Scarista Wind Turbine
The Trusts wholly owned subsidiary, West Harris Renewables Limited installed a 53kw Harbon wind turbine on the Scarista common grazings in March 2014. The turbine cost around £250,000 and was funded by a loan from Social Investment Scotland and trust funds. It is predicted that the turbine will generate a gross revenue of approximately £45,000/yr.
Seilebost School Wind Turbine
Through its renewables subsidiary the Trust has installed a 5kw Evance wind turbine at Seilebost School. The turbine was erected on Saturday 27th October 2012 and was connected to the school on 15th November 2012. It was connected to the grid when SSE carried out works to an underground connecting cable.
The original idea was that the turbine would provide the school with free electricity and also donate any profits from the operation of the turbine to school funds for as long as the school remained open. Unfortunately the school closed in June 2013. The Trust has since purchased the building from the Comhairle and we are now benefiting from the free electricity.