7^th April 2025
A new report by the New Economics Foundation gives fresh insight into how to maximise value for communities across Scotland from the rapid expansion of renewable energy.

Benefit from onshore wind projects alone could exceed £60 million annually by 2030 (Foundation Scotland), and Scotland’s offshore wind sector is set to add significantly to this figure. Scottish communities can benefit from renewable energy by sharing in ownership of the technology or by engaging with community benefit schemes which allocate funding from local projects.

“Maximising value for local communities from potential investment and ownership of offshore wind projects in Scotland” was commissioned by Energy4All, a leading intermediary of community energy projects in the UK, and the BlueFloat Energy/Nadara Partnership, a leading developer of floating offshore wind farms. It examines what lessons can be applied to future offshore wind opportunities.

Among its key findings, the report makes the case for community-led decision making,  using funding for investment in capital projects with long term returns and aligning with the local economic plan to maximise impact. Given that renewable energy projects often have a long operational lifetime, there is an opportunity for scalable and impactful projects which deliver long term benefits in local economic development.

The report also highlights gaps in data gathering regarding the impact of community benefits from renewable energy schemes. Organisations like Foundation Scotland and 9CC (a consortium of community councils) have been leading, but there is no universal framework for evaluating the impact of community benefit schemes in Scotland.

Duncan Leece, a voluntary director at the Boyndie Wind Cooperative and participant in the study, said “So much of what we do to measure impact is anecdotal”.

A new pilot of a large-scale community ownership and benefit project is now being explored – led by the BlueFloat Energy | Nadara Partnership in exclusive collaboration with Energy4All – which will examine, how sustainable community benefits from primarily offshore wind could be developed in a way that secures the long-term benefits of clean energy for the whole of Scotland.

Marna McMillin, CEO of Energy4All, said: “In order to get most value per pound of spend, communities need better information on what works and produces most impact long term”

Nancy Mclean, Deputy Portfolio Director from the BlueFloat Energy | Nadara Partnership, “The results from the NEF study will help shape our pilot and  is a crucial step in ensuring that the benefits of offshore wind extend beyond clean power - creating lasting economic opportunities, stimulating local investment, and providing the opportunity for inclusive community ownership models that put people at the heart of the energy transition”

Chaitanya Kumar, author of the report and Head of Economy and Environment at the New Economics Foundation, said “"The future of energy in Scotland isn’t just clean—it’s community-driven. With the right support and a seat at the table, communities can turn renewable energy into lasting local wealth. Our report shows that scaling up community ownership and benefit isn’t just possible—it’s essential for a fair energy transition.”

The report is available to read in full here. Energy4All and the BlueFloat Energy | Nadara Partnership encourage policymakers, industry leaders and community stakeholders to engage with the findings to maximise opportunities in this rapidly growing sector.

 

About Energy4All
Energy4All is a non-profit distributing co-operative social enterprise, formed to enable more communities in the UK to own and operate renewable energy projects. The organisation was founded in 2002 and evolved out of the Baywind Energy Co-operative, the UK’s first community owned onshore wind farm. It has raised more than £100 million in capital for community owned renewable energy generation from wind, hydro, solar and biomass and now supports more than 30 successful community energy co-operatives operating in the UK with more than 19,000 combined members. 

About the BlueFloat Energy/Nadara Partnership

The Partnership is developing a pipeline of five floating offshore wind farm projects in Scotland, including the 1.8GW Bellrock project east of Aberdeen, the 900MW Broadshore project north of Fraserburgh and the 1.5GW Stromar project east of Caithness. The Partnership is also developing two innovation projects at 100 MW each, Sinclair and Scaraben, which lie adjacent to Broadshore.

About the New Economics Foundation

The New Economics Foundation is a charitable think tank. They are independent of political parties and committed to being transparent about how they are funded.