First community turbine is ready to turn 19/10/12
The first owned wind turbine in the Western Isles was officially opened today (Fri).
It was a sunny, flat calm afternoon, but it’s hoped a good breeze will rise by Monday when energy generated by the turbine will be sold into the national grid, raising vital funds for the local community on the west coast of Lewis.
About 70 families live in the South Shawbost, Dalmore and Dalbeg villages.
The 900 kilowatt turbine has been built on crofters’ common grazings by one of the best possible wind resources in the UK.
The machine has been called ‘Cuibhle an Fhortain’ after the Gaelic saying of Wheel of Fortune, poetically meaning the wheel will turn.
It is estimated it will return up to £100,000 profits annually rising to about £250,000 which will be invested into local amenities, community facilities and regeneration initiatives for a small cluster of villages on the western side of the Isle of Lewis
One flagship investment is to provide bursaries for youth within the community to go to college or university.
Another aim is to subsidise a local minibus service which is suffering from repeated council cuts.
In an area badly affected by fuel poverty it is proposed to help villagers insulate their homes better or provide more efficient heating systems.
The long term aim is to reduce depopulation and look after the elderly.
Horshader Community Development Trust is a charitable body set up to build and run the community wind project.
It got £1.8 million financing from the Co-
A community consultation day over investing the profits is to be held later this month.
Local resident David Wright has been a driving force behind the scheme.
He said: “Its taken since 2004 to get the turbine up. I am looking forward for many other communities taking the initiative.
“We will look at ideas coming from the community and give grants based on assessments carried out.”
Mr Wright stressed: “It’s a great thing for our community and it would be the same for any other community that decides to go down that route.”
Community Energy Scotland (CES) heavily backed the community in its aims.
Kathleen Macdonald of CES said profits community owned energy schemes offered a vital stream of finance to local areas seeking improvements, development and regeneration.
She pointed out that, so far, around 17 megawatts of community energy developments
were up and running around Scotland -
She added: “Because these schemes are 100% community owned, all the benefit goes
back into the local area -
She said that with reduced public funding around for local projects, “groups need to look for more innovate ways to get money into their area themselves and community energy is one way of doing that.
“By getting turbines like this up and running, they’re able to get a substantial amount of money to put towards the most revalent projects for their needs.
Two pipers led villagers up to the turbine where it was officially opened by the widows of two directors of the trust who died recently.
Residents were to celebrate with champagne and cake at the local hall and dancing the night away with an evening ceilidh and buffet.
David Wright, chair of Horshader Community Development Trust