A single turbine in the Angus Glens is already generating “significant clean energy and income for two local schools”.
Primary schools Glen Isla and Alyth will share the community benefit from money raised by the electricity generated by the turbine.
The blades were put on the turbine tower just before Christmas and it has already generated 20 MWh in the three weeks it has been operational.
The Glen Isla project is being developed by Alastair and Diane Ramsay, who own Wester Derry Farm at Kilry, near Alyth, which they share with their nine children.
The project, being developed in collaboration with Sharenergy, is only the second wholly co-operatively-owned wind turbine project in Scotland.
Jon Halle, director of Sharenergy Co-operative, said: “We were very pleased to get the turbine up in time for the winter gales.
“We’re generating significant clean energy and income for two local schools.
“The share offer is now closed, with just over 200 members of the co-op now subscribed.
“The turbine is still in its commissioning phase but has already generated 20 MWh in the three weeks it has been operational.”
The Ramsays bought the farm in 1995 from David Henderson, who died aged 109 in 1998. Members of the public were invited to join the cooperative by buying shares for between £250 and £100,000.
The cooperative will contribute an estimated £4,500 annually to community funds.
Mrs Ramsay says it was very important to the couple to nurture Wester Derry for future generations.
She said the idea for the wind turbine came from the windy hill above the farm.
“It was so windy that when we went for picnics, not just the cling film but the sandwiches would blow away,” she said.
“A turbine owned by a co-op ticks all the boxes it is producing green energy but the community is in control and can see money coming back into the community directly thanks to the turbine, and to local investors via the co-op model. Some people locally who are not keen on windfarms have looked at this model and realised it’s different.
“The co-op model which is one member, one vote, irrespective of how much you invest worked for us because we could not have funded it all ourselves. Local people are the priority in attracting investors. We will get a return but our main motivation is to use our land and contribute to the community by harnessing a natural resource.”