Onshore energy community benefits
Community benefits from onshore renewable energy developments
The Scottish Government is committed to a just energy transition that delivers real benefits for people and the communities who live closest to them.
Community benefits are voluntary provisions made by an energy developer to communities located near a development. This is most commonly provided through annual funds but can also take other forms of benefit agreed between communities and developers. These arrangements sit entirely outside the planning and consenting system and are not compensation for project impacts. Read more about community benefits in our working paper.
Communities sit at the heart of Scotland’s renewable energy ambitions. As an energy rich nation, we believe the wealth generated from our natural resources should support the long-term wellbeing of the people who live closest to them. That is why we work with partners across the sector to ensure that onshore renewable energy development brings meaningful benefits to communities, including opportunities for community benefits and shared ownership.
When designed in partnership with local people, community benefits can support participation in Scotland’s net zero transition and deliver long lasting economic, social, and environmental outcomes. Many communities have used these benefits to support transformative projects that continue for years and help draw in funding
Good practice principles
Our good practice principles for community benefits from onshore renewable energy developments (GPPs), first published in 2014 and refreshed in 2019, sets out clear national standards to guide both developers and communities and help empower communities to work with energy developers in determining the right package of benefits for them.
We consulted on community benefits in 2024 and published the consultation analysis in December 2025.
Register of Community Benefits
Scotland’s national Register of Community Benefits and Shared Ownership arrangements show how and where our communities are benefiting from renewable energy infrastructure. It is delivered in partnership government, industry, and communities, supported by Scotland’s Onshore Wind Sector Deal.
Find out more about the Register of Community Benefits and Shared Ownership on the Local Energy Scotland website
Onshore Wind Sector Deal
We published the Onshore Wind Sector Deal in 2023, setting out commitments from the Scottish Government and the offshore wind industry to deliver upon our collective ambition of 20GW of onshore wind in Scotland by 2030 whilst delivering maximum benefit to Scotland.
Community benefit forum
We are launching a Community Benefit Forum pilot in 2026 to 2027.
This is in response to clear feedback from community stakeholders seeking more opportunities for peer‑to‑peer learning and collaboration.The Forum will support communities to share experience, knowledge, and skills, and will be delivered on behalf of the Scottish Government by Local Energy Scotland (LES).
LES will continue to work with key stakeholder to develop and launch this.