<![CDATA[ I am not going to write about the proposals for the huge windfarms in North Lewis and Eishken. Rather, I would like to highlight two projects in the Hebrides which utilise renewable energy on a much smaller scale. Both of them are outside my remit as Lewis blogger, but I think it's important enough in a wider context.
For a while now, the new community hall at Leac a Li in the Bays area of Harris (East Harris) has been fulfilling part of its energy requirement through the use of a 600 kW windturbine. Those travelling the Golden Road in Harris will be familiar with it. It's a small turbine, which hardly intrudes in the landscape. It is one of dozens of similar projects, being supported by Highlands & Islands Enterprise. If you have a look at their website, a long, long list of projects all over Northern Scotland is featured.
Well out of area for me, the Isle of Eigg Trust today managed to secure complete funding for its new electricity grid. This is a combination of hydro power, windpower and solar power. Until now, most of the residents had to rely on expensive diesel generators (have a look on this link).
Although both projects serve small communities (Eigg for instance houses 80 people), they are setting a good example how some of the demands for energy could be met at a local level. Here in Lewis, streetlights in Cromor and Ranish are powered by solar energy. I have previously made the point in a comment on one my windfarms posts that a broader approach needs to be taken to address the energy question. Eigg provides a good example how it can work.
Apologies to the Eiggeach for shooting amongst your pigeons. ]]>
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