At Good Energy, our vision for the UK electricity system is to source an increasing proportion of energy from renewables.  In order to achieve this it’s essential that we all use less energy.

A fantastic example of this in action is the community on the Isle of Eigg in the Hebrides which won NESTA’s Big Green Challenge in January. The £1 million prize is given to communities and groups that most successfully reduce their CO2 emissions over a 12 month period. Good Energy CEO Juliet is vice chair of the judging panel that decided that Eigg, which reduced its CO2 emissions by 32% in a year, deserved a share in the top prize money. Here’s why:
The day-to-day life on a small Hebridean island lashed by the Atlantic Ocean may present its own challenges, but the extreme weather makes it an ideal place to harness the elements and generate renewable power. So, members of the community decided on an ambitious project to develop their own grid powered by renewables.

They realised that it would be much easier and more cost effective to do this if they were able to pare back their energy use dramatically. All the buildings on Eigg had an energy audit and are installing energy efficiency measures like insulation and draught-proofing.

The independent electricity grid, which makes continuous power available to all 86 residents and the small number of businesses on the island for the first time, is the jewel in the crown of the project. Before, most buildings used oil and coal for heating and diesel for generators – all brought across by ferry from the mainland. The new grid is supplied by three hydro generators, four wind turbines and solar PV panels. When they’re generating surplus, power is conserved in batteries or used to heat communal buildings and there are backup diesel generators for times when the grid needs a boost – though these are rarely fired up.

Renewable generation meets up to 95% of the island’s energy requirement because people are careful with what they use. Each domestic property can use 5kW at any one time (enough for an electric kettle and washing machine to run simultaneously) and everybody has an energy monitor so they can see when they’re going to exceed the limit – so at times when usage is high they might decide to forego a cup of tea. A ‘traffic light’ system lets everyone know by email when renewable sources are low so they can be extra prudent and only use energy if it’s absolutely vital.

As well as energy, the islanders have made changes to make other areas of their lives more sustainable. Many are rearing and growing more of their own food, so less needs to be brought from the mainland. They compost, reuse and recycle and have a Swap Shop to reuse old, unwanted items. As many trips as possible are taken by bike or on foot, and there’s a bus for winter transport which runs on biodiesel made from used chip oil on the ferry.

And they have plans to put their Big Green Challenge prize to good use, including installing more PV panels, wood fuel boilers and an anaerobic digester, buying electric vehicles to lease to residents and undertaking a feasibility study for a renewably powered water taxi service.

Eigg is an inspirational project that’s paving the way for renewable communities. And the benefits are not just to the climate. Eigg’s population has increased and more young people are returning to the island, and people are reaping the benefits of working together on projects to improve their surroundings and ensure their economic future too.

We could all learn from their experience.