This project addresses a common issue in rural Scotland: the limited capacity of local grids to take on renewable electricity generation during periods of high generation and/or low demand. This project tackles this problem in through a community-owned hydro turbine ('Garmony hydro'). So, the project will create a new ‘virtual district heating’ option for customers who can’t connect to gas or conventional district heating networks and will trial a new system for balancing local renewable energy generation with local energy demand.

In terms of outcomes, this project addresses energy poverty by lowering energy bills and providing energy services; it also allows community renewables infrastructure to generate a greater revenue, which is in turn re-invested locally through a diversity of initiatives and pathways. • Capacity freed up on the grid is providing additional low-carbon generation to come on-line. • Replication, scaling and use of lessons learns are being applied elsewhere in Scotland. • Creation of jobs • Greater independence from a centralised energy system. • Control over energy future, and energy security.