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‘ALI’ stands for ‘Argyll, Lomond and the Isles’: a vast landscape of scattered, mainly rural communities. Thanks to ALIEnergy’s small, highly committed team, the communities now boast an array of energy innovations, from wood chip heating for Campbeltown flats to geothermal heat pumps for houses on Islay. But perhaps the most spectacular success has been a community-owned wind farm, known locally as the ‘Dancing Ladies’, on the Isle of Gigha. Its three windmills are expected to generate up to £100,000 per year in revenue for the island community, sending out a clear message about the viability of wind power and setting a promising example for other communities to follow. Most residents were cautious about the wind farm to start with, but became enthusiastic when they saw similar projects in Ireland, and realised the economic potential. When it came to the planning stage, the scheme was unopposed.