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Renewable energy on the Isle of Man

Renewable energy on the Isle of Man. In 2010, Tynwald promised the Isle of Man would produce 15% its electricity from renewables by 2015 The Environment

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Page 1: Renewable energy on the Isle of Man. In 2010, Tynwald promised the Isle of Man would produce 15% its electricity from renewables by 2015 The Environment

Renewable energy on the Isle of Man

Page 2: Renewable energy on the Isle of Man. In 2010, Tynwald promised the Isle of Man would produce 15% its electricity from renewables by 2015 The Environment

• In 2010, Tynwald promised the Isle of Man would produce 15% its electricity from renewables by 2015 • The Environment Minister decided reducing all CO2 emissions by 10% in 2010 was impractical• But that producing 15% of electricity from renewables by 2015 was fully achievable• This action will lead to significant reductions in CO2 emissions

Tynwald

Page 3: Renewable energy on the Isle of Man. In 2010, Tynwald promised the Isle of Man would produce 15% its electricity from renewables by 2015 The Environment

• Overwhelming evidence of rapid global warming

• Little doubt climate change is man-made

• Created by burning fossil fuels (e.g. oil, coal and gas), which are rich in carbon dioxide (CO2)

• Fossil fuels have supported economic growth and ever-improving lifestyles

• Unfortunately there’s been a cost

Climate change

Page 4: Renewable energy on the Isle of Man. In 2010, Tynwald promised the Isle of Man would produce 15% its electricity from renewables by 2015 The Environment

• Climate change will lead to more extreme weather events, including: o Changes to weather patternso Excessive heato Heavier rain o Floodingo And stronger winds

• For future generations to inherit a planet worth living on, we must take radical action

• There’s general global consensus on the need to reduce CO2 by 80% by 2050

• Our 15:15 renewables target is just a first step

Impact of climate change

Page 5: Renewable energy on the Isle of Man. In 2010, Tynwald promised the Isle of Man would produce 15% its electricity from renewables by 2015 The Environment

Three ways to face climate change:

1. Deny it, as some do

2. Fear it & either bury our heads in the sand or complain that the end is nigh, as some do

3. Fully embrace the opportunities climate change presents

• This is an exciting time – we must reinvent the processes we rely on

• This means new economic growth, driven by a green industrial revolution

How to view climate change

Page 6: Renewable energy on the Isle of Man. In 2010, Tynwald promised the Isle of Man would produce 15% its electricity from renewables by 2015 The Environment

• Oil takes millions of years to form • Peak oil is when global demand

for oil outstrips supply• At this point prices will rise• And then rise a lot more

• IEA has said we’ll hit peak oil in 2020

• Many believe it's already here• The price of oil affects everything

because oil is used to make almost everything

• General inflation is closely linked to the price of oil

• Just as the Stone Age & Bronze Age ended – the Oil Age will end

Peak oil

Page 7: Renewable energy on the Isle of Man. In 2010, Tynwald promised the Isle of Man would produce 15% its electricity from renewables by 2015 The Environment

• Most electricity on the Isle of Man is now generated from natural gas

• But peak oil will lead to increased competition & demand for gas

• This will push gas prices higher

• While the Isle of Man’s impact on climate change may be small, the impact of global climate change policy and peak oil and gas on the Isle of Man will be LARGE

Gas

Page 8: Renewable energy on the Isle of Man. In 2010, Tynwald promised the Isle of Man would produce 15% its electricity from renewables by 2015 The Environment

• AEA Technology was commissioned by Tynwald’s Energy & Climate Change Committee

• They looked at costs, benefits & impacts of renewable & low-carbon energy options for IoM

• Renewable energy will make us less dependent on foreign energy

• This will make us less vulnerable to global price inflation

• AEA Report said that our best short-term options are onshore wind, biomass & greater energy efficiency

The AEA Report

Page 9: Renewable energy on the Isle of Man. In 2010, Tynwald promised the Isle of Man would produce 15% its electricity from renewables by 2015 The Environment

• Fast growing crops like willow can be grown as biomass

• When harvested the crop is dried, pelletised & burned to generate heat & power

• The process is more or less carbon neutral – biomass emits only the CO2 absorbed while growing

• Biomass is burned in on-site boilers • The DEFA building is biomass powered

• The prison & hospital could convert to

biomass• A biomass power station could power

an estate

Biomass

Page 10: Renewable energy on the Isle of Man. In 2010, Tynwald promised the Isle of Man would produce 15% its electricity from renewables by 2015 The Environment

• AEA Report said IoM could produce 31,800 oven dry tonnes (odts) of biomass material annually

• The Government estate only accounts for 6,500 odt

• The other 25,300 odts refers to farmland

• This equates to around 10% of all farmland on the Island

• But, if Government guaranteed biomass price for five years, some farmers might take the opportunity

• At a push, we might produce 5% of electricity from biomass by 2015

Biomass logistics

Page 11: Renewable energy on the Isle of Man. In 2010, Tynwald promised the Isle of Man would produce 15% its electricity from renewables by 2015 The Environment

