ffinlo Costain

Broadcast - 12th March 2009

Since 2006 we’ve had a Tynwald policy to develop renewable energy (shown below). But who’s responsible for putting that policy in place? And why has so little happened since Tynwald agreed it?

I spoke to the Chairman of the MEA, to renewable energy experts, and to the author of the Tynwald energy policy itself.

To Listen Again - click here

By the very nature of radio it's necessary to distil longer interviews into sharper and shorter pieces for listeners. To listen to longer versions of three of the interviews broadcast in this show - see below.

Peter Taylor from Carbon Plan (15'20'') - click here
Website: http://www.carbonplan.co.uk/

John Rimington, Former DLGE Minister (2'48'') - click here

Phil Gawne, MHK, Energy Policy Working Group (6'15'') - click here

Also interviewed:
Toby Hammond, Better Generation
Website: http://www.bettergeneration.co.uk/

Ross Gazey, Pure Energy
Website: http://www.pure.shetland.co.uk

Quintin Gill, MHK, Chair, MEA
Website: http://www.gov.im/mea/

Tynwald Energy Policy - Adopted October 2006

(Section 10 - the energy policies aims and strategic actions)

10. Our Energy Policy

10.1 - We have no choice but to respond to the challenges facing us. We have to follow the principles of sustainable development and respect our Kyoto obligations by including environmental concerns in our approach to energy use, but we cannot ignore the fact that our society has been built on energy consumption and energy consumption will remain a key part of our quality of life for the foreseeable future. This then is our core energy policy: to maintain and build on the high quality of life enjoyed by the Island’s community by providing the energy needed to allow economic growth at a financial price that is affordable for all consumers and at an environmental cost that does not compromise the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

10.2 - To achieve this, Isle of Man Government will progress 3 main policy aims:-

Energy policy aim 1: to maintain the security of energy supply
Energy policy aim 2: to secure the efficient use of affordable energy
Energy policy aim 3: to minimise the impact of our energy use on the environment

Energy policy aim 1: maintaining the security of energy supply

This aim is designed to ensure that the Island has the reliable energy supplies that it needs to maintain our economy and improve our quality of life. We aim to ensure that our supplies are diversified and distributed across the Island to help protect us against supply shortages, price rises and failures of the distribution. We will favour the use of energy supplies that reduce our reliability on energy imports.

Strategic actions:

We will encourage the provision of an economically viable supply of energy to meet the needs of all consumers.
We will encourage the diversification of energy supply.
We will encourage the connection of community or other small scale generation schemes to the energy distribution network.
We will, wherever possible, use local energy sources (e.g. biomass, solar, wind).
We will facilitate access for renewable energy generators to the electricity supply network where generator size and point of connection will not adversely affect the stability of the established network.
We will promote the opportunities for wind and tidal powered electricity generation to suitable developers where this would provide benefits to the Island.
We will investigate the opportunities for the use of low carbon or carbon neutral energy sources such as biofuels

Energy policy aim 2: securing the efficient use of affordable energy

This aim is designed to ensure that we respond to the consequence of the world’s declining supplies of hydrocarbon fuels. We need to use energy wisely, not only to protect the resource but to reduce the cost to the consumer. We will target space heating and transport energy consumption through energy conservation measures and help those in our society who cannot afford the energy they need.

Strategic actions:

We will reduce the unit energy consumption of the Government estate over the next 5 years and publish our targets and achievements annually to demonstrate our commitment to these aims.
We will reduce the energy demand of space heating and cooling in the domestic and commercial sectors by the application of planning policies and revised building regulation controls.
We will provide community energy schemes in new public sector housing developments where this is beneficial and encourage private developers to adopt such schemes.
We will reduce the unit energy consumption and carbon emissions of the public sector housing estate over the next 5 years and publish our targets and achievements annually to demonstrate our commitment to these aims.
We will reduce the unit energy consumption of the transportation sector through measures designed to increase transportation efficiency, to reduce vehicle emissions and to promote public transport.
We will reduce the energy consumption and carbon emissions of the government fleet over the next 5 years and publish our targets and achievements annually to demonstrate our commitment to these aims.
We will maximise the efficiency of the energy delivery system.
We will protect vulnerable energy users.
We will address fuel poverty by providing financial support for energy efficiency measures and investigate other options.
We will provide an advisory service to promote energy conservation.
We will provide financial support to encourage energy conservation and the use of high efficiency and low carbon energy technologies.
We will encourage the improvement of thermal efficiency in pre-2001 construction private, domestic and commercial properties through education, advice and financial support schemes.

