Danish Island Is Energy Self-Sufficient

Samso is an area about 40 square miles long with a permanent population of about 4,000 — all of them living a green dream.

Take farmer Erik Andersen. His tractor runs on oil from rape seed, which he grows. His hot water and power come from his solar panels or wind turbines. There’s not a fossil fuel in site.

“It’s a very good feeling because the island is a renewable energy island,” Anderson says.
Ten years ago, Andersen and the people of Samso accepted a challenge from Denmark’s government: Could they run their farms; could they power their businesses; could they lead their lives in an entirely energy self-sufficient and carbon-neutral way?

Now they have the answer. They can.

“Because it’s a good idea for the environment,” Andersen explains.

To harness the wind, of which they have plenty, they built wind turbines. To harness public good will, they sold shares in those turbines to the islanders so the machines produce local power and local profits.

To provide heat, they burn locally grown straw in central plants that produce super hot water and pump it through underground pipes into peoples’ homes.

It’s not only more efficient than running individual furnaces, it’s carbon neutral. The net greenhouse gas emissions from these plants? Zero.

CBS, video included.