Thursday, September 2, 2010

More on Scottish islands and renewable energy.

Two wind turbines on Eigg (Wikimedia Commons)

A little bit more the use of renewable energy sources on Scottish islands





Eigg 
Eigg is a small island in the Inner Hebrides, 9 km long, 5 km wide, with an area of 12 31 km2 . It has a population of 87.

After  years of absentee landlords, the island of Eigg was bought in the 1970s by Aberdeenshire millionaire playboy, Keith Schellenberg. I was living on the nearby island of Skye at the time, and there were great hopes of what he was going to do with the island. Unfortunately it wasn't to be, but in 1997 there was finally a happy ending when the island was bought by the Isle of Eigg Heritage Trust, in a famous (in Scotland) community buy-out.

You can read more about it at Wikipedia and at the island's official  website.

Eigg and renewable energy
 There is an article including a short video at the BBC, and another article at the Daily Telegraph.

The islanders have a blog with lots more about the island and its renewable energy scheme. And finally here's an article in the Guardian about how the island won a green energy prize.

Gigha 
Gigha is a small island off Kintyre (as in Mull of Kintyre) with a population of 110, and also the subject of a community buy-out by the islanders, who set up the Isle of Gigha Heritage Trust. As a result 15 March, the day when the purchase went through, is celebrated as the island's "independence day". (Wikipedia)

Twin beaches at Eilean Garbh, Isle of Gigha (Wikimedia Commons)


Gigha and renewable energy
The trust bought three second-hand wind turbines, known locally as as The Dancing Ladies or Creideas, Dòchas is Carthannas (Gaelic for Faith, Hope and Charity)

You can read a bit more about them and the island at Community Energy Scotland.

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