Rural Europe on the move English_E_version_all | Page 43

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FINDING A SENSE OF PLACE
17. Tunes on the Pier Café terrasse
18. The old shop ‘museum’
19. 20. Eigg’s windfarm and solar array
on tourism was a risk, but the renewable energy system and like
islanders have preferred to invest us, train their people to run and
in developing craft activities, well- maintain it. Our off-grid island has
being and slow adventure tourism become part of a growing group of
which makes use of the island’s rich European islands supported by the
landscape, history and wildlife. Clean Energy EU Islands Initiative to
Since we own our natural assets,
trail-blaze the transition to a fossil
we have also been able to take full fuel-free economy. Our ambition for
advantage of them: since 2008, Eigg island community empowerment is
has been powered by an award- translating into a much bigger and
winning micro-grid bringing together broader picture as Eigg is now part
hydro, solar and wind power, mostly of the international Smart Islands
financed by European Structural movement, intent on making islands
funds. We have even put our Misak the lighthouses of the transition
friends in touch with Spanish- movement whilst ensuring local
speaking renewable energy islands communities are the ones steering
that will help them devise their own sustainable development.
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