Location: Dunvegan, Isle of Skye

Technology: Solar PV

CARES funding: £12,716

Background

The Dunvegan Community Trust was established in 2009 to distribute community benefit funding from the local Ben Aketil wind farm. Over time, the Trust has evolved into a development organisation delivering a wide range of projects, including community infrastructure, housing and local services.

In 2022, the Trust became a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO), enabling it to take on larger, asset-based projects. One of its first major acquisitions was the former Gaeltec buildings in Dunvegan, two interconnected structures dating from the 1970s-1990s that had fallen into disrepair, but offered significant potential as a community asset.

With ambitious plans to refurbish the buildings into a sustainable community hub, improving energy performance and reducing running costs were a priority.

Project aims

The Trust was keen to start improving the property’s condition and reduce running costs as quickly as possible. With a large, energy-intensive building and ambitious refurbishment plans ahead, finding ways to cut energy bills and carbon emissions was the first step.

Installing solar panels offered a practical solution. It allowed the Trust to begin generating its own renewable electricity, while also making the building more financially sustainable to run.

The plan was about more than just immediate savings. It gave the team an opportunity to gain hands-on experience in delivering an energy project, something that will be essential as they move forward with larger initiatives, including battery storage, low-carbon heating and wider energy efficiency improvements.

Outcomes

The Trust has completed the installation of a 13.5 kW solar PV system (30 panels), with support from the CARES Community Buildings Fund, which covered 80 per cent of the £15,896 total cost.

The project has already delivered several key outcomes:

  • Reduced energy costs: Solar generation now supports much of the building’s daytime electricity demand
  • Immediate energy generation: The system began producing electricity as soon as it was commissioned
  • Export capability: Surplus energy is being exported to the grid, with future income potential through the Smart Export Guarantee
  • Foundation for future phases: The installation supports planned upgrades, including battery storage, air source heat pumps, and wider energy efficiency improvements

Reflecting on the impact, Project Officer Bryony Anderson, said: “It’s a benefit that keeps giving… you get the funding for the panels, which you wouldn’t have been able to afford in the first place, and then they keep on repaying themselves against your electricity bills.”

Lessons learned

For the Trust, one of the biggest takeaways was the value of starting with a project that was achievable within a tight timeframe. With the CARES funding window closing shortly after the building purchase completed, being prepared meant they could move quickly and make the most of the opportunity.

Bryony explained how important that readiness was – having designs in place, an installer lined up and a clear idea of what they wanted to achieve made it possible to act fast when it mattered.

The experience also highlighted the benefits of taking a phased approach. While the original ambition included battery storage and wider upgrades, practical considerations meant focusing on solar first.

Working with CARES and Local Energy Scotland was another positive aspect of the project. The application process felt manageable, and support was readily available when needed.

Bryony described it as straightforward and accessible: “I found the application process very straightforward, not asking for lots of unnecessary information. We worked quite closely with the CARES team, talking through the project, what we could fund and what we couldn’t, and asking questions along the way.”

Overall, the project has given the Trust confidence to take the next steps. With a better understanding of what’s involved and a successful installation already in place, they are now well positioned to move forward with more ambitious plans for the building.

She said: “I would definitely recommend CARES to other organisations, and we’ve already been recommending it locally.”