Energy group hailed ‘trail blazers’

A rural Stirlingshire community group’s ”trail blazing work” in community energy has been acknowledged in the Scottish Parliament.

Green MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife Mark Ruskell lauded the achievements of Fintry Development Trust which helped establish part of one of the first joint ventures between a wind farm developer and a community.

Since then the Trust has used profits earned from the wind farm to reinvest in energy efficiency advice and renewable installations in the home.

Mr Ruskell called for greater democratisation of energy across Scotland.

He said the future Scottish budget should “recognise the potentially huge role of social enterprises in delivering much more than just heat and light to consumers”.

He said: “Fintry has been a laboratory for amazing community energy projects over the years that all started with the community taking ownership of a wind turbine.

“These projects are essential in tackling climate change and fuel poverty, creating much more of an energy democracy in Scotland where people have a direct stake in the energy system.

“I was happy to raise the great work of the Fintry Development Trust in the Parliament and wish them every success in the future.”

FDT grew out of the aspirations of Fintry Renewable Energy Enterprise which was setup in 2003 with the aim of making Fintry a “carbonneutral sustainable community”.

They struck a deal with West Coast Energy and Falck Renewables, developers of Earlsburn Windfarm, which gives them an income from one of the wind turbines.

That money has been used to make the village more energy efficient.