Banks Renewables has submitted a planning application for its 280MW Bodinglee wind farm in South Lanarkshire, in Scotland.
The 37-turbine development also includes battery storage.
Sustainability and external affairs manager at Banks RenewablesRobin Winstanley said: “The blended benefits package which would result from Bodinglee wind farm is innovative in its approach, looking beyond the traditional model of issuing grants from a central pot, seeking to reshape how a just energy transition could directly benefit local households and the wider community.”
Over the 40-year lifespan of the proposed wind farm, the company forecasts a blended community benefits package of an estimated £53m that would help local people save an estimated £2.5m-£4.5m each year on their energy bills.
This would be achieved through a community-owned organisation, called Clydesdale Community Energy Transition Company (CCETco) that would help reduce energy bills by improving the thermal efficiency of homes in the area and replacing ageing, fossil fuelled heating systems.
Banks Renewables commissioned a study by independent consultants Natural Power that has shown funding these money saving measures could result in between £2m-£4.4m in annual savings on energy bills for 6500 local households.
In addition to the creation of CCETco, Banks Renewables has offered to gift a 1% stake in the wind farm to the community and a further 9% will be available to purchase at market rate if desired, which would boost the community funding element above the £53m figure.
Winstanley added: “Our vision for the site is not just to create a wind farm, but for Bodinglee to deliver sustainable, positive and transformative change for South Lanarkshire.
“Since we commenced development of the project in 2021 we have been meeting with and listening to local communities, businesses, and a wide variety of people locally, and we hope we have exceeded their expectation of what Bodinglee wind farm can contribute to South Lanarkshire and we hope that people locally will support our application to build what would be a nationally significant green energy development on the UK and Scotland’s journey to net zero.”