Westmill Wind FAQs
On this page you will find a list of our most frequently asked questions. If you cannot find what you are looking for, please email us at info@westmillwind.coop.
Please click the buttons below to access General FAQs for Westmill Energy or specific FAQs for Westmill Solar Co-operative.
Co-operative Model Questions
Funding for the £7.3 million project was raised through a public share issue and a loan from the Co-operative Bank. In 2008, the 5 turbines cost £5.1 million with additional costs, such as project management fees and underground connections, resulting in the total cost of £7.3 million.
This investment from everyday citizens allowed for there to be local ownership of the site and enables Westmill Wind Farm Co-operative to maximise the social, environmental and economic benefits to the area. We are incredibly grateful for the support of our members throughout the years, but especially in the beginning of the project.
Westmill Wind Farm Co-operative operates under the idea of rippling out benefits to local, regional, national and possibly international levels.
Members receive an annual return providing an indirect benefit to the local economy, rather than the returns going to a big private company.
The project generates clean energy that helps fight climate change and contributes to ensuring energy security for the country.
The local community benefits as a percentage of profits go to local community organisations involved in environmental education, sustainability and related projects in the local area.
Community renewable energy projects sometimes include discounts for all bill payers in the area, but these are often run differently. For example, investing the profits made in cutting bills, rather than paying members. These projects also do not often include community ownership.
Westmill Solar is a community-owned, co-operatively run project and does not currently have the ability for members to buy electricity directly from the solar park. However, we have implemented a Trading Dividend in affiliation with Your Co-op Energy. If members are also customers of Your Co-op Energy, they will receive a £50 discount on their energy bills for the year. To learn more about this scheme, please visit our Member Benefits page.
We hope to provide a more direct way for members to purchase our electricity in the future.
When the Wind Farm was first envisaged by Adam Twine, there were no wind farms in the UK and no precedent for community renewable energy in the UK. However, the concept of community-owned renewable energy was prevalent in other countries such as Denmark and Germany.
Due the planning application delays, by the time Westmill Wind Farm was built, the first wind farm in the UK, Delabole Wind Farm in Cornwall, had been built. Baywind Energy Co-operative had also become the first community-owned wind farm in the UK.
As an early pioneer for community renewable energy, Westmill Wind Farm was the first community-owned wind farm in the South of England.
Wind Farm Questions
While performance varies from month to month, the Wind Farm averages an annual production of 8.8 MWh.
Westmill Wind Farm Co-operative is keen that information on how the wind farm is generating is available to everyone as an educational resource. We publish performance information on our Generate Renewable Energy page and are working to have access to live data on our website.
Westmill Wind Farm was dreamed up, and pioneered by, the landowner Adam Twine. A farmer by trade, Adam was inspired by a trip to Denmark where, at the time, 20% of the country’s renewable energy generators were owned by communities.
Once the (substantial) planning hurdle was overcome, Adam approached Energy4All who helped to create Westmill Wind Farm Co-operative and produced a public share offer to allow the wind farm to be community owned. Around 2,400 people opted to buy shares in the five turbines. Around half of our members live locally.
To learn more, please visit Our Story page.
We are currently looking at site development for the Westmill site. Although this does not currently include ideas to upgrade the turbines themselves, there are exciting new technologies coming online, such as battery storage. We will update our members on this project as it continues.
At our 2024 AGM, our membership passed a resolution which allows the co-operative to extend the life of the co-operative for as long as is viable.
Governance Questions
Energy4All provide management, bookkeeping, asset management, membership administration and communications assistance to Westmill Wind Farm Co-operative through a service agreement. If you have any questions for Energy4All, you can contact them at info@energy4all.co.uk.
The Board of Directors are democratically elected representatives for the members of the Westmill Wind Co-operative who volunteer their time to help run the co-operative.
The current board of directors, along with biographies, can be viewed on our Meet our Teams page.
In order to become a Director, you must be a member of the co-operative and be elected at the AGM through either a ballot or a motion. The Rules of Westmill Wind Farm Co-operative state that one third of the board must retire each year, however they can be re-elected at the next AGM.
If you are interested in becoming a director, please email info@westmillwind.coop with a brief resume. You will then be considered as a potential candidate and will be put forward at the next AGM for members to vote to appoint you.
Please do not hesitate to contact us if you would like to learn more about the position and the time requirements.
Wind Member Questions
If you have recently changed your home address or email address, you can update your details on the Energy4All members portal. If you wish to amend your bank account to receive interest payments, or to request a copy of your share certificate, you should contact Energy4All on 01229 821028 or email us at info@westmillwind.coop.
The interest payment for each financial year (January to December) will be made the following year. This is usually paid in July or August, following the AGM.
Each year at the Westmill Wind Annual General Meeting (AGM) the board of directors propose that a portion of the co-operative’s revenue be paid to members as an interest payment.
Historic Interest Payments:
- 29 p per share - 2019
- 66p per share - 2020
- 5p per share - 4/08/2021
- 5p per share - 21/07/22
- No payment in 2023
- 1p per share - 25/07/24
Please note: no interest payment was made in 2023
Yes, you are welcome to opt to waive your interest payment to augment Community Fund Payments. Please contact the Energy4All team at info@westmillwind.coop for a form; they will then apply the waiver to your next interest payment.
If you believe that you have not received the interest payments due to you, please contact Energy4All on 01229 821028 or send an email to info@westmillwind.coop.
Yes. Our members are welcome to sell or transfer their shares at any time, however this is subject to the restrictions laid out in our sale and transfer policy.
Any requests to sell or transfer your shares are subject to board approval. Additionally, if you sell or transfer your shares before the AGM (usually in June), you will not receive your share interest for the year. If you would like further information regarding selling and transferring shares, please email info@westmillwind.coop and we would be happy to assist you.
Yes. If you are a member of Westmill Wind Co-operative, you are welcome to apply to purchase more shares.
Shares become available if another Westmill Wind Co-operative member decides to sell their shares, or if they pass away. If you are interested in purchasing more shares, please email info@westmillwind.coop with your details and we would be happy to assist you.
Yes, Westmill Wind is always happy to accept new members.
If you would like to register your interest in becoming a member and purchasing shares, please contact us at info@westmillwind.coop.
A member’s shares in Westmill Wind Farm Co-operative are treated like any other asset if someone dies. Shares will be transferred to the estate of the deceased. The shares can then be transferred to any other eligible person. The person to whom the shares will be transferred can be nominated by the deceased. Energy4All and the board must receive proof of death and proof of nomination before such action can be taken.