The Resilient Energy approach is a new, award winning, community based model that is attracting positive national attention.
We believe that the best way to realise renewable energy potential is to develop a fair and equitable relationship between the landowner, the developer and the local community.
We work in partnership with landowners to deliver investable Community Scale projects designed to help meet rather than exceed local energy demand, whilst also making a positive difference to the quality of life and resilience of the communities in which they are based through both a community investment scheme and a meaningful annual donation to the local community.
Once the energy project is operational, typicallyt 4% of the gross revenues (not profit!) are donated to the host community via a Community Fund. This equates to on average £15,000 - £20,000 per year for a single 500kW wind turbine over its 25 year operation. This is 8 times the government new recommendations for community benefits!
Applications for community funds are assessed twice yearly by an self-appointed Community Panel of local residents against the criteria of helping to address current needs and future challenges and so build community resilience. As an example you can see the projects that have benefitted from the Community Fund from the Great Dunkilns wind turbine here.
The key advantage of our Resilient Energy model, and its market differentiator, is that it is capable of retaining up to 80% of project returns within the local community; significantly more than any other approach.
Our approach removes barriers for Landowners and Communities looking to develop a renewable energy projects. It has significant benefits in terms of reducing both up front "at risk" costs to a minimum and ongoing operational costs in exchange for an equity stake in the project. We also bring considerable added value in developing opportunities for landowners and communities to use and maximise the benefits from their new source of local renewable energy.
All of our Resilient Energy projects are funded by people like you. When a Resilient Energy project’s Community Share Offer is launched, it is open to individuals, businesses, co-operatives and other social enterprises and may be open to certain types of pension schemes (ask your advisor). Investments can typically start from as little as £250 up to a maximum of £100,000. Community investors can typically receive and average of 7-8% return on their investment. We are anticipating launching a number of Community Share Offers in 2016. Visit our Community Energy Projects Pages for more details and to pre-register investment interest for a specific project, or sign up to receive general notification for each Share Offer we launch.
We only take forward projects at a scale that is appropriate for the local community and at locations where the impacts are acceptable.
Community projects within St Briavels and environs have received £17,283 from the St Briavels Wind Turbine Community Fund, based on operation of the Great Dunkilns Wind Turbine since commissioning in January 2013 to the end of September 2014. This is higher than predicted during the first few years of operation. [more ...]