The island of Eigg, in the Scottish Hebrides, would be unremarkable except for one thing. After all, it has less than 100 inhabitants. But, it is a place of spectacular beauty, to which the inhabitants cling in ways city folk would not understand. To sustain themselves they needed to find ways to become energy self-sufficient. The people of Eigg triumphed as they always have. Now they live on the greenest island in the world.
How Eigg Became the Greenest Island in the World
Prior to 1988, the residents of Eigg relied on noisy, smelly, expensive diesel generators. They could only afford to run them a few hours a day. They also wanted to sleep peacefully at night.
One day they decided they had had enough and knocked on the UK Government’s door for money.
Now they have renewable electricity twenty-four-seven via a bank of batteries, capable of providing power to the whole island for up to 24 hours. This makes their home the greenest island in the world without a shadow of a doubt. And a great example for us to follow.
Eigg’s Three Sources of Clean, Renewable Energy
The tiny island may only be five miles long, and three miles wide. But, it is a microcosm of what is possible when necessity forces us to invent.
First, there are four wind turbines atop a tall cliff feeding 24 kW of energy into the micro-grid. Then, a little to the north, photovoltaic cells seek rare sunlight at a 30 degree angle.
On average, they only produce 10% of their capacity, and less in winter months. But Eigg has the answer for that too. It completes the energy mix with a series of three hydroelectric generators that catch rainwater tumbling down a 330-foot drop. This combination produces 90-95% of its energy requirements, with two 75 kW generators ready to close the gap.
It rains so much in winter that they have too many kilowatts and start running out of batteries. Unsurprisingly, the greenest island in the world has an answer for that too. It feeds free electricity to churches and community centers. Now that’s enough to warm the cockles of our hearts! For that’s what the Scots call gratifying one’s deepest feelings.
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Preview Image: View from Eigg to Rum Island
