Community Benefit Funds
All RESS projects must register a Community Benefit Fund for their local area. These Funds will ensure that communities can support sustainable initiatives and decide themselves as to what worthy local causes need support.
About the Community Benefit Fund
A key feature of RESS is that all renewable electricity generation projects (“RESS Projects”) must establish a Community Benefit Fund to be used for the wider economic, environmental, social and cultural well-being of the local community.
The contribution is to be set at €2 per Megawatt hour of generation of the RESS Project. This means there are real and quantifiable funds being made available annually for the benefit of the local community. The Fund will be aligned to incentivise investment in local renewable energy, energy efficiency measures and climate action initiatives.The community benefit funds under RESS-1 will deliver approximately €4.5million a year to sustainable community initiatives targeted at those communities living in close proximity to the RESS-1 Projects.
Search our map for registered Community Benefit FundsRegister your Community Benefit Fund
RESS project developers can now register their project and associated Community Benefit Fund on our Community Benefit Fund National Register.
The RESS Good Practice Principles Handbook for Community Benefit Funds provides guidance and recommendations in relation to good practice for setting up and administering Community Benefit Funds. Good practice should ensure there is successful operation and delivery of the Funds as well as provide clarity and transparency as to how Community Benefit Funds are being allocated across communities, ensuring they remain relevant and fit for purpose to best meet the needs and priorities of Irish communities over the lifetime of these projects.