On the 25th September 2015, KCFC held the official launch of our 75kW Hydro-electric scheme. Michael Russell MSP did the honours, cutting the ribbon and performing the official ‘switch on’. A number of community representatives were also in attendance, including children from Tighnabruaich Primary school. At the time, there were just a handful of community hydro-electric schemes in Scotland.
A key focus was to secure loan finance to enable the installation of the Hydro. Having achieved all necessary permissions, KCFC were in a position to draw down loans from Social Investment Scotland (SIS) and Renewable Energy Investment Fund (REIF) to cover all the installation costs of the scheme (in the region of over £200K)
Since then, our hydro has been producing clean energy, which is sold to the National Grid under the Government’s feed-in tariff scheme. The money was then used to help maintain our Forest and various forest activities, as well as some monies being set aside for future re-planting. In 2022, thanks to a bumper rise in wood prices, KCFC was in a position where we could pay off the balance on both loans, enabling KCFC to be debt free (except for a very small, interest free loan from a member, which will be paid off during 2023).
