The isle of Eigg has spent the last year working hard on reducing its carbon footprint by 50%, its task in NESTA’S Big Green Challenge. Eigg is the only Scottish finalist out 10 contestants for the £ 1 million prize.

Eigg’s green grid.  

The award-winning Eigg electrification scheme which was installed in 2008 has given the islanders a good head start. The Eigg Green grid uses wind, water and sun to power the 40 homes and businesses on the island, with diesel as a back up when required. To find out more about the Eigg Electrification scheme click here: http://www.isleofeigg.net/trust/eigg_electric.htm. You can also download a powerpoint presentation about the island’s electrification. 

Eigg’s Big Green Challenge

To reduce their carbon footprint further, the islanders of Eigg have focussed on cutting down their use of high CO2 emitting fossil fuels, like coal & kerosene  (used to heat residents’ homes and water) and diesel (used in the renewable electric grid back-up generators and island vehicles)

They have done this by installing pilot solar thermal panels systems on three island homes and a community building, providing access to good quality wood fuel as an alternative to coal/kerosene and reducing the use of island vehicles through provision of an all year-round mini-bus run in part on recycled chip-oil and encouraging more walking and cycling by providing a green grant for islanders to buy new bicycles.

Reducing the amount of waste going into the skip through recycling, reducing and composting, is also helping to reduce Eigg’s methane emissions through landfill.

Click here to find out what else the islanders have been up to!

Sharing the knowledge

Part of the Eigg Big Green Challenge project is to share what they have been doing with others communities (especially other island communities) and encourage everyone to make their own changes to save CO2. 

To that end, the islanders have set up the Islands Going Green website (http://islandsgoinggreen.org/) which outlines their simple 5 step web-based project to support new islands, showcase their achievements and inspire others to act too.  Click here to find out more… ( http://islandsgoinggreen.org/islandsgoinggreen/)

European Small Islands Going Green

Frank Corcoran from Cumbrae was SIF’s delegate at the European Small Isles Federation (ESIN) AGM, which took place in Elba this September.

Frank made two inspiring presentations, on about his own island’s recycling operations, and one about Eigg’s Green energy scheme.

As a result, the 8 members of ESIN unanimously decided to adopt the Islands Going Green Scheme, with Sweden and Finland taking the lead.