Foula residents sign green energy pledge

June 28, 2019 0

Foula residents have signed a pledge to help them develop a cleaner energy system.

They will produce a decarbonisation plan over the next year after signing the Clean Energy Transition Pledge. It is hoped the isle can become less reliant on diesel generators.

Fair Isle Electricity Company’s Robert Mitchell, Fiona Stirling and Melanie Macrae, both of HIE and Foula Electricity Trust representative Magnus Holbourn.

Foula has a population of 35. It has generated its own power since the creation of the Foula Electricity Trust in 1982. A hybrid scheme of wind, hydro, solar and diesel generation helps keep the lights on.

The trust joined Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH), Shetland Islands Council (SIC) and residents in signing the pledge, on Friday. Fair Isle is also planning to sign up soon.

Trust director Magnus Holbourn said: “The islanders held a meeting and unanimously decided that Foula should sign up to this pledge.

“The folk that live here are very conscious of the negative things happening to the climate as a result of fossil fuel emissions and so we were delighted to have this opportunity to be a pioneering island.

“We really hope that what we do here on Foula can inspire other people to get behind a transition to low carbon living.”

Foula is one of six communities selected as “pioneering islands” in the Clean Energy for EU Islands programme announced in February.