Danish Island Completely Carbon Neutral

Samsø, a small island of 4,100 residents (Samsingers) off the Jutland Peninsula in Denmark. Used as a meeting place (as its name evidently indicates, erm, in Danish) during the Viking Age. Known for its strawberry picking in June and July and early potatoes (a great delicacy) but also, in recent years, for its renewable and sustainable energy. Samsø is completely carbon neutral.


In 1997, Samsø began a 10 year project to see if it was feasible (and practical) to generate all necessary energy from renewable sources alone. It is, on both counts, and the island reached its goal in 2003 - half the projected time. Using wind power (where, notably, the islanders are shareholders of the turbines) both on island and ten turbines at an off shore windfarm, the surplus of energy produced that Samsø is not only able to compensate for the non-renewable energy used on, for example, the ferries to and from the island, but is even able to sell energy back to the mainland. The islanders heat their homes using straw and a central heating system, and some vehicles operate on biofuel (whose sources are grown on-island). 75% of Samsø's heat is generated through solar panels, hay and biomass energy and 100% of their electricity is by the turbines.


So, let's give it up for Samsø - completely carbon neutral in under six years - a role model for the rest of us!