Genesis is committed to working in partnership with the local community. As the Scottish government recognises and embraces, renewable energy is an important part of our future and it is important, even vital, that it be popular locally.
The planning application includes a commitment for 3% of the gross revenues from the turbine to go to the local community. Following consultation and meetings over the summer, we have decided to direct these funds to the Tarbert and Skipness Community Trust (TSCT). On current projections, this figure might be around £13,000 per annum rising with inflation – or a total of £325,000 during the life of the turbine.
There is also potential for a partnership position in the project in the local community. Genesis has offered, at no cost, a significant share (up to 50%) in the project development company to TSCT and to nearby residents. Jonathan Waxman, director of GE, presented the proposal in writing to the directors and verbally at the recent AGM of TSCT. This is at quite an early stage of discussion but we hope will come to fruition over the coming months.
Tarbert & Skipness is an area that is already thinking hard about environmental issues and has been working hard on them through for example the Big Green Tarbert initiative, the TSCT initiative to develop a wind turbine and the Green Flag award that Tarbert Academy has achieved. We would also like to contribute to the community’s efforts in this direction and have started some preliminary discussions in this regard.
We hope that this project might be the start of a fruitful and longstanding partnership between Genesis Energy and the Tarbert and Skipness area and we would be very proud if this indeed comes to be. There is much work to do and we would like to go forward together with you.