“ARC” CONSORTIUM SEEKS ACTIVE PARTICIPATION IN RENEWABLE ENERGY PROJECTS

The community-owned Islay and Kintyre Energy Trusts and the Tiree Community Development Trust have formed the Argyll Renewables Communities (“ARC”) Consortium to investigate fully the impacts, both positive and negative, on their local communities of offshore wind and marine energy exploitation.

The seas west of Argyll contain some of the main tidal, wave and offshore wind energy resource areas in the UK. In March 2009, the Crown Estate announced exclusivity agreements with developers to investigate three large scale offshore wind projects: Airtricity off Kintyre (378MW) and Islay (680MW), and ScottishPower Renewables off Tiree (1500MW). Meanwhile, the Scottish Government is conducting a strategic environmental assessment (SEA) of offshore wind resources. Looking ahead, it is expected that the Crown Estate will begin the process of opening up areas off the Argyll coast for marine energy exploitation in the near future.

All three Trusts already have experience of involvement in renewable energy projects. In February 2009, the Islay Energy Trust signed a Memorandum of Understanding with ScottishPower Renewables for the development of a 10MW tidal energy array in the Sound of Islay; the Tiree Community Development Trust are in the process of installing a 900kW com munity wind turbine, and Kintyre are also developing a wind turbine project. In addition, the Trusts have a wide range of relevant skills and experience available to them through their members and Trustees.

Local communities often have the feeling that industrial-scale renewable energy developments are imposed by remote forces with little or no effective local participation, let alone influence or control. This can fuel responses which vary from helplessness through apathy to active opposition. On the other hand, if development goes ahead, genuine collaboration between community and corporate interests can lead to enhanced value and beneficial impacts for both the project and those affected.

Members of the ARC Consortium wish to be considered active participants in both the assessment and development processes and any eventual operations, rather than merely bystanders, and thereby to ensure the best possible outcomes for their communities, as well as for all stakeholders. They are studying options for communities becoming more involved in the development of offshore renewable energy projects. They are also negotiating with the developers and consulting with other key stakeholders, such as Crown Estate, Scottish Government, Argyll and Bute Council, etc.

Jim Mather, MSP for Argyll and Minister for Energy, Enterprise and Tourism in the Scottish Government, attended a recent meeting of the consortium, and gave a warm welcome to the ARC project. He said: “this is a ground-breaking, collaborative initiative by voluntary community groups, whose proactive involvement with developers and other bodies could help in making local communities in areas with fragile economies more sustainable”.
Notes for Editors

The Islay Energy Trust (IET) is a community-owned charity whose main purposes are to develop and to operate or participate in renewable energy projects, and to distribute funds generated for the benefit of local communities.

Contact: Chairman, Philip Maxwell; tel: 01496 850537; email pmax72@aol.com


The Kintyre Energy Trust is a community group set up to progress renewable energy projects across Kintyre for the benefit of the community of Kintyre.

Contact: Chair, Mary Turner; tel: 01586 553192; email: marycturner@btinternet.com


The Tiree Community Development Trust

Contact: Lloyd Gudgeon, Manager, tel: 01879 220074; email: lloyd@tireetrust.org.uk