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Our story

All the things that make us Britain’s greenest energy company
Our story

Ecotricity innovation

The world is facing a climate emergency. To answer this challenge, we are researching new ways of generating, distributing and using energy that reduce the amount of carbon that goes into the atmosphere. We do this valuable R&D work at our Eco Lab.

From record-breaking green vehicles to more efficient wind turbines and on to battery storage and smart grids, Ecotricity is developing smarter solutions for a greener future.

The award-winning Ion Horse

We teamed up with Kingston University to build a 150mph superbike and compete in the Isle of Man TT Zero, a race showcasing zero-emissions motorbikes. Developed from the ground up by Kingston University and motorcycle design company Vepro, the Ion Horse came third in the race, beating the likes of Imperial College, MIT and BMW with average lap speeds over 100mph.

Record-breaking Greenbird

In 2009, Greenbird smashed the world land speed record for wind powered vehicles when it clocked 126.1mph on the dry bed of Ivanpah Lake, Nevada. The previous record was 116mph. Built in collaboration with engineer Richard Jenkins, Greenbird was a nod to Donald Campbell’s Bluebird but unlike that combustion engine beast, it burns no fossil fuels and proves that long after the petroleum age the wind will still be here to put us in motion.

The Nemesis electric sportscar

The Nemesis project set out to turn conventional notions about electric vehicles upside down, and it did so in style. Reaching 148mph, it set a British land speed record for electric cars, and later exceeded 150mph. With a sleek body, jaw-dropping acceleration, zero emissions and charged with green electricity from Ecotricity, The Nemesis showed that you can travel in style while using a fuel source that never runs out.

The R9000

Conventional wind turbines are fine out in the countryside where there’s plenty of room, but what if you are limited on space and still want 100% green electricity from the wind?

The R9000 is the best-selling small windmill in Britain, and is one of the most efficient small wind turbines available. The R9000 has been engineered with robustness and low maintenance in mind and its reliability is backed by millions of operating hours at thousands of homes, farms and businesses worldwide.

We believe machines like this will be essential for an energy-independent Britain, which is why we design and manufacture them at our sister company, Britwind.

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Our founder Dale Vince shares his thoughts on the green revolution

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Climate Clock

The Climate Clock is a version of the Doomsday clock that has been running since 1947 - this tracks the risk of global man-made disaster, through man made technology (like nuclear weapons) - displaying the minutes and seconds left before midnight, when disaster strikes. The climate crisis is a small part of the calculations made.
The climate clock uses a similar approach, but, focuses only on the climate crisis - which is the biggest and most urgent existential threat we face.
"The Climate Clock is a countdown to the biggest man-made disaster we face - but also a measure by which we can track our progress - moving from fossil to renewable energy. It shows we have no time to lose - the clock is ticking…" Dale Vince, OBE.