Cornelia Helmcke from the University of St Andrews visited Raasay and Skye in July, as part of a tour of the Scottish west coast, to meet with local folks to understand the electricity grid constraints faced by islanders and explore the potential for decentralised infrastructure and decision-making. 
In her blog, Cornelia describes how local organisations have tried to establish local distribution of local electricity generation but have been thwarted by regulations and institutions that are too rigid to allow for localised approaches. The national grid was built to suit a centralised fossil-fuel based energy system and regulators continue to hesitate to push for changes that would make the grid more adaptable and equipped for decentralised electricity generation and distribution. Cornelia finds that holistic, local approaches to energy, housing and transport are needed to release the potential for transformation and innovation in electricity management that will benefit not only the Scottish ‘peripheries’, but the nation as a whole.