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Largest co-op wind farm launched

Local residents will be offered a chance to invest in a newly completed 47.5MW wind farm.

Shares in the Kilbraur Wind Energy Co-operative, up to the value of £1.8 million will be available for purchase to locals in what will be the largest wind farm co-op in the UK.

Shares will cost £1 each and residents will have to buy a minimum of £250 up to £20,000 between August 27 and October 24.

Although anybody in the UK can buy shares, priority will be given to residents of Sutherland, then Caithness, Ross-shire and City of Inverness.

Members of the 15 other co-operatives run by Energy4All will also get priority on buying shares.

A spokesman for the operation told New Energy Focus that it hopes all 19 turbines will be fully operational by mid-September.

Paul Phare, Scotland development manager for Energy4All, said: "We're ethical, green and democratic - we have local people on the boards for each co-op. With Kilbraur we'd like our existing members to take an interest, and we'd particularly like people from the local town of Inverness to invest. If we can match our other projects and reach £1 million of investment, then we'll be very happy."

Meanwhile, Energy4All's proposal to erect a 50-meter anemometer to measure wind was approved by Harborough District Council despite complaints from people who oppose a wind farm being built on the site between Gartree and Lubenham.