Interview Dale Vince, Ecotricity 2/4


Having dealt with the exchange, it’s straight on to more pressing matters, such as the recent surge in Ecotricity’s customer numbers. In February, the com- pany reached the 70,000 customer mark, doubling in just three years. Vince puts this down to greater awareness of the risks posed by climate change amongst the general public.


“If you look over the last five or 10 years we can see a gradual uptake in con- sciousness and concern in people. There are more people concerned about the environment and who are more willing to do something about it,” he says. This clearly pleases Vince who started the company in 1995 with the ambi- tion to change the way electricity was made in Britain. Ecotricity began sup- plying energy to big businesses, mov- ing onto smaller businesses and eventu- ally supplying at a domestic level. The company has built wind installations for major firms such as Ford, Sainsburys and Prudential, and most recently two turbines commissioned in February for Michelin in Northern Ireland. “There is a growing interest from big business and SMEs as well. We have about 5,000 small businesses that take


SB’s Leigh Stringer presents the Sustainability Leader award to Dale Vince


energy from us,” Vince says. Eighteen years and 55 turbines built since its inauguration, the company con- tinues to expand its portfolio of renew- able energy projects. Famed for its ‘har- nessing energy bills to make windmills’ slogan, it is clear that Ecotricity is helping


drive behavioural change amongst those in the UK through the development of renewable energy. But Vince explains that the mission, ultimately, is about sus- tainability “it just began in energy”. “We have expanded our mission beyond energy into the realms of transport and


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