Banks Renewables has offered the local community around its proposed 60MW Birneyknowe wind farm in Scotland up to 10% of the project at a discounted rate.
The developer, which has submitted a Further Environmental Information (FEI) report on the site, will offer the ownership interest with a 25% discount.
The sale, equivalent to 5.1MW of capacity, would make Birneyknowe one the largest community-owned renewable energy projects in the UK, it said.
Banks aims to build the 15-turbine wind farm between Hawick and Bonchester Bridge in the Scottish Borders. It submitted the initial planning application back in May 2014.
“Community ownership is a great way of increasing public participation in tackling a wide range of issues from how we provide the new cost-effective, clean, green and secure energy sources that the country needs right down to how we help to address the lack of services and opportunities facing people living in our rural areas,” Banks development director Colin Anderson (pictured) said.
“With the submission of the FEI, we can hopefully move quickly to positive determination of the planning application for Birneyknowe wind farm.”
Image: Colin Anderson (Banks Renewables)
