Boyndie

Community

Boyndie Wind Energy Limited pays £14,000 per year into a community fund which is used to support initiatives in education, environmental improvements, energy conservation and community facilities in Whitehills and District.

In addition to the community fund, members of the local community set up the Boyndie Wind Farm Co-operative in order to purchase a stake in the wind farm - the first scheme of its kind in Scotland. This community business initiative was achieved with the support of Energy4All Ltd, a company that promotes ownership of renewable energy schemes and energy conservation measures. The co-operative bought a share in the profits from Falck Renewables and in turn, local people joined the co-operative, buying shares worth between £250 and £20,000. Profits from the sale of green electricity produced by the wind farm are distributed to members through an annual dividend. The 700-strong local investment totaled £700,000.

In order to improve the environment, an area of 19 hectares on the wind farm site where trees were felled has been landscaped and enhanced with a mix of native woodland around a new wetland area. Falck is also monitoring the breeding and migration of birds in this area and will continue doing so through 2009.