Bro Dyfi Community Wind Turbine

Introduction In April 2003

The UK’s first wind turbine owned and developed by the community, was switched on in the Dulas Valley in Wales. Residents of Pantperthog village initially conceived the idea for a community-owned wind turbine in October 1999, which led to the installation of the 75 kW second-hand Vestas wind turbine, located on the hill above the Centre for Alternative Technology (CAT). An association was formed to develop the idea, which aimed to promote wind energy projects that benefit local people and that are subject to a significant degree of local control.

Who is involved?

The unique aspect of this project is not only the community ownership of the wind turbine, but also the fact that the project was entirely community-led. Early advice from two local professionals, working for ecodyfi (a local community regeneration group) and Powys Energy Agency, was particularly advantageous. Public meetings from the outset meant an initial small core of interested community members led to the formation of the Dulas Valley Community Wind Partnership (DVCWP) in December 1999. Public opinion at the first public meeting ranged from strongly supportive to cautious but most were pleased at the prospect of local people profiting from wind power, rather than non-local developers. CAT’s enthusiasm and involvement in the project was extremely beneficial, as it provided a secure recipient for the generated electricity, and the project could also be used for demonstration and educational benefits. The approach The DVCWP was open to all community members and delegated sub-groups were established to undertake specific project management tasks, such as the technical and financial research and the environmental impact assessment. The DVCWP model is based on community members taking shares in an Industrial and Provident Society. Members then benefit from dividends from the sale of the electricity with net income returned to the community via dividend payments over a 15-year period, the expected lifespan of the turbine. In order to register the group as an Industrial and Provident Society, a legal identity with limited liability was required, so Bro Dyfi Community Renewables Ltd (BDCR) was established. From this point BDCR had prime responsibility for managing the landowner agreements. The Renewable Energy Investment Club (REIC) also issued the share offer to its members. REIC was set up by Dulas Ltd and Groundwork Bridgend during an EC-funded project to facilitate the purchase of shares in renewable energy projects. The agreement of Baywind Energy Co-operative to underwrite the offer, and therefore purchase any unsold shares, provided confidence for securing funding. In the event, shares for the wind turbine project were over-subscribed and had to be limited to a maximum of £1000 each. The scheme is favoured by the fact that CAT has agreed to buy all the electricity for the lifetime of the turbine. CAT is able to sell on the green benefits” (the Renewables Obligation and Climate Change Levy1 exemption) as well as any power surplus to current requirements. The prices agreed with CAT were better than those offered by selling direct to the grid at the time but now that the green benefits are worth more, this is no longer the case.