OREANDA-NEWS. September 3, 2012. SSE, Ecoisland’s national energy partner, through its supply brand Southern Electric, is today launching ‘Ecoisland - Community Energy’, an innovative energy scheme enabling Southern Electric customers on the Isle of Wight to reduce their costs and raise money for Ecoisland.

Ecoisland is a pioneering, community driven project, to make the Isle of Wight the first truly sustainable region in Britain. Ecoisland aims to be fully sustainable in terms of energy, waste, transport, water, food and fuel over the coming years.

Ecoisland is the first project of its kind in the UK and will help provide a blueprint for future sustainable energy in communities throughout the country. With the UK committed to legally binding climate change and renewable targets, Ecoisland will play a crucial role in helping the UK develop a low-carbon economy, addressing the pressing challenges of peak oil and climate change.

As part of SSE’s involvement as Ecoisland's national energy partner, from today, for every Southern Electric gas, electricity, broadband or phone account registered for the Community Energy programme, SSE will donate ₤1 per month, per account. Customers can either take the donation as a reduction on their bill or instead, choose to donate the sum to Ecoisland.

SSE will also make payments to Ecoisland when thresholds are reached, ranging from ₤100 once 10 accounts are registered for the programme, to ₤1M when 100,000 accounts are registered. If 100,000 accounts registered for the programme and each account holder opted to donate their ₤1 monthly award to Ecoisland, in one year alone the programme would earn over ₤2M for Ecoisland, with annual donations of over ₤1M to follow each subsequent year. With over 61,500* households on the Isle of Wight, if each household registered just 2 accounts for the scheme, this would be more than achieved.

The funds raised through Community Energy will be managed by Ecoisland’s Community Interest Company, supporting projects and initiatives to support Ecoisland’s vision and help it realise its ultimate goal – to become the first truly sustainable region in Britain.

SSE’s Chief Executive, Ian Marchant, said:

“SSE is extremely proud to be Ecoisland’s national energy partner and to be part of such an innovative, community driven project. We have a long standing record of engaging with communities and our involvement in Ecoisland and today’s launch of Community Energy is our latest commitment to the communities we serve, live and work in.

“The idea of one of the Big Six generating companies investing in a community energy initiative might seem unconventional. Some people might say that these are the sort of energy enterprises that could potentially steal markets away from SSE, particularly as the funds raised for Ecoisland through the Community Energy Programme will help the Isle of Wight become less reliant on companies such as SSE. But there’s more than enough work to go around in a low carbon economy and SSE is involved with Ecoisland as we see these sorts of enterprises as a significant and necessary part of the future energy market.

“Ecoisland's vision and values are closely aligned with those of SSE and I have the utmost belief that in years to come communities across the length and breath of the UK will be striving to achieve sustainability, looking at the achievements of Ecoisland for inspiration.

“But the ultimate success of Ecoisland is down to the residents of the Isle of Wight themselves and I urge all residents, young and old, to embrace this wonderful and exciting movement. By simply registering your Southern Electric account for Community Energy you will be doing your bit to help Ecoisland’s vision become a reality and I challenge all residents on the Isle of Wight make SSE put our money where our mouth is.”

Ecoislands Founder and CEO, David Green, explained:

“With the community on board with this idea we can shift the old paradigm and put energy back where it belongs: in the heart of the community. SSE have been partnering with us in a really dynamic way. They believe, as we do, that community energy is the way of the future. The scheme that we are pioneering on the Isle of Wight will offer a replicable model for how communities can achieve renewable energy self-sufficiency and create a more secure future for their residents.”

To register for community energy, visit www.eco-island.org/hub/community_energy/ and complete the application form. If you are currently not a Southern Electric customer you will need to switch supplier to Southern Electric to activate your registration. You can do this by requesting a telephone call back on the online form or by visiting www.southern-electric.co.uk. Alternatively you can call Southern Electric direct on 0845 026 0654 to switch supplier.