Scotland: National Rural Network
Connecting Rural Scotland - Promoting Rural Growth

The Isle of Eigg Heritage Trust have won the UK Gold Award at the recent Ashden Awards for Sustainable Energy. Judges were impressed by their outstanding achievements in cutting energy consumption and devising a unique electricity capping system, dramatically reducing household carbon emissions by nearly 50 percent.

Six UK and six international projects were chosen as winners and received their awards from internationally renowned natural history filmmaker Sir David Attenborough. Award winners received £10,000 or £20,000 to invest in future sustainable energy work.

Sarah Butler-Sloss, Founder Director of the Ashden Awards, said, "Our UK winners demonstrate how local sustainable energy can not only help save the planet, but also transform communities across the UK by creating jobs, regenerating communities, tackling fuel poverty and educating our future citizens to live sustainably."

David Attenborough said, "These award-winners are champions at delivering practical ways of protecting our planet and its precious biodiversity through the use of sustainable energy. They are reducing carbon emissions and protecting local eco-systems, whilst improving the lives of the people they touch. They deserve to be celebrated for their important role in tackling both climate change and poverty."

Other winners include the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in Vietnam and Northwards Housing in Manchester. You can find out more about the awards and all the winners on the Ashden Awards website.

You can watch the Ashden Awards video about the Isle of Eigg Heritage Trust below: