Vattenfall is currently working on setting up the GBP 150,000-per-year scheme as part of its European Offshore Wind Deployment Centre (EOWDC) community fund, with the first call for funding proposals expected this autumn.
Earlier this year, the Swedish energy company announced it is seeking local advice from residents in Aberdeen City and Shire, Scotland, about how to invest the 20-year GBP 3 million Unlock our Future fund.
According to Vattenfall, the feedback has shown that the region’s communities want the fund to focus on preparing communities for the future, capacity building and investment in community spaces and transport.
“Vattenfall’s £3mn Unlock our Future fund is one of the ways that people in North-east Scotland will benefit from the EOWDC,” Adam Ezzamel , Vattenfall’s Project Director for the EOWDC, said.
“Vattenfall has a great record in delivering community benefit programmes and this is our first scheme of this nature for an offshore wind farm. We have been working closely with stakeholders across the region to incorporate their thoughts and feedback into the scheme, making it the best it can be,”
As part of the yearly GBP 150,000 commitment, Vattenfall said it will dedicate GBP 15,000, which is 10% of the annual total, to the people of Blackdog, where the substation for the EOWDC is located.
The EOWDC , also known as Aberdeen Offshore Wind Farm, comprises nine MHI Vestas 8.4MW turbines and two MHI Vestas turbines with a record-breaking capacity of 8.8MW, recently installed at the site in Aberdeen Bay.
The 93.2MW offshore wind test and demonstration center is expected to produce first power in the summer.