Green energy projects shortlisted for Scottish Renewables awardsUistWind, a North Uist Development Company (Trading) Limited (NUDC-T) and North Uist Development Company project (NUDC), has been selected as a finalist for the 2019 Scottish Green Energy Awards.
The annual awards will see 44 individuals, companies and projects vie to scoop prizes in 12 categories at a 1,200-guest ceremony on December 6 in Edinburgh. A NUDC-T Director and the NUDC project delivery manager will be attending the ceremony in December with crossed fingers and toes! UistWind will be competing with 3 other projects for the Best Community Project Award, sponsored by SSE Renewables. The finalists are:
Uist wind passes 2 major milestonesThe second wind turbine is now up after early problems with its concrete base meant the foundation had to be rebuilt. Timelapse footage by UistFilm captured the moment the rotor and blades for this turbine were installed (on August 20th), amid great excitement after the previous difficulties.
The first turbine is now generating electricity and began exporting power to the Grid for the first time on August 2nd. Construction of the first turbine was completed in July and there were celebrations when its blades began to turn for the first time on July 31st. We also paid tribute to the personnel at the MoD and QinetiQ for working with us to facilitate the creation of the community-owned wind farm, overcoming challenges posed by its proximity to the Hebrides Range. See https://www.stornowaygazette.co.uk/news/environment/powering-brighter-future-uist-projects-second-wind-turbine-goes-2029391  Finally construction was able to commence when NUDC raised £100,000 more than required for its equity stake in the UistWind project – reaching £452,850 – to build two 900kw turbines at Criongrabhal, near Clachan-na-Luib. With feed-in tariff support, the turbines – which are due to be operational by October this year – will provide a set price for the electricity which is produced. Despite fears of not meeting the target in November, when the total sat at around £317,000, a final push saw fundraising pass £400,000 on Christmas Eve. Energy Minister Paul Wheelhouse said: “I am delighted that the Scottish Government has played a part in making this important community project at Criongrabhal happen, by providing £575,095 of funding from our EIF towards the capital cost of the project. “The community has also benefitted from important support through our Community and Renewable Energy Scheme. “As someone who believes that such investments can be transformative for communities, it is absolutely fantastic to see the local island communities, and indeed communities and investors across Scotland, come together to support the project and help them exceed their equity stake.” See: https://www.thenational.scot/news/17528540.north-uist-community-wind-farm-construction-commences/  North Uist will get its community-owned wind farm next year, after our fundraising campaign passed £400,000 on Christmas Eve. The total raised by UistWind was £408,000 by close of play on December 24. Our final fundraising drive was launched early in December and our NUDC development officers working on the project were greatly encouraged when the share offer hit £345,000 on December 19. By Christmas Eve, though, what was cautious optimism had given way to sheer delight. Mustapha Hocine, chairman of North Uist Development Company, said: ‘It is the best possible Christmas present for North Uist that we have exceeded our target for the community share offer, and that we are now at £400,000. ‘This means that more people will benefit from the target interest rate of four per cent and it means that the community benefit will be even greater. Thank you to everyone who has invested in the project so far.’ See: https://www.obantimes.co.uk/2019/01/05/christmas-joy-as-uistwind-fundraiser-passes-400000/  Plea made to raise final £30,000 of Uist Wind projectAn urgent plea has been made to potential investors to buy shares in the UistWind community wind farm project to aid in helping the community project to reach its yearly fundraising total of £350,000. The project is seeking to raise £2.33million for the community over the project’s projected lifespan of 22 years, with the profits going straight back to the community via North Uist Development Company’s charitable activities. The total cost of the project is to cost around £3.5million with two turbines being placed at Criongrabhal, near Clachan-na-Luib, with the majority of the project being funded through £2.5 million loan coming from Triodos Bank. A further £650,000 has been made available through a loan from the Energy Investment Fund. Mustapha Hocine, chairwoman of the North Uist Development Company, said: “It’s been years and years of work and struggle but hopefully we can see the light at the end of the tunnel – it’s just a question of that final push to get there. Although we can see it, we’re not there yet." See: https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/news/1630017/plea-made-to-raise-final-30000-of-uist-wind-project/   Celtic fusion band Shooglenifty have added their backing to the Uist community wind project in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. Uist Wind is looking to raise £350,000 through a community share issue for the 1.8MW project.
The project has so far raised 75% of its target and the offer has been extended. Funds raised will be used to buy and install two 900kW Enercon E-44 wind turbines. North Uist Development Company chair Mustapha Hocine said: “NUDC is fortunate that we are able to extend the deadline for completing the share offer. “So please consider making an investment. Although £350,000 is our minimum and is now in sight, the more we raise from the share offer, the more profitable this project will be for our community – so it is really important that we keep pushing the share offer. “Although much of the investment so far has come from the local community – and it is great to see that Uist is getting behind this project – you don’t have to be local to invest. The 4% annual return offered by this project is available to anybody who makes an investment, no matter where they are from.” See: https://renews.biz/47862/uist-wind-savours-support-act/ |
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