nearly stalled the project once again, Social Investment Scotland and Thrive Renewables came on board with the funding to support construction in September 2023.
Matthew Clayton, managing director of Thrive Renewables, added: “We’re proud to play a role in this community energy success story – a brilliant example of passion and perseverance that will bring tangible benefits to the people living in the Garnock Valley including a new revenue stream, local green jobs and an active role in tackling the climate emergency.
"Local projects like these will help Scotland build a cleaner, cheaper, homegrown energy system at a time when many people are struggling as a result of the energy and cost of living crises. We’re pleased to be able to provide the ATTIX team with the flexible, collaborative capital they need to move forward with construction.”
Chris Jamieson, head of investments at Social Investment Scotland, said: “ATTIX CIC is a superb example of a community energy project with the potential to make a positive difference to people’s lives, while also delivering significant environmental impact through carbon reduction.”
The Scottish Government has set a target of 2GW (gigawatts) of renewable energy to be community or locally owned by 2030.
Scotland's energy minister Gillian Martin said: “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.”
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