Westmill wind farm, near Watchfield, the UKs largest community owned wind farm, has completed its first year of operation as 250 shareholder members of the co-op are expected to gather for its Annual General Meeting at Shrivenham on Saturday 14th March.
Since commissioning last year Westmill wind farm has produced clean and renewable electricity every day, totaling 11.5GWh, within 5% of the predicted output of 12GWh. 12GWh of electricity is equivalent to the annual electricity consumption of around 2,500 homes or 7,500 people.
The wind farm has been Energy Positive since November last year having generated more energy than was consumed in the fabrication, transportation and installation of the wind turbines and the associated infrastructure.
At the AGM tomorrow after the completing the usual business of the AGM the co-operative will be launching WeSET - the Westmill Sustainable Energy Trust a charity that will use a proportion of the money generated from the sales of electricity to encourage and promote the deployment of sustainable energy via, education, low carbon communities and the arts within a 25 mile radius of the wind farm.
In the afternoon members will also have the opportunity to tour the wind farm which is currently undergoing its first annual maintenance schedule.
Westmill director Adam Twine said: This is a great reward for the 2,400 individuals and organizations that make up Westmill Co-op and who almost exactly three years ago, raised the 4.5 million of capital needed to purchase the wind turbines; its also positive encouragement for other community groups who are considering embarking on similar initiatives and in its own small way, its a successful, local initiative working to avert catastrophic climate change. We just need more!
