About me
Truthfully, I’ve been concerned about the sustainability of life since I was a kid.
In the early 90’s I was living on a hill, in an ex military vehicle I called home, using a small windmill to power the lights and stuff. I’d spent the previous ten years or so living ‘on the road’ searching for an alternative way to live. I was what the media would call a ‘new age traveller’.
That’s when I was inspired to ‘drop in’ and promote the use of large-scale wind energy – to bring change to the electricity industry. That was the start of this long journey.
The idea for Ecotricity - of selling green electricity to people, came about a few years later – it was about getting a fair price for wind power, to enable more to be built. And so Ecotricity started in 1995. Green electricity was a totally new idea back then. It just didn’t exist, as a choice, before Ecotricity.
I built my first windmill in 96 after a five year battle with all comers – NIMBY’s, bigots, planners, big power companies, you name it - and went to Kyoto in 97. The rest is just more history.
I’m after change, by empowering people to bring it about themselves. The idea for example, that you can fight Climate Change with your electricity bill, use your need for electricity to bring about new clean sources of it – sustainable ones.
It’s not such a novel idea these days - that we can influence the way the world works, through the way we spend our money. Fairtrade is a great recent example.
So that’s it really, I’m a hippie, I run a business (a social enterprise) to bring change to the world. My interest is the next Industrial Revolution, how to live without burning up the planet.
I have just signed up to Ecotricity today after seeing a link on NigelsEcoStore.co.uk. It took me all of about 3 minutes! Couldn’t be easier. Thanks.
I’ve got to pay Npower for my previous electr. bill- £247.45, a bill I don’t enjoy paying. Now I reckon, it will actually make a small difference paying this bill and will not mind less paying my bill, win,win all round. I don’t even mind if Ecotricity will cost me slightly more (i don’t know this yet, time will tell)
I hope your customer service is such that it continues to remind me that I have made a good choice, and appreciates me for making a green choice, the little things help!
Jelle
Comment by Jelle — April 23, 2008 @ 2:42 pm
I am the trustee for a rainforest charity, aimed at educating children about conservation as well as land purchase in red areas of tropical forests around the world.
We are small and about to relaunch our website with new features and a modern (web 2.0) approach.
Would you mind getting in touch as it would be fantastic if you would write an article for us on renewables for our relaunch.
Many thanks and look forward to hearing from you.
Rob
Comment by Rob Llewellyn — May 7, 2008 @ 12:27 pm
Thanks for the comment - I will be in touch about this shortly…
Thanks
Paul
Comment by paul — May 12, 2008 @ 9:17 am
At the moment the company I freelance for tends to attract clients like BP, Nestle, Vodafone etc. However, I feel there is potential for a new collective, focused solely on sustainable future ideas.
One that is very much aligned with your own ZeroCarbon vision.
If you would consider meeting with me in Stroud, I can explain more about the idea and how it could work.
Regards, John
Comment by John B — June 11, 2008 @ 2:12 pm
I am on a Renewable Energy degree at Exeter University and I know this is a long way in advance but what sort of jobs can you foresee there being for graduates of such a degree withing your company next year? (If any) The reason being I have a high interest in your company (in fact your first turbine is probably a large reason for me taking this degree).
I tried to see if I could work for your company over the summer, but sadly this wasn’t possible.
Thanks,
Matthew Green
Comment by Matt — June 26, 2008 @ 8:12 pm