Ekopia Resource Exchange Ltd is based at the Findhorn Ecovillage in Moray, Scotland. Established in 2001 the community benefit co-operative has been successfully supporting innovative local social enterprises and community development in the region.
The Naturesave Trust helped fund the purchase and installation of a 4kW solar PV array on a newly developed Social Enterprise Hub, called Findhornhive. The array will supplement the electricity consumption in the building and reduce energy bills for tenants. The installation includes a lithium-ion battery which will store excess PV generation and make it available for later use, further reducing energy bills and improving the environmental performance of the building.
The use of the battery will make the Social Enterprise Hub a great place for demonstration in the Ecovillage and Moray, showing the benefits of storing excess energy generated through PVs. The addition of the Solar PV and Battery will add further enhancement to the building, which has environmental sustainability as an integral part of its construction and ethos.
The Social Enterprise Hub will provide a collaborative, supportive and affordable working space for innovative social enterprises in the Moray area. The hub includes offices, workshops, spaces for food production/craft activities and facilities such as hot-desking, along with access to social networks, peer support, information and expertise in an environment which will facilitate collaboration, innovation and cross-pollination, thereby supporting SEs to develop their enterprises and increase the impact of their work.
To find out more about Ekopia Social Enterprise Hub