Clyde Wind Farm and SSE Renewables have opened a £600,000 fund to help the economic recovery of communities in South Lanarkshire during the coronavirus pandemic.

Pictured prior to the coronavirus pandemic are members of the Sustainable Development Fund panel, (from left) Stuart Hood of Clyde Wind Farm (Scotland) Ltd., Morven Smith of SSE Renewables, and Lord McConnell, Chair of the Sustainable Development Fund. 

The wind farm funding is being made available by Clyde Wind Farm (Scotland) Limited, which donates part of the profits from its Clyde Wind Farm to non-profit making organisations, community groups and charities across South Lanarkshire through its Sustainable Development Fund.

The Fund, which is distributed every two years in South Lanarkshire and is valued at £10.3 million over its lifetime, is administered by SSE Renewables on behalf of the wind farm partners and delivers financial support to a diverse range of community projects near to Clyde Wind Farm.

Typically, successful projects use annual funding to deliver transformational social, economic and environmental changes in the local area and support long-term community development.

Now, in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, the Sustainable Development Fund panel want to support community initiatives which will help local society and the economy recover in recognition that the current pandemic has put unforeseen pressure on local communities.

The panel is looking for applications from projects which would boost local employment, help communities take ownership of local assets and help local people to adjust to the new ways of working following the pandemic, which might include the creation of local business hubs.

Lord McConnell, Chair of the Sustainable Development Fund said:

“The coronavirus pandemic has had a significant impact on local communities and job prospects. We want to utilise this fund to help boost the local economy, create meaningful employment and enable communities to make best use of local assets.”

The deadline for applications to the Sustainable Development Fund is noon on 20 January 2021. The application form and further information can be found on:

• sserenewables.com/sustainabledevelopmentfund

Located south of Biggar in Scotland’s Southern Uplands, Clyde Wind Farm is one of Europe’s biggest operational wind farms. A joint venture partnership between SSE Renewables, Greencoat UK Wind Plc and GLIL Corporate Holdings Limited, Clyde Wind Farm (Scotland) Limited owns the 206 turbine onshore renewable generation site which produces enough power annually to power over 290,000 homes. The wind farm is operated by SSE Renewables on behalf of the joint venture partners.

Clyde Wind Farm (Scotland) Limited is a joint venture partnership between wind farm owners SSE Renewables, Greencoat UK Wind Plc and GLIL Corporate Holdings Limited.

KeyFacts Energy: SSE Renewables UK country profile