Invenergy, one of the world’s largest privately held energy developers, owners, and operators of clean energy solutions, will invest £14 million in East Ayrshire communities.
The clean energy firm has signed a legal agreement with The 9CC Group for community benefit funding across the operational lifespan of its Pencloe Wind Farm. This commitment includes an advance payment of £400,000, paid in two £200,000 instalments, ahead of the project coming online. A minimum of £70,000 has been set aside for local apprenticeships.
Invenergy’s new community investment will support long term strategic projects and smaller community-led schemes, with a focus on infrastructure and wellbeing. The biggest share of funding is anticipated to go to New Cumnock, the village closest to Invenergy’s Pencloe Wind Farm.
Invenergy’s first £200,000 investment has already supported several local projects, including £30,000 to improve access to affordable electric vehicle (EV) rental and EV charging facilities – supporting Scotland’s clean energy goals by expanding the CORE Community Electric Car Club into Southern parts of New Cumnock and the Doon Valley.
Prior funding has also been used to support the growth and renovation of various community facilities, including New Cumnock Working Men’s Club, Glenafton FC and New Cumnock Bowling Club.
The second instalment of £200,000 will be delivered next year. Community groups and projects in The 9CC Group area of Auchinleck; Patna; Ochiltree and Skares; New Cumnock; Netherthird; Cronberry, Logan and Lugar; Drongan, Rankinston and Stair; Dalmellington; and Cumnock are eligible to apply for grants.
Stuart Winter, Vice President and UK Country Manager at Invenergy, said, “As a long term partner to the communities we operate in, Invenergy is fully committed to the Cumnock and Doon Valley neighbourhood and we recognise that wind farm benefit funding decisions should be made collectively and democratically by those communities, for their communities.”
“Our discussions with The 9CC have helped us raise the bar for how developers invest in local communities. We have proudly committed to delivering community benefits across the predicted 35 years of site operations and to providing advance funding – all index-linked to inflation. If our current application for a further 5 turbines at our existing Pencloe Wind Farm is successful, the community benefit fund will increase proportionally.”
Stephen McCarron, Chief Operating Officer of The 9CC Group, said, “We have worked closely with Invenergy, who have sought to go beyond industry Good Practice Principles and deliver significant funding for our communities from the outset. That proactive partnership approach has already been hugely successful in securing £200,000 of advance funding but this binding commitment now gives us a fantastic base to invest long term in ensuring our communities are fantastic places to live, work, play and visit.”
Invenergy’s Pencloe Wind Farm investment ensures the communities in and around East Ayrshire, where coal was a prominent component of life for decades, further benefit from the clean energy shift. It enables the region to regain a vital role in fuelling Scotland’s clean energy ambitions by delivering cleaner, more reliable, affordable home-grown power to Scotland.
Alex Baird, chair of The 9CC Group, said, “Invenergy’s commitment to our communities goes far beyond any legal or statutory requirement and will make a huge difference both in terms of creating a lasting legacy and for funding so many of the wonderful local groups who are making a positive difference.”
The 9CC Group represents the community councils of Auchinleck, Patna, Ochiltree and Skares, New Cumnock, Netherthird, Cronberry, Logan and Lugar, Drongan, Rankinston and Stair, Dalmellington, and Cumnock. It was set up by the nine communities to take control of, and coordinate, the dissemination of community benefit funds from the wind farms being developed in the local area.
To date, community benefit managed by The 9CC Group has supported 70 local organisations and helped fund 20 apprenticeships.
Invenergy’s Pencloe project is comprised of 18 wind turbines, which will generate 81MW of clean energy. The wind farm’s community benefit fund is £5,000/MW of installed capacity per annum, resulting in over £400,000 being made available every year, index linked. This equates to £14 million over the project’s 35-year operation.
