This North East wind farm now generates green electricity thanks to £17.5m sale

The North East’s latest onshore wind farm is generating clean green electricity after the successful completion of testing and commissioning work.

Banks Renewables has taken official possession of the new £17.5m Moor House wind farm near Darlington from main contractor,Hall Construction Services Ltd.

This comes after the scheme’s six turbines were fully energised. The County Durham-based firm is encouraging more groups and causes in nearby communities to make applications to the £750k community benefits fund linked to Moor House after it also went live.

Lewis Stokes, community relations manager at The Banks Group, said: “A huge amount of excellent work has been done by our project and contractor teams on the Moor House wind farm, and it’s fantastic to see it all now come to fruition.

“Banks Renewables is one of the UK’s leading owner-operators in the onshore wind sector, and as a longstanding County Durham business, we’re especially proud to start generating even more clean green electricity within our home region.”

An annual allowance of £15k is being made available from the fund in support of local community groups, environmental projects and voluntary organisations.

The same amount again will be available each year to support activities related to employment and training opportunities.

A further one-off allocation of £50k will be ring-fenced to support energy efficiency and micro-renewable projects for community buildings within the area surrounding the wind farm.

A funding committee made up of community representatives has been set up to help ensure the money is spent in ways which meet local priorities, with Cllr Brian Jones of Darlington Borough Council being appointed as committee chair.

The Moor House scheme is Banks Renewables’ ninth operational onshore wind farm, around three miles to the east of the A1.

Stokes added: “The money available from the Moor House fund will make a big difference to the facilities and activities that local people are able to access, and we’ve already had a number of interesting initial applications from local groups and good causes.

“The funding committee will be meeting every few months to discuss the best ways in which the revenues coming from the wind farm to the fund can be allocated, and we’re therefore keen to see a continuous flow of ideas and grant applications coming our way.”

He went on to say that onshore wind is “recognised as being the most effective technology” to deliver reductions in carbon emissions for the UK.

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