Community-owned Canna Renewable Energy and Electrification is to develop a wind, solar battery storage project on the remote Isle of Canna in Scotland.
The residents of the isle have secured over £1.3m to construct the system, which will reduce the need for the three diesel generators that currently supply power on Canna.
The community venture will own and operate the project and lease the old generators and cables from the owner National Trust for Scotland.
Up to 90% of Canna’s electricity needs are expected to be supplied by the solar panels and six small wind turbines, which are to be manufactured in Ayrshire.
Construction is scheduled to start in April and is expected to take about seven months to complete.
Community Energy Scotland will help to manage the development and construction.
Some £983,005 for the project came from the Big Lottery Fund, £150,000 from the Scottish Government’s Community and Renewable Energy Scheme, £100,000 from the SSE Highland Sustainable Development Fund and £50,000 each from Highlands and Islands Enterprise and the National Trust for Scotland.
Canna Renewable Energy and Electrification director Geraldine MacKinnon said: “We’re delighted that construction will soon be underway on our energy project, which has been a long-standing ambition for our community.
“The island is exposed to the full force of Atlantic gales and we can finally start to put that to good use.”
Image: Canna Renewable Energy and Electrification
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