• Energy efficiency is crucial• Around a third of all energy is

used in the home• Insulation is a large opportunity to

save energy• Around two-thirds of homes are

still inadequately insulated• In the past there were grants for

insulation• Now Government is considering a

Climate Change Bill• It may contain elements of the UK’s

Green Deal, which aims to incentivise home & business insulation

Energy efficiency

Page 12: Renewable energy on the Isle of Man. In 2010, Tynwald promised the Isle of Man would produce 15% its electricity from renewables by 2015 The Environment

• The 15:15 target can only be achieved by including energy from an onshore wind farm

• A single 20 MW onshore wind farm, with 7 – 10 turbines, would produce around 12% of the Isle of Man’s electricity

• Wind is clean, affordable and reliable

Onshore wind energy for the Isle of Man

Page 13: Renewable energy on the Isle of Man. In 2010, Tynwald promised the Isle of Man would produce 15% its electricity from renewables by 2015 The Environment

• Wind farm is planned for 2015• Key partners are ECCC, MEA, wind

farm developers & landowners• In 12 – 18 months: wind speed

data collection • In 12 – 18 months: appointment of

a preferred developer• Then a preferred site will be

selected• After which there will be full

public consultation• Planning approval will have to be

obtained

Where are we now?

Page 14: Renewable energy on the Isle of Man. In 2010, Tynwald promised the Isle of Man would produce 15% its electricity from renewables by 2015 The Environment

• We’re concerned the general election could throw this important process off course

• Especially if new MHKs & DEFA & DoI ministers don’t understand about:o Climate change & peak oil o The lengthy process already

undertakeno Renewable energyo Electricity supply

• If the process is undermined there’s a strong chance IoM could become too big a risk for wind developers

The general election

Page 15: Renewable energy on the Isle of Man. In 2010, Tynwald promised the Isle of Man would produce 15% its electricity from renewables by 2015 The Environment

• Arguably, renewables get less support than fossil fuel rivals

• Coal, gas & nuclear industries were originally built with public cash, & governments still invest in new coal, gas, & nuclear

• Renewables get no financial support until they're operational

• Then the support is paid from within the energy industry itself

• The Isle of Man's new gas pipeline got a long-term loan of £23m from Tynwald – our wind farm will just cost a bit of civil service time & some MEA connectivity work

Are wind turbines reliant on subsidy?

Page 16: Renewable energy on the Isle of Man. In 2010, Tynwald promised the Isle of Man would produce 15% its electricity from renewables by 2015 The Environment

• Renewables Obligation Certificates (ROCs) were established in the UK

• They’re a non-government subsidy to incentivise renewables production

• The new UK government is likely to replace ROCs with a Feed-In Tariff (FIT)

• Renewable energy producers will be paid by energy suppliers for each unit of electricity received onto the grid

• FITs already exist for microgenerators• They may be worth a bit less than ROCs, but

will still be economically attractive

ROCs and Feed In Tariffs

Page 17: Renewable energy on the Isle of Man. In 2010, Tynwald promised the Isle of Man would produce 15% its electricity from renewables by 2015 The Environment

• MEA will buy electricity from the wind farm developer at an agreed rate

• Then the MEA will sell it to us

• Three options:• EITHER – as an opt-in Green Tariff

aimed at businesses & green-minded peopleo M&S, Co-op, etc. have policies to use

renewable electricityo IoM FoE collected 1000 postcards from

people interested in purchasing a Green Tariff

o The Green Tariff might cost about four pence extra per unit

How do we fund the wind farm without ROCs?

Page 18: Renewable energy on the Isle of Man. In 2010, Tynwald promised the Isle of Man would produce 15% its electricity from renewables by 2015 The Environment

• OR – costs would be shared across all electricity userso Spread across everyone the price

of electricity would increase by about half-a-penny per unit, at today’s prices

o This small increase would protect against much larger increases when peak oil bites & there’s general global inflation

o Insulation incentives could help reduce what we pay for electricity

• The third option would be a combination of the first two schemes, with lower prices in both categories

How do we fund the wind farm without ROCs?

Page 19: Renewable energy on the Isle of Man. In 2010, Tynwald promised the Isle of Man would produce 15% its electricity from renewables by 2015 The Environment

• Onshore wind energy will stay here

• It will be bought by the MEA & distributed through existing infrastructure

• Future offshore wind energy will probably be sold to the UK

• Isle of Man is a signatory to Kyoto through of our relationship with UK

• Our actions affect UK targets too

Where will the energy go?

