EOWDC Community Fund Awards First Grants

Vattenfall has allocated the first grants from the European Offshore Wind Deployment Centre (EOWDC) fund to community groups across Aberdeen committed to a fossil fuel-free future.

The Unlock our Future Fund was designed following feedback to focus on projects and activities that support local communities in the shift to a climate smarter world.

Community-owned electric vehicles, low carbon heating for community centers, support for innovators upcycling gardening equipment, as well as a new indoor teaching beehive and seed swap project are among the first winners.

The funding program grants GBP 150,000 per year for the lifetime of EOWDC. As part of the commitment, Vattenfall is dedicating GBP 15,000, which is 10% of the annual total, to the people of Blackdog, where the project substation is located.

“We want this funding to bring a lasting legacy to the region, and what better way than to be able to support local communities to accelerate their journey to fossil free living,” said Natalie Ghazi, Vattenfall’s Local Liaison and Project Communicator.

“It’s great to see the creative and innovative ideas and projects from the local community that will now come to life through the Unlock our Future Fund.”

The application process is managed by grant-making charity Foundation Scotland. The next application round will open in January 2020.

EOWDC, also known as Aberdeen Offshore Wind Farm, comprises nine MHI Vestas 8.4MW turbines and two MHI Vestas turbines with a capacity of 8.8MW. The 93.2MW project has been generating electricity since the summer of last year.