SSE Renewables has opened its Community Funds for West Limerick and North Kerry wind farms.

Community-based projects within a 20 kilometre radius of the Athea, Dromade, Rathcahill and Tournafulla Wind Farms in County Limerick and Lenamore Wind Farm in County Kerry are eligible to apply. Preference will be given to projects within a radius of five kilometres.

Over €269,000 will be available to support community projects with a focus on Community Development, Energy Efficiency, Sustainability, Climate Action and / or Safety. Projects that focus on energy efficiency will receive additional points to help communities join in on the transition to a net zero future.

Since 2008, SSE Renewables has donated up to €2.4 million to local projects near the wind farms in West Limerick and North Kerry. The company's Community Funds help community groups become more sustainable and deliver projects that are financially sustainable while delivering maximum impact for the communities that they serve.

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Anne Reynolds, SSE Renewables Community Investment Manager, said: "We are delighted to have invested €2.4 million in the communities around West Limerick and North Kerry wind farms since 2008. We look forward to welcoming new innovative and sustainable project applications this year and building new partnerships with the 2023 SSE Renewables Community Fund."

In 2022, through its annual Community Fund programme, SSE Renewables awarded over €1.1m in the Republic of Ireland to almost 400 community projects which were positively impacting communities close to SSE's wind farms.

Last year, St. Bridgid's National School in County Kerry received funding from the SSE Renewables Community Fund and put it towards a sensory shed with multi-functional sensory equipment.

Ciara O'Connor, Principal of St. Bridgid’s National School, Duagh, said: "Funding from the SSE Renewables West Limerick and North Kerry community fund has helped us purchase a sensory pod that was fully equipped with multi-functional sensory equipment. We established an ASD (autism spectrum disorder) Classroom in our school in September 2021. The sensory space has been of great benefit to children with learning difficulties, developmental needs, and sensory processing impairments by providing a safe environment for students to experience calm and self-regulate."

Applications for the 2023 SSE Renewables Community Funds will be open until 5.00pm on 17 November 2023.