Students from Highland Perthshire will reap the benefits of a fund set up by a community windfarm project.
Heartland Community Wind will establish an annual bursary fund of £5,000 for students travelling to Perth College from the PH15 postcode in Aberfeldy and Kenmore, where the renewable energy project will be sited.
Planning consent has been given for the windfarm and a pioneer community share offer has already raised £450,000 towards a target of £1.4m to construct two turbines. These are due to be operational by November.
Five students will receive £1,000 a year to help with the costs of their education.
An outline agreement between the project and the college was signed on Tuesday, when the main share offer for the project was launched at the Birks Cinema in Aberfeldy.
The project, led by community renewables firm Sharenergy, also gives residents priority for share applications with the minimum investment of £100.
All members can vote on the way the project operates, including the community fund, and will benefit from tax reliefs under the Enterprise Investment Scheme.
Sharenergy has already assisted two similar community schemes in Scotland at Wester Derry, near Alyth, on the Perthshire/Angus border, and in Dingwall.
Margaret Munckton, principal of Perth College UHI, said: “This is an exciting project which is benefiting young people in a highly creative way, and I am very pleased that the college can be part of it.”
John Swinney, Scotland’s Deputy First Minister, whose Perthshire North constituency covers the PH15 postcode, added: “This is an impressive and innovative way to ensure communities derive genuine benefits from wind turbine developments.
“Decisions will be made locally, not in some far-away corporation’s headquarters.
“I am supportive of the sensitive development of clean and carbon- cutting energy in Scotland, and this project is especially positive because young people from the area will benefit in furthering their studies.”
Sharenergy director Jon Halle said: “These turbines will be owned 100% by members, who will pay into a local community benefit fund at twice the rate of commercial windfarms, and we are delighted local students will benefit.
“Members will be helping young people to study and to transform their lives.”
A small panel, including a Heartland Community Wind director, will examine annual applications for the bursaries and judge which students will gain most from a fund award.
Successful students will be asked to report annually on their progress.