Highland Community Energy Society (Hydroturbine)

[Joeboy]

Across my lifetime i've been ongoing fascinated by running water and the energy flowing past 24/7. Sadly I have no natural water resource at the house so instead went looking online and came across this collective. I am invested in Phase 1 of Kinlochbervie, Phase 2 investment will be along in Summer 21. An update dropped in a couple of weeks back of the JCB going up the track to commence works. I loved the simplicity of that, no glossy pzazz, just a single photo of a yellow digger going up a track.

I'm not pushing this, just throwing it out there as i'd never heard of them until I went looking. I don't think they have an advertising budget. Its just excellent to see this stuff happening quietly with no fanfare.

https://hces.coop/

[spread-tee]

I'm going on holiday hopefully later this near in between Durness and Thurso, I may have a sniff about and grab a few piccys of the JCB hard at work.

BTW do you know what "JCB" stands for.....................



jolly clever bulldozer..................bom-tish

I'll get me coat

sped

[nowty]

I'm going on holiday hopefully later this near in between Durness and Thurso, I may have a sniff about and grab a few piccys of the JCB hard at work.

BTW do you know what "JCB" stands for.....................



jolly clever bulldozer..................bom-tish

I'll get me coat

sped

You nearly had me there !, it actually stands for the company founder Joseph Cyril Bamford.

[Joeboy]

I'm going on holiday hopefully later this near in between Durness and Thurso, I may have a sniff about and grab a few piccys of the JCB hard at work.

BTW do you know what "JCB" stands for.....................



jolly clever bulldozer..................bom-tish

I'll get me coat

sped

That would be smashing. We are heading down to Wales & Devon in a couple of weeks, i'll see if we can track down the Wind turbine site and photo what's there.

[nowty]

Email about it arrived this morning, the offer is open to local investors from today for a week, then for everyone else from 25th June.


Dear Community Investor

Thank you for your interest in being a part of the proposed community-owned hydro scheme at Rhiconich.

We are pleased to announce that we are now issuing the share offer to raise £432,000 tor Phase 2 of the Kinlochbervie project which started construction in February.

This offer will give preference to members of the local community (residing in IV27 4* postcode area) for one week only. From the 25 June it will be opened to other investors.

The closing date for this offer is 16 July 2021.

Benefits of becoming a member:
• Minimum investment of £250 (£100 for residents in IV27 4* postcode area)
• Maximum investment £10,000
• Projected 4.5% annual interest payments on shares
• Build a fund for local community benefit
• Help to create a greener future for our children
Click the links below for full details of the scheme, the share offer and how to invest.

Share Offer Doc - https://hces.coop/wp-content/uploads/20 ... hase-2.pdf
Online Application Form - https://hces.coop/kinlochbervie-application/
Link to Highland website - https://hces.coop/kinlochbervie/

We hope you will find this of interest.

Best Wishes
Jim Lee
Chair Highland Community Energy Society Ltd

[Joeboy]

Good news, are ye having a crack at it? I'm defo heading up there once the NC500 calms down for a recce. I hope to be in many of these types of investment as the years go by.

I've made my investment in this one earlier in the year but will take up on each new turbine install as they are offered.

[nowty]

The investment is sound, but I have to think about our current tax position.

SWMBO currently gets quite a nice top up to her wages by means of working tax credits but only as a couple as I don't work and have very little taxable income. I live on savings or tax free income (ISA + VCT + FITs) until I can claim my personal pension in a few years time. We are allowed up to £300 of other taxable income (non employment) per year, therefore I can go for the Ripple Wind Turbine as initially, less than half of the rebate is classed as taxable income as part of the rebate includes a capital repayment for the first 20 years. Therefore our "other" taxable income stays under £300 so her working tax credits are unaffected.

Now I was not sure if the £300 allowance was as a couple or for each of us. If it was for each of us I could put say £5k in the investment in her name but I've just looked it up and confirmed its for the both of us so no dice on this occasion.

The UK tax system is just so complicated and throws up weird unintended situations like mine. As we legally receive tax credits the HMRC website recently invited us both to open a Help to Save Account. I'd never heard of it but we can each save up to £50 a month for 4 years and get an effective 25% annual return via 2 x 50% tax free bonuses after year 2 and year 4. Even if we become no longer eligible for the account, once its opened we can keep it for the full 4 years, no matter what.

https://www.gov.uk/get-help-savings-low-income

[AE-NMidlands]

Email about it arrived this morning, the offer is open to local investors from today for a week, then for everyone else from 25th June.


Dear Community Investor

Thank you for your interest in being a part of the proposed community-owned hydro scheme at Rhiconich.

We are pleased to announce that we are now issuing the share offer to raise £432,000 tor Phase 2 of the Kinlochbervie project which started construction in February.
This offer will give preference to members of the local community (residing in IV27 4* postcode area) for one week only. From the 25 June it will be opened to other investors.
/snip/
Best Wishes
Jim Lee
Chair Highland Community Energy Society Ltd

Another email says that people who put money into the first stage are included in the early access offer.

We should have also mentioned that you also have priority to apply for shares up to 25 June because you previously registered in Phase 1 that you maybe interested in a further investment in Phase 2.

A

[Joeboy]

A few photos from the site.

[nowty]

Looks a nice place, I have some Scottish hydro investments bundled with windfarms in two Ventus venture capital trusts (VCTs) from the days they were allowed in them tax free. Unfortunately, those good days are gone for new investments, but my own Solar FITs and my engineering knowledge back then told me the investments were a no brainer at the time.



Paid me 8%+ tax free every year for the past 7 years on my original capital and its now been voted to sell off all their assets over the next 12 months for about 30% over what I paid for them, again all tax free. On one hand I was sad they are selling up, but It was a 98% vote in favour and should tide me over till I have access to my pension without draining my ISA too much.