Energy company rolls out new wind farm scheme after successful Welsh pilot

An energy company is launching a new pilot scheme which invites landowners to host wind turbines to lower local energy bills.

Octopus Energy Generation’s ‘Plots for Kilowatts’ scheme calls for landowners to register interest in hosting an onshore wind turbine, with Octopus then matching this up with community demand.

Last year Octopus launched an innovative local wind tariff – the Fan Club – with turbines in Caerphilly and Market Weighton in Yorkshire, which offered people living close to its wind turbines up to 50 percent discount on their energy rates.

Since launching the scheme, the company says over 5,000 communities have got in touch asking for their own ‘Fan’.

Earlier this month, the UK Government published its new energy strategy which included plans for a significant expansion in the number of onshore wind farms in both Wales and Scotland.

The strategy also included plans to incentivise proposals for communities impacted by the new windfarms, with measures including creating a local fuel poverty fund that can help those most in need and financing insulation of nearby homes to ease energy costs.

Crystal clear

“It’s crystal clear we need more renewables, with wind playing a significant role” Zoisa North-Bond, CEO of Octopus Energy Generation told Renewable Energy Magazine.

“Launching ‘Plots for Kilowatts’ will accelerate this so we can build more onshore wind quickly and at scale. Our aim is to create a ‘dating agency’, using a new data-driven approach to match-make willing landowners who have land to develop with communities that want onshore wind.

“We’ve been blown away by the demand we’ve seen for local green energy with cheaper energy rates. We’re now asking UK landowners to join us on our mission to dramatically accelerate people-led green energy.

“This will help unlock the UK’s significant renewable potential and speed up the transition to net zero and energy independence.”

Recent research conducted by the company found that 87 percent of those questioned would support a turbine in their community if it meant discounted energy rates.

Octopus is hoping to identify at least 10 viable sites by the end of summer, which will then be  put forward to the UK Government to consider as part of its new Energy Security Strategy.