Villagers sign up for SMART power project

A pioneering '˜smart energy' project in a Scottish village is powering ahead after more than a quarter of local residents signed up to take part.
FintryFintry
Fintry

The SMART Fintry project, which aims to help cut energy bills and carbon dioxide emissions by linking homes in the village to local sources of renewable electricity, has been awarded funding for a second year by the Scottish Government.

The first of its kind in the UK when it was launched in 2016, the project aims to set a new blueprint for communities to become more energy-self-sufficient by making better use of local wind, solar and other renewable resources.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

In its first six months, more than 80 households in Fintry signed up to a special renewable electricity tariff with new, smarter meters to help monitor their electricity use more closely.

At the same time, the project secured deals to help match their electricity use with the output from three local renewable generators, including two wind turbines and an anaerobic digestion plant - creating a local market for local clean power.

Gordon Cowtan, a Fintry resident and co-founder of Fintry Development Trust, said: “We’re delighted with the response from the village so far.

“The households taking part have already switched to a special renewable electricity tariff with Good Energy and have had new meters installed to keep track of their energy use.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“Over the next few months, they’ll start to see even more benefits as we launch a new online portal showing them how and when they’re using electricity, and linking this to the output from our local renewable generators.”