Today, 12th June 2013, is the 16th anniversary of the community buying the Isle of Eigg.  Over those 16 years, there’s been a huge amount of positive developments, not least of which on the ‘green’ front.

To celebrate, here’s the answer to sixteen things you might not know about Eigg.

1.    On average, how much electricity does Eigg household use by comparison to a household on the mainland?

Answer – in 2008, when Eigg Electric was first switched on – Eigg’s average annual electricity use per household was 2,160 kWh, compared to a UK average of 4,198 kWh.  Demand hasn’t increased significantly over the five years the system has been operating

2.    How much less plastic do Eigg people collect in their domestic rubbish than people elsewhere in Scotland?

Answer: Eigg people, plus their visitors, produces 70% less plastic in their household waste than the Scottish average.

3.    Over the last 12 months, what % of the electricity generated by Eigg Electric was renewable?

Answer:    Over the last 12 months 83%
Year 1 95%
Year 2. 75%
Year 3. 85%
Over 4 years Eigg Electricity has been 85% renewable

4.    By what % did Eigg reduce its carbon emissions by to win the Big Green Challenge?

Answer: 47%

5.    By how much did 1000 litres of heating oil, used in some Eigg homes, increase by over the last 3 years?

Answer:    an increase of 52%

January 2010 – £444.15
Feb 2013  –  £672

6.    How many cars does WestWheels Car Club  have?

Answer: Three

7.    If you added the generating capacity of the wind turbines, hydros and PV together, what is the capacity of the system in kWs (kilowatts)?

Answer: 164kW now, 184kW once the 20kW of new PV panels are installed in the summer of 2013.

8.    What month do mackerel first appear in the seas around Eigg?

Answer: Usually May,  but they have been caught as early as April.

9.    How many people on Eigg have solar hot water systems?

Answer: 12 houses (27%) and 2 businesses.

10.    How many households on Eigg keep hens?

Answer: 14 (31%)

11.    At the current rate of consumption, how many years’ worth of firewood is currently growing in Eigg’s biggest forestry plantation?

Answer: approx. 50 years

12.    Name 3 countries people have come from to find out about Eigg Electric.

Answers can include: Colombia, Ecuador, Canada, England, Ireland, France, Germany, India, Nigeria, Greece, Spain, Kenya, Ghana and many more

13.    How many people on Eigg own a bike?

Answer: 38  (38%)

14.    How many households have a poly tunnels to grow food on Eigg?

Answer: fifteen.    Many people also have a veg patch.

15.    How many trees are in the community orchard?

Answer: 95

16.    How many months of the year do Sue & Neil at Eigg Organics eat from their own crop of potatoes?

Answer: Usually all 12