Northern Ireland needs a consistent Community Benefit Funds Guidance
Community Energy NI launched a new report on the 25th June 2026 at Clifton House.
The CENI report argues that renewable energy development in Northern Ireland currently lacks a clear, standardised approach to community benefit funds. Community benefit funds are ‘long‑term, financial arrangements with a commercial developer that provide reliable, predictable and democratically controlled funding to communities hosting renewable energy infrastructure, and they are now an established feature of onshore wind across the UK and Ireland.’ Says the report.
According to the CENI’s research, different projects offer different levels of support, creating inconsistency, confusion, and missed opportunities for local communities.
Structured guidelines help communities feel respected and included and provide clarity to developers. When people see tangible benefits, financial, social, or infrastructural, they are more likely to support renewable energy projects.
Renewable energy developments generate long-term economic value. The CENI report emphasises that a portion of this value should stay within communities, supporting local priorities, resilience, and regeneration. Clear guidelines on how to navigate the process and ensure that fair negotiations between developers and communities happen, would benefit all parties.
Scotland, Wales, England and Ireland operate clear community benefit funds policies and both from a government’s perspectives and major industry’s networks. Northern Ireland risks falling behind without adopting similar standards.
The CENI report highlights that a NI guideline should include, similarly to other jurisdictions:
A minimum level of mandatory community benefit fund contribution for all the REPG-supported onshore wind developments
Transparency in how funds are allocated and reported via a Community Benefit Register and annual disclosures.
CENI believes that guidance will strengthen both communities and developers' collaborations. Clear expectations reduce conflict, speed up project delivery, and improve relationships between developers and local residents.
The CENI report concludes by urging the Department of the Economy, developers, and community organisations to work together to design a fair, transparent, and future-proof Community Benefit Guidelines for Northern Ireland. In particular, now that the forthcoming Renewable Electricity Price Guarantee (REPG) Scheme provides a unique opportunity to address this long -standing policy gap.
Download the full report here:
