The ever changing island community will now be able to run its HQ from a couple of laptops in a thatched hut amongst the coconut palms, thanks to Ecotricity.

Ben Keene, co-founder of Tribewanted, commented, "We've leap-frogged the industrial revolution here on Vorovoro and gone straight from coconut trees to wind turbines. It's an important and symbolic moment for this 21st century tribe and for our island friends in Northern Fiji who, like us, we hope will start to see the quieter, cheaper and cleaner benefits of green energy over noisy generators.

"Ecotricity are leading the way to a newer energy existence on the British Isles and have now empowered another island on the other side of the world."

Dale Vince, MD of Ecotricity, said "While most of the rest of the world toys with 20 or 30% - Fiji have set the world's most ambitious target for the use of renewable energy - 90% by 2010. That's exactly the kind of approach we need if we're going to beat Climate Change. And Tribewanted are setting the pace. With the micro generation we've been able to supply them, Tribewanted have achieved their own independence in energy through 100% use of renewable energy - it doesn't get much better than that."

Tui Mali, the Fijian Chief and island owner, commented as he switched the power on a laptop: "We now have everything we need in Vorovoro. The sun and the wind will help us just as the rain waters us. Vinaka!"

The extract below is from Ben's blog ...

August 1st 2007. A perfect day to get power.

SUN. The sun shone all morning as two eighty watt solar panels were installed on a pine post outside what will now become the 'power house', a small thatched traditional Fijian Bure where the batteries will store the pacific sunshine.

WIND. After blessing the rock above the village with a traditional kava ceremony, a 400 watt wind turbine was hauled into position above thirty squinting faces from the UK, Ireland, America, Australia and Fiji. The sea was flat which meant no wind, but within hours a current blew in from the north and began to spin the blades and light-up the switch board.

RAIN. To top it all off the wind brought much needed mid-dry season rains that filled the tribal villages water tanks.

See all the pictures from the day at flickr

Follow Tribewanted's story at their website - www.tribewanted.com