Case Study

Eigg Electrification Project

Project design and enabling works

Project title: Eigg Electrification Project
Project Duration: 24 months
Completion date: 2008
Overall Project Cost: Circa. £1.6 m

Project Description:

On 1st February 2008, the Isle of Eigg Electrification Project switched on for the first time, allowing power generated from renewable energy sources around the island to be supplied to all residents, through the new island wide high voltage distribution network.
The system will generate over 95% of the islands annual electrical energy demand through a combination of Hydro Electric, Wind Power and Solar Energy, which is believed to be the first time that anyone has successfully integrated these three renewable energy sources.
To ensure that constant power can be provided, a battery storage system has been designed which will compensate for short periods of up to 24 hours, where energy from renewable sources is not available. Two 64kW diesel generators have also been installed to provide emergency back-up and to supplement the supply should the output from the renewable sources be lower than the demand.
The system is fed from 3 main renewable energy sources:

• Hydroelectricity, a 100kW hydro scheme located at Laig, and 2 smaller 6kW schemes at Kildonan and the pier.
• Windpower, a 24kW wind farm comprising four 6 kW Proven wind turbines on 15m masts located at Grulin on the south of the island.
• Solar energy, a 10kW Photovoltaic Array at Glebe in the centre of the island.

All renewable generation equipment, the 45 households, 20 businesses and 6 community buildings on the island, are linked to together by 11km of buried cable that forms a high voltage network, linking generation with consumption.

Synergie Scotland acted as project managers for the duration of the project, taking it from the feasibility stage, through design, construction and commissioning. The system has now been in operation successfully for over a year, and has contributed to a very significant reduction in the use of diesel by generators on the island, with a corresponding reduction in energy costs and CO2 emissions.
In October 08 the Eigg project became one of the 10 finalists of the Big Green Energy Awards. The finalist who can show the greatest CO2 reduction by October 09 will be awarded the £1M prize.