Westmill wind farm co-operative

Westmill Wind Farm Co-operative was the first 100% community-owned onshore wind farm to be built in the south of England. It is located on a working organic farm in the village of Watchfield, near Swindon.

It was established as a co-operative to provide an opportunity for all who were concerned about the effects of climate change to become involved in the ownership and operation of a wind farm. The co-op now has over 2,000 members.

Setting up the wind farm involved the purchase and construction of five wind turbines, connected to an on-site electricity sub-station where the electricity is generated and sold. The five turbines were named by children from five local primary schools.

They generate an average of 10.2GWh per year and save 5,000 tonnes of CO2 per year. The site is open to visits from schools and colleges, managed by Westmill Sustainable Energy Trust.