Chapter 24. Chapter 24: Sun, Wind, and Water Energy
What combination of actions did Samsø take...?
Guiding Question 24.4
What combination of actions did Samsø take to become an energy-positive island, and what is the take-home message to other communities that might seek to reduce their use of fossil fuels?
Why You Should Care
Samsø is important as one of the first examples of a community meeting nearly all of its energy needs from sustainable sources. We can use this as a model for adopting sustainable energy sources on a larger scale. First, note that there had to be large-scale "buy-in" among the residents of the island because there needs to a high level of compliance for any effort to adopt sustainable energy to work. The more people use sustainable sources of energy, the cheaper the technology is, the more familiar it becomes, and the less "tree-huggy" it seems. Getting started required government assistance in the form of incentives and subsidies to adopt the new technologies. How likely are you to adopt a new way of doing things, even if you know it's better, without some extra incentives or social pressure? Converting energy systems on Samsø was expensive, but in the long run, it will pay for itself. The community is now in the position to export its excess energy and profit from the new technologies. Let's hope that more communities will follow their example.
Question 24.1
Match the parts of the diagram below to the descriptions of the steps taken by the people of Samsø to adopt renewable energy sources:
a - 21 wind turbines generate 75% of the electricity used by the islanders.
b - 3 straw-fired power plants provide heat to almost 600 homes.
c - Water heated by solar panels is sent to homes.
d - Citizens are encouraged to conserve resources and install energy-efficiency upgrades.
e - When the project was first undertaken, demonstration houses showcased the latest energy-efficiency equipment and insulation options.
f - Extra energy produced by wind turbines offsets fossil fuel use for cars.
g - Solar arrays produce the rest of the electricity Samsø uses; some homes also have solar panels.
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