Community benefits

We work with communities to build windfarms that can provide economic benefits to whole communities and local schools.

We do this by holding a series of pre-development open days at local venues. This consultation enables the community to learn about the development first hand and well in advance of a planning application being made.

We take into account their opinions and ideas on how the windfarm can be designed to suit their community, for example the transport routes to the site and the turbine layout design. We also take time to find out what community benefits they would like us to offer. These open days also give us the opportunity to address any concerns there may be about climate change and wind energy.

Exhibition at Dalry Community Windfarm Family Open Day - June 2007

We continue this community liaison throughout the lifetime of the windfarm and local pupils and residents are the first visitors to the completed windfarm. Community benefits will be offered for each of our projects, which will vary accordingly, depending on the needs and requirements of the local community.

We work with communities to promote all aspects of renewable energy and we provide local schools with the opportunity to view their local windfarm direct over the Internet, via a link to an on-site webcam. Schools are also able to monitor the amount of electricity the windfarm generates every day, through a direct link to the windfarm. Educational presentations on climate change and renewable energy are presented regularly to school pupils, along with site visits to the windfarm, with all transport funded by Community Windpower.

For our project in Dalry, we are working in partnership with Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park , employing an Education Ranger to work with the two local primary schools, to assist teachers with the delivery of environmental education and projects as part of the school curriculum. The local windfarm and Regional Park provide excellent teaching resources and this is the first partnership arrangement of its kind, between a renewable energy company and a Regional Park Authority. Our Ranger, Pete Boustead has been working with pupils on a range of topics, including Scottish birds, wildlife and habitats, renewable energy sources of solar, wind, wave, tidal and hydro and in December 2006, organised a recycled Christmas decoration competition amongst pupils.

We are also funding the development of an Eco-Room at the new primary school which is currently under construction in Dalry, and fantastic brand new, decorated Christmas Trees were presented to both primary schools in December 2006. A family fun day is also organised every year, on site at Dalry Community Windfarm for adults and children across the region to attend and over 1500 joined us last year.

We have also pledged to make the communities of both Dalry and Dunbar 'Carbon Neutral' within the next 10 years, in order to help tackle climate change and rising Carbon Dioxide emissions.