4 May 2012

Samso: The Renewable Energy Island

Clear Thinking, Investment and Cooperation.

Welcome to Samso, an island off the coast of Denmark. Here is an example of something so remarkable: a community pulling together, investing together, and succeeding at becoming completely energy independent. In 1998 they had a bold plan to switch to renewable energy. The civic leaders hit the road and convinced 450 island residents to invest in wind power. The farmers liked the idea of making money on the power they could sell back to the grid, as there is plenty of wind on the island. They formed a cooperative and put up 2 windmills. Private investors put up another 5. These windmills produce more electricity than the island consumed, and they recouped their investment completely within a few years.
Meet an electrician who installed his own wind turbine. He powers his whole house, an electric car and again, because of selling energy back to the grid -- his $30,000 wind turbine will have paid for itself in just 5 years. He can look forward to a lifetime of no energy bills, and needs no gas for the car. When the islanders decided to install 10 offshore windmills, they produced so much power that Samso was now completely carbon neutral. 'We would rather buy our energy from our neighbor or another investor on the island than we would pay (suppliers in) The Middle East or an oil company. We just like the money to stay on the island.' says a resident.
This is truly a fascinating example of clear thinking and cooperation -- spread the word!

2 comments:

  1. Oh, I will never forget the beauty I saw in Samsø! Just this February, I went on a trip to that Danish Island. The green scenery, clear, blue sea, stunning windmills, and the gentle people are enough reasons to say that the place is like a paradise. The renewable energy island is truly remarkable! =)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Isn’t this place so Paradise-like? :’> Watching the video just makes me admire the people of Samso even more. I would really love to visit Samso this year! They really prove that investing in renewable energy is a great way to have a breathable environment. :]

    ReplyDelete