Community Energy Scotland is an independent Scottish charity established in 2008 that provides advice and financial support for renewable energy projects developed by community groups in

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a Anglo-Scottish border, border with England to the southeast ...

.HICEC. (2006) ''Highlands and Islands Community Energy Company Annual Review''. Inverness

. The stated aim of Community Energy Scotland is 'to build confidence, resilience and wealth at community level in Scotland through sustainable energy development'."About Us"
Community Energy Scotland. Retrieved 11 July 2011.

History

Having evolved from the Highlands and Islands Community Energy Company (or HICEC), a subsidiary of

Highlands and Islands Enterprise Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE; gd, Iomairt na Gàidhealtachd 's nan Eilean) is the development agency for the Highlands and Islands of Scotland. is an executive non-departmental public body of the Scottish Government. Its role is to "hel ...

formed in 2004, Community Energy Scotland became an independent entity with a national remit in the summer of 2008. They currently employ 20 members of staff; some are based in the head office in Inverness, and others are based in offices in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Kirkwall, Stornoway, Benbecula and Perth. Community Energy Scotland is an independent charity governed by its members. The charity works closely with its members to develop projects which bring most benefit to their local communities."Members"
Community Energy Scotland. Retrieved 13 July 2011. Community Energy Scotland supports projects through several different programmes. This extends to non-profit distributing organisations such as social enterprises and housing associations. The charity also delivers programmes from

to support its work with communities in the Highlands and Islands, from The Lottery, and from various regional schemes across Scotland. The charity also acts as a lobbying organisation with the aim of "ensuring that community energy achieves a high status on Scotland's political agenda".

Projects

The renewable energy potential of their area of operation is considerable, with a large number of small communities which are pioneering community owned and led projects. Many of these renewable energy projects are being undertaken by

social enterprise A social enterprise is an organization that applies commercial strategies to maximize improvements in financial, social and environmental well-being. This may include maximizing social impact alongside profits for co-owners. Social enterprises ca ...

s such as development trusts. The projects supported by Community Energy Scotland include: * The Isle of Gigha in

Argyll Argyll (; archaically Argyle, in modern Gaelic, ), sometimes called Argyllshire, is a historic county and registration county of western Scotland. Argyll is of ancient origin, and corresponds to most of the part of the ancient kingdom of ...

which boasts Scotland's first community-owned wind farm. Three

Vestas Vestas Wind Systems A/S is a Danish manufacturer, seller, installer, and servicer of wind turbines that was founded in 1945. The company operates manufacturing plants in Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Taiwan, India, Italy, Romania, the Un ...

V27 turbines on the south end of the island are capable of generating 750 kW of electricity. *

Westray Westray (, sco, Westree) is one of the Orkney Islands in Scotland, with a usual resident population of just under 600 people. Its main village is Pierowall, with a heritage centre, the 15th-century Lady Kirk church and pedestrian ferry servi ...

, one of the northern Orkney islands, which runs a vehicle using recycled bio-diesel and whose parish church is an 'eco-congregation'. *

Knoydart Knoydart (Scottish Gaelic: ''Cnòideart'') is a peninsula in Lochaber, Highland, on the west coast of Scotland. Knoydart is sandwiched between Lochs Nevis and Hourn — often translated as "Loch Heaven" (from the Gaelic ''Loch Néimh'') an ...

, a peninsula in

Lochaber Lochaber ( ; gd, Loch Abar) is a name applied to a part of the Scottish Highlands. Historically, it was a provincial lordship consisting of the parishes of Kilmallie and Kilmonivaig, as they were before being reduced in extent by the creatio ...

which runs a micro

hydro-electric Hydroelectricity, or hydroelectric power, is electricity generated from hydropower (water power). Hydropower supplies one sixth of the world's electricity, almost 4500 TWh in 2020, which is more than all other renewable sources combined an ...

scheme. *

Unst Unst (; sco, Unst; nrn, Ønst) is one of the North Isles of the Shetland Islands, Scotland. It is the northernmost of the inhabited British Isles and is the third-largest island in Shetland after Mainland and Yell. It has an area of . Unst ...

in Shetland which is home to the PURE hydrogen fuel research project. *

Findhorn Findhorn ( gd, Inbhir Èir or ''Inbhir Èireann'') is a village in Moray, Scotland. It is located on the eastern shore of Findhorn Bay and immediately south of the Moray Firth. Findhorn is 3 miles (5 km) northwest of Kinloss, and about 5 ...

in Moray which is building an

eco-village An ecovillage is a traditional or intentional community with the goal of becoming more socially, culturally, economically, and/or ecologically sustainable. An ecovillage strives to produce the least possible negative impact on the natural envi ...

and has recently launched a UN-accredited CIFAL sustainability training centre. * The island of

Eigg Eigg (; gd, Eige; sco, Eigg) is one of the Small Isles in the Scottish Inner Hebrides. It lies to the south of the Isle of Skye and to the north of the Ardnamurchan peninsula. Eigg is long from north to south, and east to west. With an ar ...

is undertaking a £1.3 million electrification project, part funded by HICEC. This combination of installed solar, wind and hydro power should provide a network that is self-sufficient and powered 98% from renewable sources. * In early 2008 the North Harris Trust received planning consent for three 86 metre (282 ft) wind turbines to be located at Monan. David Cameron, a director of the Trust said: "It will substantially reduce our carbon emissions and it will help North Harris re-establish itself as a thriving, vibrant community".

Annual conference

Since 2005 the annual conference has been held at

Inverie Inverie (; ) is the main village on the Knoydart peninsula in the Scottish Highlands. It is located on the north side of Loch Nevis and, although on the mainland of Britain, the network of single-track roads surrounding the village is not conne ...

, Knoydart; Tarbert,

Harris Harris may refer to: Places Canada * Harris, Ontario * Northland Pyrite Mine (also known as Harris Mine) * Harris, Saskatchewan * Rural Municipality of Harris No. 316, Saskatchewan Scotland * Harris, Outer Hebrides (sometimes called the Isle of ...

; Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, Skye;

Stirling Stirling (; sco, Stirlin; gd, Sruighlea ) is a city in central Scotland, northeast of Glasgow and north-west of Edinburgh. The market town, surrounded by rich farmland, grew up connecting the royal citadel, the medieval old town with its me ...

(26–27 August 2009); and

Edinburgh Edinburgh ( ; gd, Dùn Èideann ) is the capital city of Scotland and one of its 32 council areas. Historically part of the county of Midlothian (interchangeably Edinburghshire before 1921), it is located in Lothian on the southern shore of t ...

(26 October 2010). "Annual Conference"
Community Energy Scotland

References

External links

Community Energy Scotland official websiteCommunity Energy Scotland Twitter streamCommunity Energy Scotland Facebook pageIsle of Gigha websitePURE projectFindhorn EcoviIlageDevelopment Trusts Association Scotland
{{Sustainable development in Scotland Charities based in Scotland Renewable energy in Scotland Climate change in Scotland Sustainability in Scotland Sustainability organizations 2008 establishments in Scotland Organizations established in 2008 Organisations based in Inverness

History

Projects

Annual conference

See also

References

External links