UK's
first community
wind turbine switched on
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UK's
first community
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Become a member of ecodyfi We want everybody in the Valley to join, so it only costs £1. Drop into Ty Bro Dyfi or send some stamps. The information centre is open Monday to Friday between 10.00 and 3.00. You might even like to get involved in staffing it or in helping to run a project. Please come and see us!
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The wind turbine is owned and managed by the 59 share-holding members of Bro Dyfi Community Renewables Ltd. It is the first turbine in the UK to be built with such local control. The idea for the project was born three years ago at a meeting in Pantperthog Village Hall and local people did all the development and construction work. In the end the share issue was so popular that the maximum investment was reduced from £20,000 to £1,000 so that everybody who applied could buy some. The group was supported by ecodyfi (the community regeneration group) and by Powys Energy Agency. Between them they secured grant-aid from the European Regional Development Fund, the Energy Saving Trust and the Scottish Power Green Energy Trust. The single 75kW wind turbine stands at the edge of a forest, on land made available by Forest Enterprise near Machynlleth. CAT is buying all the power generated (around 163 MWh each year). It uses about a fifth of this to supply its site with electricity and hot water and exports the rest to the local grid.
The hundred people at the inaugural event created a real party atmosphere to celebrate the achievement. They chose to name the turbine 'Puwer Pobl - People Power'. The wind group's Co-Chair, Vicky Leaney, lives in Pantperthog. "It's taken a lot of effort, but it's great to see that we can take energy production into our own hands like this, to fight climate change and strengthen the local economy." |
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On
Saturday April 5th Cynog Dafis switched on the UK's first community-developed
wind turbine. Electricity from the Dyfi Valley group's turbine started
to power the Centre for Alternative Technology. In an inspirational address,
Mr Dafis urged the group and other communities in Wales to build bigger
clean energy schemes to decentralise power.
The
electricity generated is slowing climate change by preventing the release
into the atmosphere of 70 tonnes of carbon dioxide every year. The group
will also be promoting energy efficiency and intends to save an additional
345 tonnes of carbon annually by reducing local energy use.