Community-owned Wind Turbines for regional development

Photo by Mert Kahveci from Unsplash

ACCTING aims to understand the impact of Green Deal policies on vulnerable groups, prevent inequalities, and produce knowledge and innovations to advance behavioural change at individual and collective levels for an inclusive and equal European Green Deal. This bottom-up initiative was collected by Asiliki Miliadi; Nikos Zaharis and Dilay Celebi Gonidis within ACCTING’s mapping of inspiring practice cases, within the Clean Energy research line. Read our report on all 693 mapped initiatives. 

Hvide Sande Wind Farm, Denmark

Local ownership for the benefit citizens 

The local enterprise model for ownership of local wind turbines has been highly successful, enabling residents and local communities to be the driving force behind the shift to the usage of renewable energy in Europe. Denmark is on track to meet its 2050 goal of using only renewable energy sources for transportation, heating, and power. This future-oriented project has several advantages among these:  

• Cooperation: The initiative is an inspirational example of local collaboration, showing how businesses and residents work together to generate income for the area, while benefiting from a low-cost, clean, and fossil-free energy source. 
• Economic advantages: The turbines are co-financing the new harbour facilities and other local infrastructure and provide green energy solutions. A well-functioning modern harbour positively impacts the town’s employment and revenue generation. The Hvide Sande socio-economic model can be replicated in many other regions. 
• Positive changes: Creating visionary projects within the community has a significant favourable psychological effect on citizens; It increases their self-esteem and optimism. 

This initiative has shown that the supply of renewable energy can benefit the community and the planet as long as it is well-organized and considers the residents’ attitudes and needs. 

Find out more

More inspiring initiatives