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Westmill Wind Farm Co-operative
Starting up in 2004, the Westmill Wind Farm Co-operative is one of the pioneers of British community-owned renewable projects, think of them as one of the grandparents of community energy.
The opening of their wind farm in 2008 earned them the title of the first and largest wind farm co-operative in the South of England… they might even be the great-grandparents by now.
The wind farm was the brainchild of the landowner, who was inspired by a trip to Denmark. While there, he noticed just how much of the country’s renewable energy was owned by local communities.
He brought the idea back home and teamed up with our friends at Energy4All, who helped create the Westmill Wind Co-operative and launch the public share offer.
And the rest, as they say…
About the project
Energy With a Mission
Climate change has been at the forefront of global conversation since the turn of the millennium, and now, more than ever, it’s a hot topic. It’s in the news daily, debated on social media, and still, people have wildly varying opinions on it.
And that’s exactly why Westmill Solar Co-operative was formed, to “provide an opportunity for all who are concerned with the effects of climate change” and give them the chance to “become involved in the ownership and operation of a wind farm.” Pretty powerful stuff, huh? And that’s their wording, not ours!
Since launching its share offer almost 20 years ago, Westmill Wind Co-operative still boasts over 2,000 active members — all united by that original purpose and providing a shining example of a well-run community energy project.
That vision is still going strong. Their five wind turbines generate an average of 10.2 GWh of clean, green (and maybe even mean?) energy every year, enough to power almost 4,000 homes. Or, if you’re into trivia, that’s enough energy to send a Boeing 747 around the world… 21 times.
On top of that, the wind farm saves 5,000 tonnes of CO₂ from entering the atmosphere each year. (Wonder how many 747 flights’ worth of emissions that is? It’s a lot.)
And, in true community energy fashion — as if the environmental benefits weren’t enough (oh, and we haven’t even mentioned the boost to local biodiversity yet... this video does a better job of that) — the wind farm has also supported local schools, clubs, and helped cut energy bills.
Over the last five years, more than 10,000 people have visited the site — that’s 10,000 people who’ve been shaped or inspired by what Westmill has built.
Here comes the Sun (Co-op)
With the wind co-op generating such a storm of success, Westmill decided to double down on renewables, and in 2012, Westmill Solar Co-operative was born.
The Solar Co-op raised a whopping £16 million to buy what’s believed to be the world’s largest community-owned solar project, and with over 1,500 members, that might just be true.
Spread across 30 acres, the site is home to more than 20,000 solar panels, generating 4.8 GWh of energy each year… that's 10 laps of the Earth in a Boeing 747.
Our work with Westmill Wind Co-operative
We’ve been lucky enough to work with Westmill Wind Co-operative for almost five years now, supporting them with bespoke Power Purchase Agreements (PPAs) that help keep their clean, community-powered energy flowing. It’s partnerships like this that remind us why we do what we do — backing brilliant groups like Westmill who prove just how powerful people-led energy can be.
