£11m wind farm community fund announced for Wales
Melanie May | 26 June 2018 | News
Innogy Renewables UK has announced an £11m fund to support communities in the vicinity of its new Brechfa Forest West Wind Farm in Wales.
With all 28 turbines at Brechfa Forest West Wind Farm now operational, innogy has launched the Brechfa Forest Wind Farm Community Fund, worth £459,200 a year and £11 million over the wind farm’s lifetime of up to 25 years.
The fund is open to voluntary or community organisations, community groups, registered charities, not for profit and CIC companies, social enterprises, schools, and also statutory bodies, providing they can demonstrate their project has strong partnership links with the local community and that they are the best placed organisation to undertake the project.
Following a competitive tender, innogy has selected Antur Teifi as the fund administrator and Severn Wye Energy Agency to provide community development support and maximise the benefits of the fund.
The first of applications is open until 10 August. Applications will need to demonstrate how a project significantly benefits communities within the area for the fund, which is initially 6km from the wind turbines. More details are available on the Antur Teifi site.
Cabinet Secretary for Energy, Planning and Rural Affairs Lesley Griffiths said:
“I am delighted Brechfa Forest West Wind Farm is now operational. It is the most recent example of our approach to using Welsh Government estate to deliver benefits for Welsh people whilst at the same time decarbonising our energy system. I am pleased that the community fund will be delivered alongside the leisure improvements the development has funded, which are benefiting the local community and future generations.”
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About Melanie May
Melanie May is a journalist and copywriter specialising in writing both for and about the charity and marketing services sectors since 2001. She can be reached via thepurplepim.com.