The Herald
9 Mar 2025
A group of community development trusts have joined together to bid for a windfarm that would become Scotland’s largest community-controlled.
Four community bodies in Cowal are working together to lease the Cruach Mhor windfarm in Glendaruel, which is currently owned by Forestry Land Scotland.
Members of community trusts from Dunoon, Sandbank, Benmore & Kilmun and South Cowal got together to form Cowal Community Energy to lease the land and redevelop from 2029.
Bids are being considered this week with current lease holder, Scottish Power Renewables, also set to be involved.
The Cowal communities’ bid takes place against the background of a national debate about how local communities could benefit from renewable energy development.
Alan Stewart, a director of Cowal Community Energy, said: “The windfarms take up the land, cause disruption, they impact on the scenery of our communities and they make a lot of money. The communities get little benefit from that.
“Often the communities get a token amount back. The local communities should be able to get a full share. The income from Cruach Mhor would be transformational for an area like Dunoon and Cowal.
“Community-owned developments return approximately £100,000 per Megawatt per year in net profit to their communities, whereas the maximum corporate developments pay in community benefit is £5,000 per Megawatt per year.”
Cruach Mhor currently has 35 turbines and CCE say they would restructure and renew them as part of it.
Mr Stewart added: “We are very excited that this could set an example for other communities to take a lease of the neighbouring windfarms.
“If we do succeed, it will be fantastic for Cowal and Dunoon. But will also be a successful example for communities all over Scotland where windfarms are developing and repowered, especially on government owned land.”
Policy Manager, Dr Josh Doble, said: “It’s really impressive to see how community trusts in Cowal have come together to bid for the lease. They are a great example of the innovative and entrepreneurial spirit within Scottish communities.
“There is widespread acceptance that communities should be getting greater benefit from windfarms and – whenever possible – they should have the right to own the windfarm and benefit properly from the business model.
“Community-owned energy projects on average deliver 34 times the amount of revenue into communities compared to community benefit payments. We want to see this already successful model massively expanded in Scotland.
“If Cowal Community Energy does get granted the lease, it will set a groundbreaking example for the renewables sector in Scotland and inspire other communities to do the same.”