Activities: what we will do
We have built a 1 megawatt community owned solar farm and are putting it into wider community ownership through this share offer. Selling electricity to the National Grid and receiving payments for Renewables Obligation Certificates will enable us to make enough money to pay our costs (including shareholder interest) and have a surplus remaining which we will spend on activities that benefit the local community.

Outputs: what we project you’ll see happening

• Community ownership: £637,000 paid in interest to shareholders (20 years)
• Funds raised for social impact delivery: £567,000 – £864,000 (30 years)
• Education about sustainable development: engagement with at least 1 year group of the local primary school each year (during first 5 years, target to be extended thereafter);
• Clean energy: 28,000,000 kwh generated (30 years)
• CO2 emissions reduced: 11,500 tonnes of carbon dioxide saved (30 years)
• Community Supported Agriculture: 1 food CSA set up onsite (weekly vegetable boxes for 50 households); 1 wood CSA set up onsite (25 tonnes p.a.)
• Jobs created and protected: 2 jobs created and over a dozen protected (in first 5 years, target to be extended thereafter)

Outcomes: the effects on local people

• EMPOWERMENT: people taking control of energy and food production, as shareholders
• ENGAGEMENT: visitors to the site (including school children) understanding more about environmental sustainability and related issues.
• PARTICIPATION: community groups, volunteers and our own members joining in with our activities and having a say about how the Social Impact Funds are delivered.
• RURAL EMPLOYMENT & APPRENTICESHIPS: Small local businesses supported over the life of the project and apprentice training programmes leading to employment
• ACTIVE & ENGAGED LOCAL CONSUMERS: Our Community Benefit Society members and the wider community engaged by the project will become more aware of their role as a customer in supporting responsible, ethical, environmentally-friendly businesses. This will contribute to the national goal of creating a more “Globally Responsible Wales”.

Social Impacts: the lasting benefits for society

• COMMUNITY COHESION: coming together to work on a shared project, learn about a shared interest or plan for a shared future helps create connections between people that can be helpful in many ways. Links with friends and neighbours make people stronger.
• AWARENESS OF ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES: developing a more responsible approach to the resources around us will help safeguard them for the future.
• CONFIDENCE, SKILLS, QUALIFICATIONS: these can arise from participating in new activities as well as direct training, and support individuals, families and communities to develop.
• INCREASED FOOD AND ENERGY SECURITY: Having energy from a renewable source and food from a nearby, community-owned source increases self-reliance for the future.
• RESILIENT COMMUNITY: Increasing all the above resources helps people (individually and collectively) to cope with knocks, shocks and challenges.