The UK’s first community-owned wind farm officially opened this week, with operator Ripple Energy staged a light show projecting the owner’s name onto the turbine tower.
Ripple Energy has pioneered an innovative new ownership model. As a result, 907 owners of the new Graig Fatha turbine in South Wales donated a total of £ 2.2 million to the project.
Owners will be sourcing power from turbines. Ripple estimates that it can save an average of about 25% annually on energy costs over the entire 25-year life of the turbine.
Current high energy prices mean that the average Graig Fatha owner is set to save £ 340 next year, and most members have enough wind to meet the electricity consumption of the entire house. I own a power plant.
“This project shows how ownership of wind farms frees consumers from volatile, high energy prices and reliance on imported energy,” said Salamerick, CEO of Ripple Energy. “Ripple’s 907 members will generate their own low-cost green energy for the next 25 years, which shows that better energy solutions that empower people are available today. . “
She said that the official opening of the turbine was the company’s main founding in 2017 with the aim of providing consumers with the ability to own clean electricity assets in a way that reduces billing and carbon emissions. He added that he showed a milestone.
“Our members passionately believe in the power of green energy,” she said. “This is their wind farm. They made it happen. They get that electricity. Projecting their name onto the turbine is like a great recognition of what they have achieved. I feel. “
The electricity generated at the Graig Fatha wind farm will be sold to Co-op Energy with Octopus, which will then be given discounted electricity to the owners.
The discount is based on the amount of energy it produces, the electricity bill, and the amount of turbines owned by the customer.
According to Ripple, this approach means that customers can be confident that they can save on electricity bills and pay relatively stable bills in the long run. This approach also means that, unlike the installation of on-site renewable energy technologies such as rooftop solar panels, homes can continue to access electricity from clean energy assets as they move.
In addition to the share of 907 members, the development of Graig Fatha is backed by a £ 1.1 million grant from the Government of Wales, and the revenue generated from the government-backed portion of the wind farm faces fuel poverty in the region. It is aimed at initiatives to help those who are. Through the Community Benefit Fund (CBF) of the wind farm.
This opening begins as Ripple Energy continues to work on plans for a second wind farm in Ayrshire, Scotland.
“Since energy prices are the highest in a generation, now is a great opportunity to own a unique source of low-cost green electricity,” Merrick said. “Ownering a wind farm can reduce energy costs and stabilize it over the long term. Fortunately, registering it with Scotland’s second wind farm available to members will make it I still have time to do it today. “
According to the company, consumers can choose the amount of wind farm they want to buy, starting at just £ 25.
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