community developed renewable energy projects in scotland mo cloonan community energy scotland feb...
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Community Developed Renewable Energy Projects in Scotland
Mo Cloonan
Community Energy Scotland
Feb 17th 2009
Highlands and Islands Community Energy Company ; HICEC 2002-2008
SCHRI Over 425 projects assisted
Over 200 capital installations
Community revenue generating projects
‘to build confidence, resilience and wealth at community level in Scotland through sustainable energy development'
Community Energy Scotland (CES) Aug 2008
Non profit distributing body-charitable status,
-membership based organisation, open to all communities
Community Owned Revenue generation projects
45+ current projects
• Wind
• Hydro
• AD
WHY?
• Community owned and community developed - capacity building
• Revenue stream for regeneration
WHY?
Regeneration
• Tackle fuel poverty
• Energy conservation in homes and businesses
• Employment opportunities
• Affordable housing
• Dynamic sustainable community
• Improve local amenities
• Health & leisure facilities
• Business development
WHY?
• Independence
• Energy aware
• Resource
• Assistance available
HOW?
Community Capacity
• Strong sense of need /purpose
• Cohesive and productive community
• Volunteer commitment
• Energy awareness
Q34. Has your project generated much positive
interest in renewables amongst the local
community?
No17%
Yes83%
HOW?
Assistance
• Government assistance/finance
• Lottery assistance
• CES programme
• Community focused financiers
• Other communities’ experiences
HOW?
Start Up Assistance
•Raise awareness
• Community support
• Constitute organisation
• Up to £2000
•Is the commitment there?
HOW?
Feasibility Assistance
• Reasonable chance, given planning,
grid, environmental factors?
•Technical, financial and social
feasibility;
•Up to £15,000 /100%
HOW?
Assistance towards planning consent
• Project design
• Planning, env & reg
• Financial planning
• Community investment plan
• Connection agreement
HOW?
Assistance post planning consent
• Turbine procurement& contract negotiation
• Financing negotiations
• Connection agreements - RPZ
SUCCESS!
• 4 community projects recently permitted in Orkney
•2 projects securing turbines by mid 2009
• 1 project securing turbines by late 2009
• 4 other projects secured planning permission
•Inclusion in RPZ negotiations
•Gigha community wind operating since late 2004.
SUCCESS!
GIGHA RENEWABLE ENERGY LIMITED
•775kW installed capacity (3 x 225kW)
•2.1 GWh annual output – grid connected
•Gross annual income £180k
•£440k capital cost met from IGHT / HIE equity, grant and finance.
•Net profit about £85k pa – to Isle of Gigha Heritage Trust
Constraints to further development
• Volunteer time
• Match funding
• Confidence, skills and awareness
• Infrastructure (e.g. distribution
network)
• Supply chain + cost of plant
• Planning and regulation
Necessary
• Simple, clear and stable funding
• Continued government commitment to community scale –regulatory and financial
• Investment in infrastructure
•Training, skills and networking provision
• Planning process that differentiates between large scale and small scale
Communities leading and delivering renewable energy developments hand in hand with highly efficient energy use and
a focus on carbon reduction
Mo Cloonan Community Energy Scotland
www.communityenergyscotland.org.ukmo.cloonan@communityenergyscotland.org.uk
Climate Challenge Programme
Consortium structure27 Communities
Community Energy Scotland
Development Trust Association Scotland
•empower their residents with resilience
and an ability to cope with growing energy prices
Climate Challenge Programme
Scotland's communities wishing to •actively reduce their carbon emissions,
•reduce their reliance on imported fossil fuel energy
Key challenge
can these adjustments be made in a way which actually strengthens local communities and decouples their development from fossil energy use?