Member News: Vattenfall – Unlocking community climate action in the Northeast

March 3, 2025
Member News: Vattenfall – Unlocking community climate action in the Northeast

For six years now, projects in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire that contribute to a climate-smart future have received funding boosts from the Vattenfall ‘Unlock Our Future’ Fund. From community cinemas, Men’s Sheds and rugby clubs to village halls and community parks, the fund has supported 86 community groups that deliver projects focussed on environmental sustainability, with more than £815,000 having been awarded to date.

Continuing this support, the fund is once again open for applications, with a deadline of 12th May.

Community groups can apply for up to £20,000 to support practical climate action projects which will reduce the carbon emissions of their services and activities. This can include things like energy efficiency measures and renewable energy generation for community buildings, purchase of electric vehicles to deliver valued community services, and projects which support local food growing and waste reduction.

The fund, which is provided by Vattenfall, invests over £150,000 each year to a community benefit scheme, and will continue to do so for the lifetime of the wind farm. A local panel of community champions has been established to make decisions about the fund, with Foundation Scotland support as fund administrator.

Steven Wares, Project Manager at Vattenfall said:
“The Unlock our Future fund has shown how communities can get stronger by investing for the long term of their local projects and facilities in the face of climate change. As the fund has grown, so have the hopes of people and local groups to help each other use the fund to make their home a better place to live. We are really excited to see the next projects and organisations we will be funding”

Guy Haslam, Chair of the decision making panel, said:
“We are delighted to be announcing the start of the 7th year of The Vattenfall Unlock the Future programme in which the panel will awarding around £190,000 of grants to support organisations in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire in order to improve the quality of life for local people, reduce their carbon footprint and improve their sustainability. The fund continues to be very impressed by quality and range of the applications which have received and are looking forward to seeing more examples of the brilliant work that people are doing to improve their communities in this new round of applications.”

Support for potential applicants will be available via an online seminar on 17th March and bookable online surgeries with a Foundation Scotland Fund Adviser on 24th and 25th March.

For further information, contact Marion McDonald, Community Fund Adviser, at Foundation Scotland, [email protected], 07912 759524.

Or you can visit the fund page: Vattenfall Unlock Our Future Fund | Foundation Scotland

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AREG is the original energy transition organisation, working on behalf of members to empower the energy supply chain and champion its expertise. Please get in touch if you have any questions or would like to find out more about membership.

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AREG has played an important role in the growth of Scotland’s renewable energy sector, engaging the supply chain and developing the European Offshore Wind Deployment Centre. However, we are only at the very beginning of the transition that AREG was established to both lead and support so there are still opportunities for companies to get into the constantly evolving renewables supply chain. We look forward to continuing our work together as renewables builds on its place as Scotland’s main source of power, and as we seek to deliver real change in the crucial areas of heat and transport.

Scottish Renewables
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Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce has worked closely with AREG since its formation. The recent progress in the developments of offshore wind projects by Equinor and Vattenfall are as a result of the work of the group over many years. The north-east is known as the oil and gas capital of Europe. At the Chamber, we believe the region must evolve its position to being recognised as the energy capital. Whilst hydrocarbons will continue to be essential in driving our economy for years to come, the generation of renewable resources will play an increasingly important role in providing cost-effective power, innovative development and economic growth.

Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce
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The enthusiasm and dedication of the early group that would become AREG was fundamental in us choosing to launch All-Energy in Aberdeen. The first tiny show was held in 2001, and AREG’s Chairman at the time, Jeremy Cresswell, played such an active role that I often describe him in terms such as All-Energy’s ‘midwife’. All-Energy is now the UK’s largest renewable and low carbon energy exhibition and conference in terms of number of attendees, space booked, and number of exhibiting companies. As AREG became firmly established, their presence and support for the event grew spectacularly over the years. We thank them most sincerely for their invaluable input.

All-Energy
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Vattenfall has forged a strong working relationship with AREG through the development of the European Offshore Wind Deployment Centre. AREG has worked tirelessly on behalf of the North East and it can take enormous credit for the growth of sustainable energy in the region and the path it has cleared for the region to capture further investment.

Vattenfall
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Aberdeen City and Shire is emerging as a key location for renewables by successfully transferring its world-class oil and gas expertise into the sector and AREG has done much to advance this through a broad range of initiatives. It has acted as a catalyst in driving further investment in the local economy by engaging with companies, Government, public bodies and existing projects and we have been pleased to support their efforts. Scottish Enterprise will continue to engage with AREG as we increase Scotland’s use of renewable energy.

Scottish Enterprise