Rotary Club of Lochaber hears of new community benefit society

The Rotary Club of Lochaber continues to meet online during the Covid-19 pandemic with members enjoying an interesting talk recently from Susan Carstairs, a director of Lochaber Environmental Group (LEG).

LEG has had an influential role in Lochaber since its formation in 1999 through food growing, waste, active travel, energy and climate projects.

A new departure for LEG has been the formation of a new community benefit society, LEG Power Limited, which initially will take forward a run of the river hydro scheme at Glenachulish.

Although potential capacity will be small, at around 500kW, the scheme will help stabilise LEG’s core funding. Most small community hydro schemes are owned by people in the area but this will be one of the first in Scotland to serve a community of interest rather than a geographical community.

The scheme is well developed technically, has an abstraction licence and planning consent, with normal conditions.

Registered for Feed in Tariff, with an agreement to export to the grid and a lease in hand, the project is nearing start-up decisions. Covid-19 has delayed some matters but the next step will be to offer an investment opportunity in community shares.

In the meantime, LEG is inviting anyone interested to contact them on info@legpower.org

Apart from potential investors, LEG is keen to hear from anyone with expertise in accountancy, experience of managing construction contracts, knowledge of debt and equity payments and renewable energy technology.

Simon Hardiman, president-elect, said: ‘Several Rotary members have had links with LEG over the years and will feel encouraged to learn of this latest venture. We wish them well.’