Words by Smiley Team
Would you like to own your own source of green electricity through a wind farm? Now's your chance.
The climate crisis is the biggest challenge facing humanity, and fossil fuels are to blame. Nearly three quarters of greenhouse gases come from the energy we use to power our lives, and it’s never been more urgent to find new renewable energy sources.
Together Band has teamed up with Ripple Energy for their 'Clean Power' campaign. Their mission is to support the global drive to bring carbon dioxide emissions to net zero by 2050, and give our planet the best possible chance of limiting the global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees celsius.
Ripple Energy is a pioneering company, running a groundbreaking model of people-owned wind farms, which it’s hoped will be possible to replicate UK-wide. They believe in the power of collectivity and want thousands of people to come together and help own a wind-farm, with ownership of a small part for as little as £25 per person.
(Read more about these five companies investing in renewables)
Their first wind farm, which was crowdfunded by 907 people who raised £2.2 million, will begin operating in Pontyclun, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Wales, in the new year.
It’s estimated that Ripple members will save about 25% on their energy bills for the wind farm’s 25-year lifespan.
The next wind farm will be built in Scotland, and due to extremely high demand, shares have already sold out, with construction now underway. Their next wind farm is coming very soon, so more people can increase the UK’s renewable energy capacity for good.
Ripple CEO Sarrah Merrick said: “The UK is really blessed with amazing resources. If you look at all the wind resources of Europe, more than half of it is in the UK. It makes sense to build wind farms in the UK, and more solar in Spain, where it’s sunny.
(Read about how England’s first hospital is set to go 100% renewable)
“It tends to be windier during the winter and less windy in the summer, and with Ripple, because your savings are driven by the previous month’s generation, you expect to get bigger savings in the winter, because your wind farm is generating more electricity.”
She added: “It is much cheaper to own a tiny bit of a larger scale wind farm than to own a full tiny little wind farm in your garden or solar panels on your roof. It’s all about giving people a way of starting on the road to genuine climate action.”
You can find out more about the campaign and reserve your spot for as little as £25 on the Clean Power website.
