ABSTRACT
Community benefits in the form of direct payments to local communities are an increasingly common feature of onshore renewable energy. For example, in the UK, there is an expectation of £5,000/MW annual payment from onshore wind projects. These community benefit payments are separate and additional to more general trickle-down economic benefits associated with the development process. In the maritime environment, there is some precedent in case of offshore wind. Benefit payments are now being recommended for other forms of energy development that are perceived to have an impact on local communities (e.g. nuclear power and fracking).