Page 20: Renewable energy on the Isle of Man. In 2010, Tynwald promised the Isle of Man would produce 15% its electricity from renewables by 2015 The Environment

• Wind is intermittent, but PREDICTABLE

• Wind turbines generate about 30% of the electricity they’re capable of producing – this is known as the Capacity Factor

• But they are generating electricity for about 80% of the time, and are exceptionally efficient

• Intermittency is built into modelling

• Wind speed data helps predict annual electricity generation

• One 20 MW on-shore wind farm would produce around 12% of our electricity each year. (The exact amount will depend where it’s finally located)

Intermittency

Page 21: Renewable energy on the Isle of Man. In 2010, Tynwald promised the Isle of Man would produce 15% its electricity from renewables by 2015 The Environment

• Alternative power sources kick in fast to provide 'shadow capacity', causing zero disruption to electricity supply

• Electricity systems are made up of a number of power plants

• They are designed to cope efficiently if one goes out of action

• Switching is so fast it doesn’t affect clocks or hospital equipment

• Our wind farm will be grid-connected without significant changes to MEA infrastructure

• Our existing power stations will provide ‘shadow capacity’

What happens when the wind stops blowing?

Page 22: Renewable energy on the Isle of Man. In 2010, Tynwald promised the Isle of Man would produce 15% its electricity from renewables by 2015 The Environment

• AEA report says tidal & wave power will not be practical in Manx waters for many years

• They might provide an opportunity in 10 or 20 years time

• At the moment they would require massive investment

• Ocean technology is new & relatively untested

• Manx waters could be leased for research and development

• In the meantime, wind is proven technology, which means the equipment can be manufactured more cheaply

Is ocean power an option for the IoM?

Page 23: Renewable energy on the Isle of Man. In 2010, Tynwald promised the Isle of Man would produce 15% its electricity from renewables by 2015 The Environment

• In due course, we need both on & offshore wind farms to meet the necessary CO2 reduction targets

• Our 15% renewables target is just the first step on a long road

• 80% CO2 reductions are needed by 2050

• It’s important to play our part in averting global climate chaos

• This means employing every possible source of renewable energy

• We have good wind both on and offshore, so we should exploit the potential of both

Why don’t we put all the wind turbines out at sea?

Page 24: Renewable energy on the Isle of Man. In 2010, Tynwald promised the Isle of Man would produce 15% its electricity from renewables by 2015 The Environment

• RSPB ‘supports a significant growth in offshore & onshore wind power generation in the UK’

• Britain has tight environmental & wildlife planning rules that control where wind turbines are built

• RSPB has examined hundreds of applications in the UK & approved 93% of them

• Consequently bird deaths from modern British wind farms are rare

• On the other hand, bird deaths from cars, cats, & windows are frequent

Are wind turbines dangerous for birds?

Page 25: Renewable energy on the Isle of Man. In 2010, Tynwald promised the Isle of Man would produce 15% its electricity from renewables by 2015 The Environment

• If sited close to foraging routes, collision might be possible

• Natural England recommends 50m between turbines & foraging routes

• Developers ensure bats are led away from the turbines, e.g. by planting new hedgerows

• Though possible for migratory bats to collide with turbines there is only one species of migratory bat in the British Isles, & it’s rare

• If identified on a site, great care would need to be taken to ensure the turbines posed no risk

Are wind turbines dangerous for bats?

Page 26: Renewable energy on the Isle of Man. In 2010, Tynwald promised the Isle of Man would produce 15% its electricity from renewables by 2015 The Environment

• Modern wind turbines are not noisy • The small amount of noise is

usually drowned out by the sound of roads, streams, or the wind itself

• The main sound is the swoosh of air as the blades pass the tower

• When the wind changes direction the blades are moved to face it by a small motor

• There are strict guidelines on wind turbines and noise emissions

• You can stand beneath a turbine & hold a conversation without raising your voice

Are wind turbines noisy?

Page 27: Renewable energy on the Isle of Man. In 2010, Tynwald promised the Isle of Man would produce 15% its electricity from renewables by 2015 The Environment

• The towers are made of steel tubes • They’re painted the average colour of

the sky: matt light grey• The blades are glass-fibre reinforced

polyester or wood-epoxy• Our turbines may have rotor diameters of

up to 65m• Towers may be up to 80m high • These details will be known by the time of

the public consultation• Wind turbine cabling will be underground• Turbine bases are made of concrete• The carbon cost of installation is paid back

in 6 – 8 months

Wind turbines 1

Page 28: Renewable energy on the Isle of Man. In 2010, Tynwald promised the Isle of Man would produce 15% its electricity from renewables by 2015 The Environment

• Polls in the British Isles show a large majority of people in favour of wind farms

• Only 1 in 20 people are against wind farms• Wind energy is very safe • Wind turbines are popular with tourists – a

MORI poll in Scotland showed 80% of tourists would be interested in visiting a wind farm

• Developers are often asked to provide a visitor centre, viewing platforms & rights of way to sites

• Wind farms are popular with farmers – they get paid rent & can still use the land for growing crops or grazing livestock

Wind turbines 2

Page 29: Renewable energy on the Isle of Man. In 2010, Tynwald promised the Isle of Man would produce 15% its electricity from renewables by 2015 The Environment

Thank you for your timewww.foe.org.im