Viking Energy agreement on community fund

A community benefit fund from the Viking Energy windfarm has taken an “important step forward”.

Viking Energy has signed a minute of agreement regarding the fund with SSE Renewables and Shetland Community Benefit Fund (SCBF).

This means £400,000 a year will be available to SCBF during the construction phase of the windfarm.

SCBF will use the funds to run an advanced grant scheme in early 2021, which will be open to projects supported by a community council.

There will be three tiers of grant funding: £50-£500, £500-£5,000 and over £5,000.

SCBF chairman Chris Bunyan said the legal agreement was an “important step forward” and would allow community councils to support projects in their area.