Three community landowners in north-west Lewis have come together to develop plans for a new community-owned windfarm. The project is expected to consist of nine turbines, with hub heights reaching up to 110 meters. These organizations, Galson Estate Trust, Barvas Estate Trust, and Carloway Estate Trust, have formed West Coast Community Energy Ltd. to oversee the project.
The surplus income generated by the turbines once the project is completed will be shared among the three organizations. This income will be used for social regeneration initiatives within the community-owned estates across the West of Lewis. Galson Estate Trust currently has an independent income source from their existing wind turbine array at Baile an Truiseil. This has allowed them to employ 15 staff members and provide various social programs to residents, such as winter health and wellbeing programs and activities for children throughout the year.
The windfarm, with a capacity of 43 MegaWatts (MW), will be located near Barvas. The site was chosen based on technical considerations and was approved by key statutory bodies during the feasibility stage. David Macmillan, the chair of West Coast Community Energy Ltd., expressed excitement about the ambitious project, which could potentially become the largest community-owned windfarm in the UK. However, there are still challenges ahead in terms of obtaining a connection to export electricity to the grid.
Funding from Community and Renewable Energy Scheme (CARES) and Community Led Local Development grants has been crucial in providing economic and technical advice for the project over the past five years. Urras Oighreachd Ghabhsainn is currently overseeing the planning stages until West Coast Community Energy Ltd. can hire its own staff.
Agnes Rennie, chairperson of Urras Oighreachd Ghabhsainn, emphasized the importance of the windfarm project for future community regeneration efforts. The success of the existing wind assets at Baile an Truiseil has been encouraging, and sharing resources for this new project is seen as vital for its success.
Despite initial doubts about securing grid capacity, a firm grid offer was secured from Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks in September. The proposed connection timeframe is set for October 2033. Ecological and soil surveys are already underway, with plans to submit a planning application in the near future. The project will also need to navigate the upcoming changes in grid connections being implemented by Ofgem and the National Energy Systems Operator.
Overall, the collaboration between these community landowners to develop a large-scale windfarm showcases the potential for community-led renewable energy projects to make a significant impact on local economies and social initiatives. The journey ahead will involve overcoming various obstacles, but the commitment and support from all parties involved bode well for the project’s success in the long run.
