Isle of Eigg

The residents of the Isle of Eigg (IoE) are working together to reduce both their dependence on diesel generators, and their carbon footprint. The Isle of Eigg Heritage Trust is supporting the initiative that involves teams delivering a wide range of activities from installing renewables and insulation to sustainable food and transport initiatives.

Over the last year, two part-time paid project managers have continued to provide support to the project teams that deliver the activities. There has been no fall in the number of people getting involved with the activities since the BGC, and around 20 people attend each ‘Green Team’ meeting. Meetings are open to all residents and are co-ordinated by the chair of the Green Team and the two project managers. These meetings act as the centre of project initiation, development and delivery. In addition, the Isle of Eigg Heritage Trust directors have taken a more active role in sourcing funding and researching this year. This has been more to do with changes in the directors (they change every two years) than a purposeful change.

IoE has received prize money from the BGC and from winning the Ashden Awards.  It also received a small amount of grant funding for a community orchard from Community Food and Health Scotland. So far £100,000 of the BGC prize money has been spent on expanding the PV cells that form part of the island’s electricity scheme, with 20kW of PV cells installed in addition to the existing 10kW.

The majority of activities from the BGC year have continued, and projects such as the car take-back scheme and biodiesel production are ongoing, though some of the less successful pilots were discontinued (such as the winter transport scheme), and some previous projects were completed in the BGC year. A feasibility study has been completed which confirmed that creation of an island woodfuel business is possible, and a processor has been purchased to enable a supply of chopped wood to households.

Islanders continue to work towards a ten year plan for the island which is reviewed every year. It has, however, been a challenge for islanders to maintain the momentum and continue to reduce carbon emissions locally at the same time as dealing with outside interest in the project (largely from universities and other communities). Also, without a specific plan for visiting volunteers in place, residents often have to take time away from their day jobs to show visitors around. The remaining winnings from the BGC are therefore being allocated to a range of different projects including a ‘volunteer house’ which will serve to demonstrate different kinds of insulation, space and water heating as well as providing accommodation and courses for volunteers visiting the island. Winnings will also be used to fund food projects, low interest (or interest-free) grant schemes for household insulation and micro-renewables.