ORE Valley Housing Association is celebrating success in the Scottish Renewables Green Energy Awards 2018, held at the Edinburgh International Conference Centre.

The awards are the main event of the year for the Scottish renewables industry and showcasing the very best in renewables and sustainable energy projects and honour the people, organisations and communities going above and beyond to shape the industry’s future.

Ore Valley’s Community Wind Turbine project, based south of Cardenden, claimed the Best Community Project Award over some very worthy nominees including: Arrochar Community Hydro Society for the Arrochar Community Hydro Scheme; Community Energy Scotland for the Surf 'n' Turf Project; Fair Isle Electricity Company for the Fair Isle Low Carbon Energy System; and Awesome Energy Dalriada for the River Avich Hydro Scheme.

The turbine project is the fulfilment of the Association’s aspiration to see the local area benefit from a large-scale community renewable project with net profits used to support a community fund and the Association’s own endeavours in the area.

“We are delighted that this project has been recognised in the Scottish Green Energy Awards. With the project now delivering on its aspirations to derive a financial benefit for the local community, this award is validation of the years of effort and commitment it has taken to reach this stage.” - Andrew Saunders, Chief Executive at Ore Valley.

The turbine produces 1800MW of green electricity annually for export to the grid, the equivalent power for 360 homes and saves 313 tonnes of carbon emissions each year.

Formed in 1991, Ore Valley Housing Association provides over 670 homes around throughout the Cowdenbeath-Lochgelly area along with six retail units located in Lochgelly.

It also operates several subsidiaries including Ore Valley Enterprises, which provides affordable Mid-Market Rent properties across 5 developments within Fife.

Ore Valley Community Initiatives, previously known as Fife HARCA, manages commercial business space at the Lochgelly Miners' Institute and the Ore Valley Business Centre in Lochgelly.

CHAP (Cardenden Heating and Power) and its two further subsidiaries operate the Association’s energy projects: Ore Valley Energy Ltd. manages the wind turbine at Dundonald, and Ore Valley Heating Ltd. which helped fund the boiler replacement programme for Ore Valley Housing Association.