17 February 2020
By Elaine Murphy
elaine@TheCork.ie
Castlepook Power DAC, a wholly owned subsidiary of ESB, is pleased to announce the next round of funding for communities located near the Castlepook Wind farm. The site is adjacent to the Coillte Ballyhoura Forest in Co Cork.
The fund, which is valued at over €50,000 per annum, is open for applications until Friday, 28th February 2020.
The wind farm community fund provides support to the cumulative value of €1.2 million for the operational lifetime of the wind farm. The fund is available to community and voluntary organisations for projects which benefit communities located in close proximity to the wind farm.
Frank Kelly, Stakeholder Manager at ESB, said: “Through our Community Wind Farm Fund, ESB’s aim is to help the communities in which we operate our wind farms to become more sustainable through the support of positive local initiatives and activities. We remain committed to creating a brighter future for all by being a good neighbour and we encourage all local organisations to apply for this funding.”
Monies have already been committed by the community fund to develop a range of projects in the region, which will make their mark for many years to come as communities continue to enjoy the benefits of the investments. Some of the groups supported through the Fund include Development Companies, Community and Parish Councils, Primary and Secondary School, GAA Clubs and a Scout Group.
To be eligible for the fund, a project must fall under one of the following thematic areas:
- Education and Skills
- Health, Safety and Wellbeing
- Environment and Habitat Conservation
- Energy Efficiency and Sustainability
- Culture and Heritage
- Recreation, Sport and Social Inclusion
- Tourism
The 2019 fund awarded support to 13 groups/projects located within the vicinity of the wind farm. This is the third round of funding from this wind farm.
The community fund is being administered by SECAD and organisations can apply online via www.windfarmcommunityfunds.ie/ . Interested organisations should read the Fund Guidelines on the website at https://www.windfarmcommunityfunds.ie/ before applying.