The UK’s largest wholly community-owned onshore wind farm is seeking planning permissions for a site in Derbyshire.
The project, which has been put together by Roseland Community Energy Trust, would see six turbines installed on a 450 acre site leased from The Chatsworth Estate.
If Bolsover District Council gives the go ahead to the project, construction would start early next year with the development starting to generate power by the end of 2013.
As well as generating power, the development would also generate a minimum of £750,000 for the local community, with the benefits split between the Bolsover area of Derbyshire and the Ashfield and Mansfield areas of Nottinghamshire.
The proceeds will be shared between a local enterprise organisation supporting young businesses and Community Voluntary Partners, a community-based charity supporting voluntary and community groups and activities in Bolsover.
“We are very excited about the huge positive impact a wind farm like this would have on the local community,” says Roseland Community Energy Trust’s John Hudson.
The model could become a template for this type of community initiative across the country, he adds.
For further information:
www.rcet.co.uk
Related stories:
UK gives go ahead for Vattenfall’s 299 MW Welsh wind farm (8-May)
10:10 calls on schools to ‘crowd-source’ funds for solar panels (1-May)
Onshore wind turbines “damaging” UK landscape, says CPRE (30-Apr)
Nine out of ten want to see Britain rely more heavily on renewables (23-Apr)
Article source: http://www.energyefficiencynews.com/i/5092/
