Community turbine group welcomes wind energy push

Pete West set up a community energy scheme which enables local residents to get cheaper electricity

The government's push for more energy from wind has been welcomed by a group that operates a community wind turbine where residents pay lower prices for electricity.

The wind turbine at Salway Ash, near Bridport in Dorset, supplies electricity to about 50 households in the surrounding area at prices about 20% lower than the standard rate.

There has been a de facto ban on new onshore wind turbines in the UK since 2015 but the government said it now wants to see wind at the centre of its "mission to make Britain a clean energy superpower".

The government wants to see more benefit to communities who live in areas where wind turbines are installed - this is already happening in parts of Devon.

Peter Bailey built the turbine on his land near Bridport in 2012

Pete West, from Energy Local Bridport, said the Salway Ash scheme has been a success.

"We've got 50 householders that have been supplied for over five years now and none of them have left the scheme," said Mr West.

"There's a huge demand for local people to benefit from renewable energy and they are more likely to accept a wind turbine if they can be supplied with low-cost energy."

The turbine was originally built by Peter Bailey on his farmland in 2012.

He said: "It makes more sense to generate locally - you have to find the right sort of places on the windy hillsides but it does work well and complements solar cells well."

In the period before the de facto ban was introduced there was public opposition to some wind turbine plans such as the Church of England project to build six turbines in north and west Devon.

Philippa Knott Kos is from Devon Community Foundation

In Devon, community schemes are in place in places such as Batsworthy Cross between Tiverton and South Molton.

The developer pays into a community benefit fund run by Devon Community Foundation (DCF) which helps residents decide how to best spend the money.

Philippa Knott Kos, from DCF, said local residents "know their communities better than anyone".

She said: "When they get to see where that money goes and they see tangible benefits from that money coming in - that can really change how they feel about a wind farm being in their community."