OREANDA-NEWS. An SSE backed clean energy investment fund has announced a ?9million boost for Highland and Island communities.

The investment will be made in Hamsin Wind to fund a roll-out of around 200 small, community based, single onshore wind turbines in high wind speed locations.

The novel infrastructure project will give farmers and landowners the opportunity to install single wind turbines on their properties and benefit from discounted power charges for 20 years and beyond.  

The funding comes from Scottish Equity Partners’ ?135m Environmental Capital Fund, which SSE is the largest investor in. It exists to support small-scale, UK based, clean energy infrastructure projects - including energy efficiency, biomass, small-hydro, heat pumps and district heating schemes.  

Peter Bachmann, Director at SEP said “Hamsin marks an exciting initial investment for SEP’s infrastructure fund and will help remote communities benefit from their local wind resource to generate green, low cost power.  In some areas, it will play a key role in helping tackle fuel poverty. Hamsin is the first of several small-scale clean energy infrastructure investment opportunities being progressed by SEP.”

Measuring no more than 20 metres high, the turbines are sympathetic with rural landscapes, grid connected, easy to erect and subject to a straightforward planning process. The project has the potential to save over 5,000 tonnes per year of CO2 or over 100,000 tonnes over the life of the turbines.

The scheme could be replicated across the country, both on residential and commercial sites and further suitable locations are actively being sought. The first turbines will be operational in Orkney by the end of this month. Working with development partners, Mistral Energy and ABG, Hamsin has engaged Kingspan Wind as the turbine supply partner, with many of the turbines being manufactured in Scotland.  

Derrick Allan, Head of Ventures and Development at SSE said: “It is encouraging that SSE’s investment in the Environmental Capital Fund is now helping communities across the North of Scotland realise their renewable ambitions.

“At SSE, we believe a healthy and growing community energy sector matters and I will be interested to see how this innovative project develops and look forward to seeing many more community-led projects benefitting from investment.”