Communities will have the chance to discuss and learn about the renewable energy opportunities available to them, and what is being called the 'quiet revolution' of community renewables, at a conference in Harris next week organised by the Highlands and Islands Community Energy Company.

The keynote speakers include Mark Stephen, presenter of the BBC Radio's Fresh Air programme and MSP Sarah Boyack, who is currently Joint Convenor of the Cross Party Group on Renewable Energy and the Convenor of the Environment and Rural Development Committee. A number of community representatives will share their experiences of the recent growth in the community renewables sector and officials from Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, Scottish Natural Heritage and representatives from other organisations involved in the process of developing and processing renewable energy projects will also be on hand with advice and information.

The conference entitled 'Community Energy: Leading from the Edge' will run for two days in Tarbert, North Harris from April 25 to 26 and is the second annual conference held by HICEC. The North Harris Trust will host the conference. They are one of seven community groups in the Western Isles exploring the scope for a community owned wind farm. The growth in interest in such projects and other renewable energy projects means that HICEC are shortly to appoint a second development officer in the Western Isles, Maureen Cloonan, to join HICEC's existing officer Henk Munneke.

The first HICEC conference was held in Knoydart in May 2005 when HICEC was officially launched as a company. This year's conference in Harris will focus on community groups who wish to develop their own large-scale renewable schemes.

The conference is the culmination of a successful first year of business for HICEC, which is a non-profit distributing company which offers advice on and funds community renewable projects in the Highlands and Islands - following on from the work of the Highlands and Islands Community Energy Unit. Nearly 80 HICEC assisted projects have been completed so far ranging from a solar powered water heating system for Lairg village hall to the Gigha Community Windfarm which provides an annual net income of around £80,000 to the community.

As global trends such as climate change, rising energy prices and the risk to energy security stimulate people's interest in solutions such as renewables, more and more communities are looking to renewable projects and HICEC can help them in a number of ways from information and advice to grant-aid for feasibility studies and capital works.

Commenting on the growth of community interest in renewables HICEC chief executive Nicholas Gubbins said: "We are tremendously encouraged by the growth of interest in renewable energy at community level over the last year. The Highlands and Islands have very significant renewable energy resources and these bring real opportunities for the people who live here. We are determined to help communities make the most of these opportunities."

HICEC's first Annual Review will be launched at the conference, at lunchtime on Wednesday, which details the company's work in its first year. More communities are becoming aware of the opportunities there are for renewable energy projects through such schemes as the Scottish Executive's Scottish Community and Householder Renewables Initiative (SCHRI) which HICEC delivers in the Highlands and Islands.

HICEC chair Lorne MacLeod said: "This review of our first year outlines what we have achieved and highlights some of the issues we - and some of our community clients - face in developing renewable energy projects to benefit their communities. In the course of the year it has become clear to me that communities in the Highlands and Islands are now at the forefront of renewable energy development. Now we must consolidate the progress that has been made and build on the confidence and enthusiasm of our community clients by providing a stable, constant and accessible support service."

Subjects to be tackled at next week's conference include community wind power where speakers include David Cameron from North Harris Trust Community Wind Power and Alex Walker from the Findhorn Community Wind Project. There will also be group sessions on 'Construction, operation and maintenance'; 'Financing a project and investing the returns'; and 'Planning, environment and crofting requirements'. Sarah Boyack's speech is entitled 'National developments, implications and opportunities at the community level'.