The Benefits to the Local Community:

As part of the FCW contract to develop SSA D Nant y Moch Wind Farm, SSE Renewables is committed to implementing a wide ranging Community Impact Strategy (CIS) that will include a substantive consultation programme and a package of community benefits.

SSE’s wind farms elsewhere in the UK are already bringing a range of community benefits in addition to generating clean, renewable energy. These include increased job opportunities and improvements to the built and natural environment. In addition we have, for a number of years, established local funds to ensure that communities see the benefits of hosting renewable energy projects.

SSE’s existing policy for awarding community funds is based on the installed capacity of our onshore wind farms under construction or in operation and is worth up to £2,500 per annum per megawatt.

Nant y Moch Community Benefit

In line with recent changes announced in Scotland in November 2011, we will be increasing the value of the package in relation to the Nant y Moch wind farm to £5,000 per megawatt per annum.

The development will have a nominal capacity of between 128-160MW. Based on today’s announcement, funding over the 25-year life of the wind farm (if consented) would therefore range from £16 to £20 million, depending on the final size of the project.

Under this new package, the communities hosting the wind farm will continue to benefit directly, with a ring fenced fund of £2,500 per annum per megawatt to be allocated towards projects which meet a wide range of criteria which will be agreed with in advance with the community.

As an additional measure it is intended that £2,500 per annum per megawatt will be allocated to support projects in a wider area. In particular, these funds could be directed at:

• skills development - focussing on training people, and job creation and retention;
• community energy schemes - unlocking the potential for communities to develop their own renewable energy   schemes; and
• projects to improve the built and natural environment.

The community benefits of the scheme would provide a considerable injection of funding into the Nant y Moch area with the potential for further match funding from other sources. This community investment programme could rejuvenate the rural economy and community spirit, and make a significant contribution to rural regeneration in Ceredigion.

Have your say:

Do you live near the area of the Nant y Moch Wind Farm? How would you think the community benefits funding should be channelled in order to maximise local community benefits? Do you know of any projects in the area which could benefit?

If so then please let us know by completing out contact form.

Following Planning Consent (if awarded) a Community Benefits Trust will be set up. Trustees will be appointed and the broad package of community benefits funding will be enshrined within the constitution of the Trust including themes and amount of spend.

The Trust Fund Constitution will be subject to Welsh Assembly Government Ministerial approval and thereafter a yearly review clause within the Trust Fund Constitution will enable changes to the funding package with regards the themes of spend if so required. Any changes would be subject to approval and sign off by a Welsh Assembly Government Minister.

SSE Renewables will also be seeking to ensure that members of the local communities will, at fair value, be able to invest in the purchase of a wind turbine once the wind farm has been commissioned. Community ownership will allow the direct financial benefits of the wind farm to filter through to the local communities.

Wider Economic Benefits

SSE Renewables will favour Welsh suppliers wherever possible. Indeed it is already doing so through, for example, the employment of a local Welsh-speaking CLO, the retention of staff at Dulas Ltd (a renewable energy consultancy based in Machynlleth) for wind farm design and planning. In these and other ways developmental investments of over £2m have already been made into the local and wider Welsh economy.