Community Renewable energy projects and businesses in the Highlands and Islands were the toast of the Scottish Renewable Energy Industry at the annual awards ceremony in Edinburgh last night (Thursday 8th Dec).

Lining up for the award of best community initiative were finalists from Orkney, Western Isles, Lochaber and Argyll.

Stars for the night were Gigha Renewable Energy ltd and The Westray Development Trust, who were announced as joint winners.

Three of the four finalists - and the two winners - were clients of The Highlands and Islands Community Energy Company (HICEC).

Chief executive of HICEC Nicholas Gubbins said: "It was great to see projects which had benefited from HICEC assistance win through to these prestigious awards. Our help, advice and funding makes a positive difference and allows significant projects to go ahead. 

"These communities have demonstrated real innovation in harnessing renewable energy and show a high level of local community benefit too. We know there are many more communities out there wanting to get involved - and we're here to help".

Westray Community Trust have seized on renewable energy as a means of regenerating the island. The Trust started its work on renewables with a small wind turbine heating the Hofn youth centre and have gone on to take forward pioneering projects such as their biofuels initiative, using waste cooking oil to fuel a vehicle and generate power. They are now at an advanced stage in the development of a larger wind turbine project, which will generate revenue to underpin the island's regeneration.

Gigha Renewable Energy Limited operates the island's own windfarm. Three large turbines have generated nearly 2 million kilowatt hours of electricity since they were commissioned in December last year. This is the first community-owned wind farm in the UK, where profits are invested in the development of Gigha for the benefit of the island's population.   

The three wind turbines, named 'The Dancing Ladies' by locals, are tucked away in the south of the island and have become a must-see tourist attraction along with the magnificent gardens of Achamore House and the island's archaeological sites.

West Highland Housing Association in Oban was a runner up in the awards. They own and manage social housing in North Argyll, Mull, Tiree and Islay. With help from ALIenergy, the energy agency and HICEC's agent in Argyll, The Association has become a leader in renewable energy and has incorporated wood fuel and solar energy in its developments. They were nominated for the award in recognition of their commitment to local wood fuel. In Oban, their new homes at Glenshellach match state-of-the-art building techniques with efficient district heating from a single woodfuel boiler. The houses are some of the best dwellings being built in Scotland this year in terms of energy efficiency and livability.

Nicholas Gubbins concluded: "There is no doubt that communities in the Highlands and Islands have the ideas and the renewable energy resource. With continued support from HICEC we predict further leading edge renewable energy developments will come on stream in 2006."

For further information, please contact:

Nicholas Gubbins
Tel: 01463 244 448
Email: n.gubbins@hient.co.uk