Energy company Energia is to inject €550,000 into helping local community initiatives on the island of Ireland this year, via its wind farm community benefit fund.

The Energia Group’s continued support for the initiative will bring the total invested in local projects to date to more than €2m.

Renewables managing director Peter Baillie said: “Energia is working with community funding experts, the Community Foundation for Ireland, Community Foundation NI and Fermanagh Trust, to ensure our funding has the maximum positive and lasting impact in the areas where we operate.

“Without support from community benefit funds many valuable rural initiatives would struggle to find funding, and it’s crucial that communities see tangible benefits from renewables as part of a just energy transition.”

Projects that will benefit from the funds this year include:

In Association with

Edenderry Rural Community Association: Providing a range of educational, recreation and social activities for the rural community of Omagh and surrounding areas, the group is focused on developing a safe place where people live in a shared community.

Termon Community Responders: A team of 22 local volunteers trained in emergency first aid, the Termon Community Responders attend and respond to emergency calls within five miles of Carrickmore, Co Tyrone. They plan to use the funding to purchase defibrillators.

Broughshane & District Community Association: Located at the base of Mount Slemish, the group promotes community relations and communication between various groups within their local society.

Meenadreen Scholarship Grants: Five students from the surrounding areas of Meenadreen in Donegal have already received grants totalling almost €40,000 to support them in third level education.

More information about the funds is available here.

With offices in Dublin, Galway, Cork, Belfast, Antrim and Omagh, Energia Group supplies approximately 25% of the island’s total electricity requirements and 21% of the island’s total wind power. The group provides energy to 800,000 homes and businesses, both electricity and gas, via its two retail brands Energia and Power NI. The group supplies more than 1.3 gigawatts of green power to the market, including from 15 wind farms.

Photo: Peter Baillie (Pic: Press Eye)