SSE Renewables is supporting community groups to power local change as they open the 2021 Community Fund for Richfield Wind Farm in Co. Wexford.
The leading renewable energy owner, operator and developer has been donating to local projects in the vicinity of the wind farm since 2007, and the latest contribution in 2020 brought the total amount awarded in the region to €334,000.
A total of 14 local groups benefitted in 2020, including schools, sports clubs and community associations who are putting funding towards energy efficiency improvement measures.
Applications to the 2021 SSE Renewables Community Fund are open from now 28 January 2022 for community-based projects within a 20km radius of Richfield Wind Farm, with preference given to projects within five kilometres.
SSE Renewables is the leading developer, owner and operator of onshore wind in Ireland, and is the power behind leading green energy power supplier, SSE Airtricity. It operates over 700MW of onshore wind farms in locations across the country, including Ireland’s largest wind farm, the 174MW Galway Wind Park in Connemara, County Galway. SSE has invested €3.8 billion in the Irish economy since entering the market in 2008.
Through its annual Community Fund programme, SSE Renewables has awarded almost €9m so far to over 3,600 community projects in the communities closest to its wind farms. This funding has helped support local groups, sports organisations and schools among others to develop their facilities with energy efficiency and sustainability upgrades, as well as social and environmental projects that enable community development.
This year marks a change in the name of the funding programme. Previously promoted under the SSE Airtricity brand, the programme will now be known as the SSE Renewables Community Fund. The change is designed to better link annual funding award payments from SSE’s wind farms in Ireland to SSE Renewables, which owns and operates each of the company’s wind farm sites.
"We know from our work in the areas in which we operate that local community groups are at the heart of all the good work being done to support people and improve their lives. They are also at the forefront of bringing innovation to their community to make them more sustainable. That is why the SSE Renewables Community Fund has been so successful as it supports, energises and helps invigorate the communities around our wind farms.
Anne Reynolds SSE Renewables Community Liaison Officer
We are delighted to have invested over €300,000 since 2007 in the community around Richfield Wind Farm. We look forward to welcoming new applications this year and building new partnerships with the 2021 SSE Renewables Community Fund."
SSE Renewables’ Richfield Wind Farm has a total generation capacity of 27MW and produces enough renewable energy to power over 15,000 homes in the region.
The closing date for applications is 5pm on 28 January 2022. For more information on how to apply, visit www.sserenewables.com/communityfund or contact the Community Fund Manager via email at [email protected]