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Eco Hero: Dale Vince

Anna Guyer | 25.04.10

Dale Vince is a campaigner through and through. He believes we can create a clean, green, low carbon Britain. He has conviction, integrity, vision and an ability to make the extraordinary happen.

Having founded Ecotricity in 1995 with what he once said was "no experience, training, qualifications or money," he has built a business around making a difference.

Today, Ecotricity is the seventh-largest retail supplier of electricity in the UK and one of the biggest builders of wind turbines. The company's 50-plus wind turbines power 40,000 homes and businesses across the UK.

Opinionated and outspoken, Dale Vince never hesitates to speak his mind, which includes exposing green wash and outing the Big Six energy companies on what little they are doing to create new green energy.

Dale puts his money where his mouth is: Ecotricity invests more than £400 per customer per year to build new green energy -- far more than any competitor. He takes a modest salary and refuses outside investment, choosing instead to reinvest the company's profits into building more wind turbines and creating new green energy.

Vince is this edition's Eco Hero for his vision, passion and action toward protecting the environment and creating sustainable solutions. His imagination inspires us - from creating his own green wind powered electric sports car to his plans for a green tractor.

His vision for a green Britain encompasses energy, food and transport to radically change the way we live. (Follow his views on his Zero Carbonista blog.)

Dale Vince: hero indeed. Guest blogger Anna Shepard catches up with him.

How would you describe yourself?
I’m a blend of things, I think we all are. Best fit label wise is probably Environmentalist.

What is your mission?
To change things.

What do you care passionately about?
The environment in all senses of the word.

Why is green so important?
It just feels like the single most important thing on the planet and in life. What could be more precious? The environment is all we have.

What is the next big challenge?
The challenge for consumers is to consume less and consume more responsibly. The challenge for the green movement is to be more ‘user friendly’ to be more appealing and less off putting to ‘would be’ greens.

The challenge for governments is harder – we’re stuck with a system (5 years in office) that reinforces, or even forces, short term thinking among politicians and prevents what really needs doing.

What is the role of government?
Government should be setting the agenda, telling us all what needs doing and why – getting buy in for the tough decisions and changes that need to be made – and for the fight against vested interests that has to be had.

What would you like to achieve in your lifetime?
Not sure. As a perfectionist I don’t think I can have a realistic end game…..:)

What top 3 green/sustainable principles do you live by?
I don’t have any. I think sustainability is axiomatic, it doesn’t require too much thinking about or documentation of principles.

What one thing do you wish everyone would do?
Think more.

What one message/philosophy would you like to pass on to your children?
Life is short. Follow your heart.

How long have we got to save the planet?
I think the notion of a date by which we have to save the planet is misguided and unhelpful. We can’t know what needs doing by when to avoid the worst effects of climate change, for example. And in any event just avoiding the worst effects of that is not enough. To ‘save the planet’ we have to do so much more. It’s a mission of a lifetime, all our lifetimes, no matter how old we are, we all have only our lives within which we can do this.

Who is YOUR Eco Hero and why?
Anita Roddick, for creating the Body Shop and for the stuff she did with it.

 

Photo: Dale Vince by Adrian Sherratt

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Millions Watch Collapsing Cooling Towers

Greta Jonyniate | 12.03.12

 

Want to watch cooling towers collapse? It may seem like an odd question, but over 2.2 million people have watched Ecotricity’s latest video, which features personified cooling towers being brought down with controlled explosives. Over 50,000 people have shared the video on Facebook.

Why so popular? Whilst there is no exact set of rules to making a viral video, Ecotricity’s video makes it seem simple. Take an underappreciated trend on Youtube, ie. videos of collapsing buildings, which attract hundreds of thousands of viewers, link it to the green movement in a way that seems completely natural, and add a little bit of absurdity to raise a smile.

The video is in aid of the energy company’s campaign to “Dump The Big Six.” Ecotricity want to see consumers and businesses stop using npower, SSE, E.ON, British Gas, EDF and Scottish power and move to more sustainable energy sources. Whilst the UK average for renewable energy in a provider’s fuel mix is just 7.9%, Ecotricity relies on renewable sources to create 54.1% of its energy supply. Ecotricity hasn’t just hit the government’s demand that 15% of energy comes from renewable sources by 2020, they have … well, demolished the old guard and ushered in the new.

