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Windfarm operator offers homeowners compensation for building turbines Windfarm operator offers homeowners compensation for building turbines
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The first schemes to give households discounts on their energy bills as compensation for siting a windfarm nearby are being rolled out across the UK, as part of a wider move to give communities benefits from having energy generation located near their homes. Householders are to be paid at least £100 a year for living near turbines owned by a windfarm developer.
RES, a windfarm operator, is pioneering the schemes, known as local energy discount schemes. Billpayers near their sites need to register with the company, and will then receive payments directly into their electricity account, giving them a discount of at least £100 a year. When people move house, the discount is passed on to the new owner. RES, a windfarm operator, is pioneering the schemes, known as local energy discount schemes, which are part of a wider move to give communities benefits from having energy generation located near their homes. Billpayers near their sites need to register with the company, and will then receive payments directly into their electricity account, giving them a discount of at least £100 a year. When people move house, the discount is passed on to the new owner.
Previous schemes, such as one at Delabole in Cornwall operated by the windfarm company Good Energy, required customers to switch their electricity supplier to the windfarm operator in order to take advantage of the discounts. However, switching suppliers does not guarantee a net reduction in bills. RES is the first to offer discounts on all electricity bills, no matter which supplier customers use.Previous schemes, such as one at Delabole in Cornwall operated by the windfarm company Good Energy, required customers to switch their electricity supplier to the windfarm operator in order to take advantage of the discounts. However, switching suppliers does not guarantee a net reduction in bills. RES is the first to offer discounts on all electricity bills, no matter which supplier customers use.
Ed Davey, secretary of state for energy and climate change, hailed the new system as "pioneering" and promised that many more would follow. He said: "We know that two-thirds of people support the growth of onshore wind. But far too often, host communities have seen the windfarms but not the windfall. I am pleased to see RES pioneering this innovative scheme. Providing local communities with a discount on their energy bills no matter their supplier is exactly the type of initiative we are keen to encourage as part of a closer relationship between energy generators and local communities."Ed Davey, secretary of state for energy and climate change, hailed the new system as "pioneering" and promised that many more would follow. He said: "We know that two-thirds of people support the growth of onshore wind. But far too often, host communities have seen the windfarms but not the windfall. I am pleased to see RES pioneering this innovative scheme. Providing local communities with a discount on their energy bills no matter their supplier is exactly the type of initiative we are keen to encourage as part of a closer relationship between energy generators and local communities."
Davey is expected later this week to set out plans whereby more windfarm operators would offer similar advantages to local communities, as part of a move to try to reassure Liberal Democrat supporters that the coalition is still committed to green power, despite whipping MPs to vote on Tuesday against a proposal to enshrine in the energy bill a target to decarbonise electricity generation by 2030, and vetoing an EU-wide target for renewable energy generation for 2030. Both moves angered green campaigners and many businesses, who said the environmental credentials of the coalition had been severely damaged, and that investors were being scared off by the coalition's seeming ambivalence on clean energy and tackling climate change.Davey is expected later this week to set out plans whereby more windfarm operators would offer similar advantages to local communities, as part of a move to try to reassure Liberal Democrat supporters that the coalition is still committed to green power, despite whipping MPs to vote on Tuesday against a proposal to enshrine in the energy bill a target to decarbonise electricity generation by 2030, and vetoing an EU-wide target for renewable energy generation for 2030. Both moves angered green campaigners and many businesses, who said the environmental credentials of the coalition had been severely damaged, and that investors were being scared off by the coalition's seeming ambivalence on clean energy and tackling climate change.
Davey said: "With global gas prices having trebled in the last decade, windfarms will play an important part not only in reducing carbon emissions but also providing green jobs and energy security for the UK. We expect to publish the response to our call for evidence on community engagement and benefits for onshore wind shortly, and this is exactly the sort of scheme we are keen to see more of."Davey said: "With global gas prices having trebled in the last decade, windfarms will play an important part not only in reducing carbon emissions but also providing green jobs and energy security for the UK. We expect to publish the response to our call for evidence on community engagement and benefits for onshore wind shortly, and this is exactly the sort of scheme we are keen to see more of."
The government is also keen to extend such benefits to areas where shale gas drilling is proposed, as a way of encouraging local people to allow the development to go ahead.The government is also keen to extend such benefits to areas where shale gas drilling is proposed, as a way of encouraging local people to allow the development to go ahead.
RES said that in a pilot scheme at its proposed windfarm in Bryn Llywelyn in Wales last year, three-quarters of people were interested in taking part. From now on, people living in the immediate vicinity of all of its new wind farms will be offered the deal.RES said that in a pilot scheme at its proposed windfarm in Bryn Llywelyn in Wales last year, three-quarters of people were interested in taking part. From now on, people living in the immediate vicinity of all of its new wind farms will be offered the deal.
At one of the company's sites, Meikle Carewe in Aberdeenshire, almost 240 properties within 3.5km of each turbine qualify to receive an annual discount of £122, and at another site, Tallentire in Cumbria, about 316 properties within 2km of each turbine qualify to receive an annual discount of £108.At one of the company's sites, Meikle Carewe in Aberdeenshire, almost 240 properties within 3.5km of each turbine qualify to receive an annual discount of £122, and at another site, Tallentire in Cumbria, about 316 properties within 2km of each turbine qualify to receive an annual discount of £108.
RES said that local communities near its windfarms would receive £5,000 a year for every megawatt of capacity at the windfarm. Catchment ares are defined by taking a straight line distance from each wind turbine that can vary from site to site. The discount will apply annually for the lifetime of the windfarm, about 25 years. This could amount to more than £1m in benefits to local people over that period.RES said that local communities near its windfarms would receive £5,000 a year for every megawatt of capacity at the windfarm. Catchment ares are defined by taking a straight line distance from each wind turbine that can vary from site to site. The discount will apply annually for the lifetime of the windfarm, about 25 years. This could amount to more than £1m in benefits to local people over that period.
Gordon MacDougall, chief operating officer at RES, said: "Often when we've talked to communities around our windfarms, people have asked if they can have cheaper electricity in return for hosting a project, so we've worked out a way to make that happen. [These schemes are] the shape of things to come."Gordon MacDougall, chief operating officer at RES, said: "Often when we've talked to communities around our windfarms, people have asked if they can have cheaper electricity in return for hosting a project, so we've worked out a way to make that happen. [These schemes are] the shape of things to come."