Scotland is leading the way with several shared-ownership larger windfarms at different stages in the development process. Here, the developers of large-scale projects are giving local communities the opportunity to invest in them directly, allowing more of the economic benefits of wind farms to be captured locally. This has been underpinned by support from the Scottish Government which has published guidance on good practice principles for shared benefits from onshore renewable energy developments  which states: “Our ambition remains to ensure that, by 2020, at least half of newly consented renewable energy projects will have an element of shared ownership. Shared ownership will form a key part in helping to meet our targets of 1 GW of community and locally owned energy by 2020, and 2 GW by 2030. We expect community involvement in onshore wind development to continue to play a vital role in reaching these targets”.

Support is available to communities through the Scottish Government’s CARES programme, delivered by Local Energy Scotland, who will guide both the renewable energy business and community through the shared ownership process from beginning to end, including (if necessary) acting as an independent facilitator to help progress.

Opportunities like these can enable communities to greatly increase the financial and economic benefits that accrue to them from hosting wind farms.

Examples of Community Investment and Shared Ownership Renewable Energy Schemes

• Brighton and Hove Energy Services Co-op (BHESCo)
• Community Energy Wales
• Energy4All
• Thrive Renewables
• Green Fox Woodheat Co-operative, Leicester
• Heartland Community Wind
• Harborough Solar One
• Resilient Energy
• Exeter Community Energy
• Community Power Cornwall
• Ecotricity Ecobonds
• Small Wind Co-op
• Donside Hydro, Aberdeen
• Awel Co-op
• Upper Pitforthie Windgen
• Sandford Hydro
• Arrochar Hydro
• Brighton Energy Cooperative
• Abundance
• Ynni Teg / Fair Energy wind
• Oldham Community Power
• Ripple