Shapinsay community wind turbine

Shapinsay Development Trust (SDT) is a charitable organisation dedicated to supporting the island’s 300 residents. One of its main income sources is a 900kW Enercon E44 wind turbine, commissioned in 2011. The turbine is grid-connected but often curtailed due to local network constraints, meaning it cannot always generate its full potential.

Profits from the turbine are re-invested into community services, including an out-of-hours passenger ferry linking Balfour Village with Kirkwall on the Orkney Mainland. Changing needs of the island makes this support vital for island life and sustainability of population. SDT also participates in innovative projects like BIG HIT, which aim to maximise renewable energy use and deliver direct benefits to the island community.