Renewable energy is reliable, in steady supply, cheaper to maintain and more environmentally friendly than fuel. But its benefits don't just end there, especially not in communities across Ireland.
SSE Renewables is Ireland’s leading developer, owner and operator of renewable energy, through its onshore wind farms located around Ireland. The company provides voluntary funding to community groups near each of its wind farms across the country, contributing to the social, environmental and economic wellbeing of the surrounding areas.
Here are a few of the notable community funded projects to date:
The Galway Wind Park Community Fund, Co Galway
Located in Connemara’s Cloosh Valley, Galway Wind Park is Ireland’s largest onshore wind farm. The success of the wind farm, a joint venture between SSE Renewables and Greencoat Renewables, has also facilitated significant community investment locally.
The Galway Wind Park Community Fund launched in 2018, generating around €400,000 each year for local groups and is Ireland’s largest wind-powered community benefit fund. It supports projects focused on energy efficiency, safety, environmental sustainability, social sustainability, recreation, tourism, education and the development of skills.
The Community Fund also includes a Major Projects Fund, supporting larger-scale projects in the area, and a Scholarship Fund for local students. The scholarship is available to full-time and part-time undergraduate students living within 20km of Galway Wind Park who are looking to study Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths, and provides a 50% grant support towards three years of annual fees.
Tournafulla Wind Farm Community Fund, Co Limerick
The Tournafulla Wind Farm Community Fund in Co Limerick is supporting the community in taking small steps to reducing its carbon footprint.
Tournafulla Sustainable Living’s aim is to keep the community alive and viable. The community funding here enables locals to grow and eat locally-grown produce through a community garden. This year’s funding has allowed for new solar panels to be installed, providing a more sustainable watering system and improved lighting.
Coomacheo and Curragh Community Fund, Co Cork
SSE Renewables has been funding community projects in Co Cork since 2006, and through the Coomacheo and Curragh Wind Farms in North Cork, over €100,000 is made available per year for local projects promoting energy efficiency and social sustainability.
Irish Community Air Ambulance which operates Ireland's first and only charity funded HEMS Air ambulance received funding from the Coomacheo and Curragh Community Fund to run their services, which made a notable difference in the local area during Covid-19, assisting in the relief measures.
The Dunneill Community Fund, Co Mayo
The Dunneill Community Fund helps Dromore West Beekeepers promote beekeeping in the local environments and to re-establish Dromore West and surrounding areas as a sustainable habitat for educated beekeepers.
The fund contributes towards butterfly nurseries and biodiversity workshops for school children, parents and teachers from national schools in the area, continuing to educate on the importance of bees in the environment.
Lenalea Wind Farm, Co Donegal
SSE Renewable’s latest project, the Lenalea Wind Farm project, is located in the rural upland setting of central Donegal and is being co-developed with FuturEnergy Ireland. The Lenalea project will be capable of generating enough renewable energy to power over 20,000 homes. It is expected to be completed in late 2023.
A substantial Community Fund will be available once the project becomes operational. The exact detail of the community benefit scheme is still to be determined, and in the coming weeks a consultation will be launched to allow the community to be involved in what the fund will look like, as well as being involved in the decision-making process.
Since its annual Community Fund programme was established in 2003, SSE Renewables has awarded over €10 million so far to 4,000 community-based projects located closest to its wind farms around Ireland. With further plans in the works, it’s likely that figure will continue to grow as time goes on.
SSE Renewables’ commitment to operating in a net zero world and supporting a green economy through the delivery of new renewable energy assets to achieve a net zero future looks set to continue. More information on the SSE Renewables Community Fund can be found here.
