About Us
High Winds supports communities in Ulverston and the surrounding area by producing our own clean, renewable energy.
High Winds was established in 2014 for the purpose of constructing and operating wind turbines to produce renewable energy. We own and operate 5 wind turbines on Harlock Hill and Mean Moor in Cumbria, totalling 11.5 MW. As well as producing clean energy, we play an additional role in the local area by distributing an annual Community Fund.
We were established in 2014 but our history connects to Baywind, the UK's first community owned wind cooperative, which dates back to the mid 1990s. Visit Background & History to find out more about how we evolved.
What does it mean to be a Community Benefit Society?
As a Community Benefit Society, we are managed for the benefit of the community and owned by our Members. Our constitution is in the form of Rules approved by and registered with the FCA. The founders of High Winds Society are driven by high ethical standards as defined by the international co-operative movement and intend to operate the society in line with the values of co-operation and democracy as well as a commercial ethos.
Constitutionally, key characteristics of High Winds, as a Community Benefit Society, are: the Society operates for the benefit of the community; a Member must have the minimum number of Shares each with a nominal value of £1; all Members have one vote regardless of how many Shares they hold; no Member, except another Society, may hold more than 100,000 Shares; the Board is elected by the Members; and only Members are eligible to serve on the Board.
You can download the High Winds Rules and find out more about our Board of Directors.
