£20k fund created for green projects in Keith
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A £20,000 annual fund has been set up to support community projects located in and around Keith that help the environment.
Local groups, including schools, have until July 12 to apply for between £500 and the whole £20,000 sum.
The Keith Greener Grid Park community fund has been created by Statkraft, which is based in Oslo and says it is Europe’s largest renewable power generator.
A local panel has been established with representatives from Keith Community Council, Strathisla Community Council and Moray Council to help prioritise which applications should be supported.
Final decisions will be reached in early September, with the funds being administered by a specialist firm called GrantScape, which has a track record of distributing money to community projects across the UK.
Callum Stuart, Keith Community Council, said: "The Keith Greener Grid Fund will provide £20,000 each year to distribute to great causes in the area that will bring benefits directly to our community.
"It is an added bonus that the fund will help us to focus on carbon dioxide reduction and there are a wide range of potential ways in which this can be done.
"In these challenging economic times it is good to have positive news of a new annual funding stream.
"We thank Statkraft for making this available and we look forward to working with GrantScape to identify worthwhile projects in our area."
Moray councillor Theresa Coull (Keith and Cullen, SNP) said: "This new funding is to be welcomed and it is right that companies such as Statkraft work to bring benefits to the communities where they have operations.
"I know that many organisations and projects in our community will put this funding to good use. The fact that the fund will help with the bigger picture of climate change and achieving net zero targets for many years to come is an added bonus."
As part of a £20million contract involving the Scottish government Statkraft has installed two giant 'fly-wheels' near to the SSEN transmission substation on the eastern edge of Keith.
This has been done to better control the flow onto the national of renewable energy created by wind turbines.
Guy Nicholson from Statkraft stated his company has a "good neighbour ethos" and is always seeking to help communities where it works.
He added: "We would like to thank the Keith Community Council and councillors Donald Gatt and Theresa Coull, who worked with GrantScape to make the Keith Greener Grid Park Community Fund a reality."
Amongst the other Statkraft operations in Moray is the Berry Burn windfarm about eight miles south of Forres.
Plans are also in progress for the Craig Watch Wind Farm, about five miles south-east of Dufftown.
Examples of projects that could be considered for grants from the Keith Greener Grid Park community fund include:
- Energy efficiency audits of community buildings and facilities
- Costs associated with thermal insulation, solar panels and battery storage, ground source heating, double/triple glazing improvements, more efficient heating and micro-wind turbines
- Educational activities that promote the net zero movement, such as costs of school trips to renewable facilities, or workshops and events
- Training for voluntary and community groups to help reduce their own carbon footprints
- Wildlife conservation or tree planting
- Installing electrical vehicle charging point in public locations
Match funding will not be required for applications of less than £5000.
Any amount above that will require the organisation to source a minimum of 20% itself, although the cash will not need to have been secured prior to an application.
Applications can be made at grantscape.org.uk/fund/statkraft/keith
