Journal Pioneer
Summary
A collaborative approach to energy generation will help Island communities take the lead on how they can fuel their homes and businesses.
Building on lessons learned from sustainable energy models in Samso Island and in Gottingen, Germany, government is now looking for community champions to develop a local approach to sustainable community energy generation.
Samso is a carbon-neutral island in Denmark. The island produces more energy than it uses, has reduced its heating costs by 40 per cent and created local energy businesses that don’t rely on imported oil.
In Samso, they have four district heating plants, burning straw or waste wood and using solar or wind power. They buy the straw from local farmers at above market prices. The heat from straw goes to heat homes for a much lower price than burning fossil fuels. The waste from their district heating plant goes to fertilize crops to complete the sustainable cycle.
In Gottingen, Germany, government representatives toured a co-generation power plant that produces electricity and district heat from corn, to fuel two villages. This is one of 9,000 such plants in Germany.
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