Windfarm fund for Aberfeldycommunity reaches milestone

A £1.8 million community investment sum required for the building of a windfarm in Highland Perthshire has almost been reached.

Heartland Community Wind yesterday announced it has raised more than £1m of the target.

Theproject, nearAberfeldy, Perthshire, is supported by community renewablesspecialistsSharenergy.

Residents can become a member for £100, with local applications being prioritised. All members can vote on the way Heartland Community Wind will operate including the use of the community fund.

The two turbines will be 100% owned by the members of the society and, with funds said to be “rolling in,” the developers believe the project is on the way to being built.

A spokesperson for Heartland Community Wind said: “All relevant permits are in place including planning consent and a grid offer. The turbines have been ordered and will be installed and generating green energy by November, with Perthbased RM Energy in charge of turbine construction.”

The project has also established five scholarships of £1,000 each for students travelling to Perth College from Aberfeldy and Kenmore. And to celebrate the £1m milestone being reached, Margaret Munckton, principal of Perth College, was invited to start digging the turbine foundations for the turbines.

Ms Munckton said: “Heartland is an innovative engineering project which will benefit young people in the Aberfeldy area by providing support for their studies at Perth College.”

Mark Jennison, director of RM Energy, added: “It is great to work on a community energy project that offers the opportunity for people at a local and national level to invest into a green energy project.”

John Swinney MSP, Scotland’s Deputy First Minister, whose Perthshire North constituency covers the turbine location, commented: “This is an impressive and innovative way to ensure local communities derive genuine benefits from windfarm developments. I’m supportive of the sensitive development of clean and carbon-cutting energy in Scotland, and this project is especially positive because local young people will benefit in furthering their studies.”