Renewables

Renewable energy co-operatives allow communities to develop and have collective ownership of assets such as wind farms a biomass plants.

For example, the mutual ownership of wind turbines allows communities to access both the power supply and revenue flows generated.

Boyndie Wind Farm Co-operative in Aberdeenshire was Scotland's first wind farm co-operative, established in 2005 to allow the community to invest in and benefit from the production of renewable energy.

Scottish farmers are also forming co-operatives to invest in anaerobic digesters, which turn unwanted food and farm waste into energy and fertiliser.

Shared ownership allows the members of the co-operative to spread the risk and maximise return on their investment.

Our information sheet has more examples of opportunities that co-operative models can bring to renewables

PDF document Co-operative for growth: Growing Scotland's renewables sector (756kb)