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Greenhouse Morning News

Richard Lemmer | 03.04.12

Top News Stories -

Global warming started over 100 years ago - The Daily Mail

EU energy savings plan too weak: green campaigners - Reuters

New UK attempt to capture carbon - BBC

EU carbon price plumbs new depths on weak emissions data - Business Green

 

Solar -

UK’s first inner city solar project is switched on - Solar Power Portal

U.K. Solar Trade Association names Alan Aldridge as chairman - Solar Server

NPD Solarbuzz: Global PV market grows 146% in 1Q 2012 - Solar Server

 

Wind - 

Small investors get chance to invest in wind energy project ‘from as little as £5’ - Green Wise Business

Hopes for turbine plan to get the green light - This Is South Wales

Call for Pendle countryside to be protected from wind turbines - Lancashire Telegraph

India's largest wind turbine manufacturer Suzlon Energy losses tax break - Moneycontrol.com

New owner for Lewis wind farm site - Stornoway Gazette

 

Food -

Laura Stewart: Organic sector still growing despite the recession - Scotsman

Bankrupt processor cites "pink slime" uproar - Reuters

Farmer sues neighbour for GM contamination - 9News MSN

Future global food security, supplies depend on agriculture researchers, educators - South West Farm Press (US)

Ethical Finance -

The corporation needs to be cut down to size - Guardian

Sustainable companies: who is the fairest of them all? - Guardian

Brazil and India’s Financial Wealth Grows While Their Natural Capital Plummets - TriplePundit

 

Interesting News Stories -

Renewables developers called on to support green doctorate programme - Business Green

£300m plant to produce green power from waste - Yorkshire Post

Unilever tops sustainability leadership list for a second year - Green Biz

Scientists develop ionic motor, MicroThrust to make satellite launches greener - Eco Friend

 

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Good Energy: UK’s first local electricity tariff

HJ Fantaskis | 19.11.12

Good Energy today announces the UK’s first Local Tariff to reward households near its wind farms with lower electricity bills, pioneering a blueprint to put community interest at the heart of renewable energy generation across Britain.

Customers who live within two kilometres of the company’s flagship 9.2MW Delabole wind farm in north Cornwall, will qualify for its new Local Tariff, offering a 20% discount on its standard electricity prices. It will currently save an average Good Energy customer in the area around £100 over a year. 

The discount will be available to existing and new customers from early 2013. The tariff will also pay out a ‘windfall’ credit of up to £50 per household every year that the turbines exceed their expected performance.

Juliet Davenport (pictured above), CEO of Good Energy, said: “I’m proud that Good Energy is leading the UK wind industry with a new model ensuring that people who live near our wind farms share in their success. Wind power has a huge role to play in meeting the UK’s future energy needs, and we think that it’s only right that our local communities should be recognised for their contribution to tackling climate change and reducing the UK’s reliance on expensive imported fossil fuels.”

“When we researched opinion in the local community, there was a very positive response from residents with 68% of those surveyed saying they would consider switching to a Good Energy Local Tariff once the benefits were explained to them.”

Watch Good Energy's new video announcing the new Local Tariff. 

Good Energy, the UK's first company to supply electricity from 100% renewable sources, is leading the industry once more with the Local Tariff. It will be offered at the company’s other wind farm sites (over 4 MW) as they are developed.

It's also another first for Delabole, which was the UK's first commercial wind farm when it opened in 1991. Local farmer Martin Edwards, who developed it and now sits on Good Energy's board, said: "The wind farm has always had great support from the community and we've brought investment, jobs and tourists to the area. I'm pleased we'll soon be able to add discounted power to the benefits we bring."

The future of onshore wind has been hotly debated in the run-up to the government’s Energy Bill, due to be published later this week, with critics arguing that wind farms are being “imposed” on communities. Energy Secretary Ed Davey launched a consultation in September to explore how communities secure financial, social and environmental benefit from hosting onshore wind farms.

The latest government research shows that onshore wind is supported by 66% of the public with 12% opposed, including 4% who are strongly opposed. However, there is evidence that communities become more supportive when they benefit directly from local wind farms. There is much greater public acceptance of renewables in Germany, where two thirds of all turbines and solar panels are owned by individuals, farmers and communities.

A Delabole local? Register your interest in the Delabole Local Tariff today! 

We’ve listed a round up of the best coverage: 

Residents near Cornwall windfarm to be offered energy bill discounts - Guardian

£150 for wind farm community, as long as you live within 1.5 miles - Telegraph

Local green energy tariff offered to north Cornish residents - Huffington Post

Good Energy to reward residents near wind farms with electricity discounts - Blue&Green Tomorrow
 

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