Plans for the Outer Hebrides community to take an ownership stake in Hebridean wind
farms are said to be “progressing at pace.”
Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, the Stornoway Trust, and Muaitheabhal Community Wind Farm
Trust are working together to bring around 80MW of wind energy generation into community
ownership, which would create the largest community-owned windfarm in the UK.
Discussions have centred around acquiring a stake of up to 20% in the Stornoway Windfarm
plus a similar percentage of Uisenis Wind Farm at Eishken .
If the ownership stake can be delivered in full it will bring around 80MW of wind
energy generation into community ownership. This would represent the largest community-owned
windfarm in the UK and will drive significant and transformational income streams
for the Outer Hebrides.
Norman Maciver, is the chairman of the Stornoway Trust and also chair of the Community
Ownership Working Group.
Speaking on behalf of the three partners, he said: “Financial and legal advice is
now being engaged to develop financial models and to advise us on forming a company
structure to take this forward.
While there are a range of community benefit agreements across the islands, the levels
of revenue for our islands that could be secured from this arrangement could be transformational,
and we look forward to engaging with communities on our plans as they develop.”
He added: “Lewis Wind Power and Eurowind remain committed to the 20% shared ownership
offers that have been made and our initial feedback from potential funders and investors
has been extremely encouraging.”
20% ownership in the Stornoway Wind Farm was negotiated by the Stornoway Trust in
the early days as part of its lease agreement with Lewis Wind Power. That created
a benchmark which has subsequently been replicated by Eurowind in relation to the
Uisenis Windfarm
‘Encouraging’ feedback from potential funders over plan for community ownership stake
in two Lewis windfarms
3 June 2025
