Local benefits
Statkraft places a high importance on being a good neighbour. Our aim is to have the least impact and provide the most benefit to the communities in which we operate. There are many ways in which local communities can benefit from renewable energy projects, and we want to hear your views on how this project can benefit yours.
Community fund
Our renewable projects generate valuable funds for the communities where they're sited. This fund is designed to help accelerate the aims of local communities, supporting projects that make a positive difference, such as:
- Improving local infrastructure such as community broadband, EV charging, or improved walking and cycling routes
- Upgrading community facilities & buildings
- Supporting local sports & recreation groups
- Environmental enhancements
- Skills and education programmes
How it works
The fund is independently administered by a third-party . Final decisions on grant allocation would be made by a local panel of community representatives, and not by Statkraft.
Who can apply
Clubs, societies and community groups that bring benefit to people closest to the project.
When it starts
The fund opened for applications in April 2024, following the start of construction at the Thornton site, and will continue annually for the life of the Greener Grid Park. Details of current application rounds, eligibility criteria and closing dates are available through the GrantScape application portal.
Biodiversity
By providing an alternative to oil and gas, renewable projects can combat the climate crisis. But our projects are also designed to tackle the biodiversity crisis, and ecology has been an important consideration throughout the design here.
We have worked with ecology specialists to identify habitats and species present on and around the site, including hedgerows, birds, bats, badgers and great crested newts. The findings have been used to shape the project layout and avoid impact where possible or mitigate any impact.
We work with Bumblebee Conservation Trust and Habitat Aid to design projects where wildlife can thrive. Typical biodiversity enhancements include new woodland planting, species-rich wildflower grassland, hedgerow improvements, bird and bat boxes, and habitat management designed to support local wildlife throughout the lifetime of the project.
It is often assumed that fields are wildlife havens, but this isn’t always the case. Large fields growing a single crop leave little room for diverse plants, pollinators and animals, whereas ecological assessments of solar projects need to demonstrate that the biodiversity measures planned would deliver a significant biodiversity net gain when compared with the existing arable land use.
Local suppliers
Wider benefits
The proposed project will generate enough electricity to power thousands of homes and businesses, helping to end our reliance on fossil fuels. Renewables are a solution to some of the major issues of our time; preventing the worsening effects of climate change whilst bring secure and predicable power to our homes and businesses, helping us to be energy independent, and keeping our bills more.
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