The DistGen Hinton project is the second from the DistGen team and is looking to raise £700,000 through a Variable Return Debenture for a single 500kW wind turbine on Talbot Farm, near the villages of Hinton and Dyrham in South Gloucestershire. The turbine is owned by DistGen Hinton LGC PLC (DistGen Hinton) and is the fifth of developer DistGen’s 5 operational sites, all of which are of this scale.
The Hinton project has been operational and producing electricity since December 2014. DistGen used its own money to develop and construct the project and once it was complete and operational, they looked to refinance the turbine to recycle some of that money into developing new wind projects in their pipeline. The offer also fulfilled the final part of their local generating company model – the LGC in the name – by giving local people the chance to share in the financial benefits.
The effective rate of return is estimated at 8.0-9.1% over the 19 year life of the investment. As the Debenture is a Variable Return Debenture, the amounts investors get back in investment income each year will vary.
The project opened for investment on 17 June and will close on 7 September 2015 (unless extended) or before if the full amount is raised.