Vote on World’s Greatest Eco-Heroes Puts Dale in Top 100

26 June 2006

A panel of environmental experts, including conservationists, scientists, authors, broadcasters and environment agency staff have compiled a list of the 100 people they believe have done more to look after our planet than anyone else. Dale Vince, founder of wind energy company Ecotricity, is on the list.

Dale has been committed to living a low impact, self-sufficient life since his late teens, when he took to the road as a new age traveller and environmental campaigner. His interest in generating his own electricity eventually drove him to found an energy company that would produce clean electricity from a sustainable source on a scale that would make a difference.

Ecotricity, founded in 1995, is currently the country’s biggest independent electricity supplier, investing more per customer in new renewable energy than any other electricity supplier. The company has been responsible for a series of landmark wind developments, including the UK’s first megawatt class wind turbine, the UK’s first non-subsidised fully commercial wind turbine and the UK’s tallest onshore turbine. Working in partnership with Manchester City Football Club, Ecotricity will be responsible in 2007 for installing the world’s first wind turbine dedicated to a sporting arena. Overall, the objective is to increase the UK’s stock of renewable energy and make clean green electricity available, without subsidy or premium, to everyone who wants it. Ecotricity currently builds 1 in 10 of the wind turbines constructed in England.

In 2004 Dale Vince was awarded an OBE for services to the environment.

The Inspector's decision will also mean that, for the first time in the UK , the appealant's legal costs will be picked up by the Council, as well as their own significant costs of two public enquiries. “The total bill to Breckland Council to fight two public enquiries and pay our costs is going to be well over £100,000. That's a scandalous waste of local rate payers' money. If Breckland had heeded the advice of their own planning officers, and behaved responsibly, this sum of money could have gone on far better things. Serious consideration should be given to surcharging members of the planning committee, to make them pay for their own 'unreasonable behaviour' instead of local rate payers,” says Dale.

Due for construction next year, the two 65-metre high turbines will generate enough electricity to power over 2,500 local homes and provide up to 12% of Norfolk's renewable energy target.

“If we are to have any hope of fighting climate change the planning system for wind energy needs serious attention,” says Dale. “We've just been through a process no less arduous or expensive than if we had applied to build a nuclear power station - and all for two wind turbines, its crazy."

The Shipdham application was originally submitted in December 2001 and dismissed at the first public enquiry in August 2003 for a lack of data on noise. A second application including the noise data was then resubmitted but again denied, before a second public enquiry took place in March 2006.

Once complete the two wind turbines will generate an estimated 9 million units of clean energy, saving nearly 8,000 tonnes of CO 2 each year. All the electricity generated will be available to local households and businesses in the area. To find out more visit www.ecotricity.com or call free on 08000 302 302.

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Notes to Editors

• Ecotricity founded the green energy movement in 1995, and has grown to become Europe 's leading independent electricity company, supplying homes and businesses across the UK .

• Ecotricity believes that only by continuously building new sources of green energy can we make a real impact on the root causes of climate change in the UK . By changing where our electricity comes from, carbon emissions from burning fossil fuels can be reduced.

• Using existing cables and meters Ecotricity can supply any home or business in mainland UK .

• Ecotricity invest more per customer in building new sources of renewable energy than any other UK supplier