WJM & Community Energy Scotland partnership CARES for community renewable energy
Published byGraham Bell
In what is thought to be an industry first, WJM have partnered with Community Energy Scotland to provide a one-stop shop renewable energy package to communities, rural businesses and groups under the CARES scheme.
Delivered through Local Energy Scotland, the CARES scheme provides advice, access to funding and access to an accredited panel of knowledgeable, specialist community renewable energy legal advisors. WJM have been appointed to the panel and will work in a unique partnership with Community Energy Scotland to deliver the best of service to communities and rural businesses.
WJM is a leading renewable energy law firm which has helped communities and rural businesses across Scotland install their own generation. The firm has worked on island, urban and rural schemes covering wind, wave, hydro, biomass and solar power.
Graham Bell, lead partner for WJM in this work and an expert in structuring the financial side of community, rural business and group generation said, “We believe our partnership with Community Energy Scotland is unique and allows us to offer a fully rounded service.”
“Communities and rural businesses can face a challenge when seeking legal services for renewables – every part of the process is new to them and the sums needed to install generation can be scary. In our partnership with Community Energy Scotland and under the banner of LES, we’ll be working with those communities and rural businesses to help them learn more about renewables generation and to make sure they have the most appropriate funding, contracts and agreements for their particular situation.”
In community, rural business and group generation, there is no “one size fits all” solution so we use our twenty years’ experience to guide them through the possibilities for their location, all the documentation and all the legal jargon. Taking the first step to local generation can be a daunting process but that’s where we come in and help. We’ll be with communities, rural businesses and groups right through from conception to the day generation starts.”
As Scotland’s only national community energy charity, Community Energy Scotland provides a portfolio of services. One key service is working with communities and rural businesses to help them project manage their own renewable energy developments. This experience made them a perfect partner for WJM under the CARES supply framework.
Eric Dodd from Community Energy Scotland said, “We are delighted to partner with WJM. There is a great synergy between the two organisations’ services and our partnership can only bring added benefit to those communities, rural businesses and groups we work with. We respect WJM’s extensive experience in community renewables especially in the areas of structures and funding – two crucial issues which can make or break a project.”
Communities and groups looking to generate their own power can find out more from Local Energy Scotland Highland’s office.
Graham Bell can be contacted through gb@wjm.co.uk