Energy policy aim 3: minimising the impact of our energy use on the environment

This aim is designed to ensure that we understand how our use of energy is changing our local and global environment and that we act now to limit these impacts and protect our environment for the benefit of future generations.

Strategic actions:

We will monitor the impacts of climate change and investigate those adaptations that will support our energy policies.
We will support recycling initiatives that contribute to overall reductions in energy consumption.
We will reduce the carbon dioxide emissions of each unit of grid supplied electricity and publish our achievements every 5 years.
We will review energy supply legislation to reflect the 3 aims of this policy.
We will pursue the long-term aim of reducing fossil fuel consumption to the minimum level that does not harm our community’s quality of life.
We will apply this Isle of Man Government energy policy to all government decisions involving the use of energy ensuring that all future policy and capital development proposals state how they reflect this energy policy.

END


Perspective, Energy Security Special Broadcast - 12th March 2009 Since 2006 we’ve had a Tynwald policy to develop renewable energy (shown below). But who’s responsible for putting that policy in place? And why has so little happened since Tynwald agreed it? I spoke to the Chairman of the MEA, to renewable energy experts, and to the author of the Tynwald energy policy itself. To Listen Again - click here By the very nature of radio it's necessary to distil longer interviews into sharper and shorter pieces for listeners. To listen to longer versions of three of the interviews broadcast in this show - see below. Peter Taylor from Carbon Plan (15'20'') - click here Website: http://www.carbonplan.co.uk/ John Rimington, Former DLGE Minister (2'48'') - click here Phil Gawne, MHK, Energy Policy Working Group (6'15'') - click here Also interviewed: Toby Hammond, Better Generation Website: http://www.bettergeneration.co.uk/ Ross Gazey, Pure Energy Website: http://www.pure.shetland.co.uk Quintin Gill, MHK, Chair, MEA Website: http://www.gov.im/mea/ Tynwald Energy Policy - Adopted October 2006 (Section 10 - the energy policies aims and strategic actions) 10. Our Energy Policy 10.1 - We have no choice but to respond to the challenges facing us. We have to follow the principles of sustainable development and respect our Kyoto obligations by including environmental concerns in our approach to energy use, but we cannot ignore the fact that our society has been built on energy consumption and energy consumption will remain a key part of our quality of life for the foreseeable future. This then is our core energy policy: to maintain and build on the high quality of life enjoyed by the Island’s community by providing the energy needed to allow economic growth at a financial price that is affordable for all consumers and at an environmental cost that does not compromise the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. 10.2 - To achieve this, Isle of Man Government will progress 3 main policy aims:- Energy policy aim 1: to maintain the security of energy supply Energy policy aim 2: to secure the efficient use of affordable energy Energy policy aim 3: to minimise the impact of our energy use on the environment Energy policy aim 1: maintaining the security of energy supply This aim is designed to ensure that the Island has the reliable energy supplies that it needs to maintain our economy and improve our quality of life. We aim to ensure that our supplies are diversified and distributed across the Island to help protect us against supply shortages, price rises and failures of the distribution. We will favour the use of energy supplies that reduce our reliability on energy imports. Strategic actions: We will encourage the provision of an economically viable supply of energy to meet the needs of all consumers. We will encourage the diversification of energy supply. We will encourage the connection of community or other small scale generation schemes to the energy distribution network. We will, wherever possible, use local energy sources (e.g. biomass, solar, wind). We will facilitate access for renewable energy generators to the electricity supply network where generator size and point of connection will not adversely affect the stability of the established network. We will promote the opportunities for wind and tidal powered electricity generation to suitable developers where this would provide benefits to the Island. We will investigate the opportunities for the use of low carbon or carbon neutral energy sources such as biofuels Energy policy aim 2: securing the efficient use of affordable energy This aim is designed to ensure that we respond to the consequence of the world’s declining supplies of hydrocarbon fuels. We need to use energy wisely, not only to protect the resource but to reduce the cost to the consumer. We will target space heating and transport energy consumption through energy conservation measures and help those in our society who cannot afford the energy they need. Strategic actions: We will reduce the unit energy consumption of the Government estate over the next 5 years and publish our targets and achievements annually to demonstrate our commitment to these aims. We will reduce the energy demand of space heating and cooling in the domestic and commercial sectors by the application of planning policies and revised building regulation controls. We will provide community energy schemes in new public sector housing developments where this is beneficial and encourage private developers to adopt such schemes. We will reduce the unit energy consumption and carbon emissions of the public sector housing estate over the next 5 years and publish our targets and achievements annually to demonstrate our commitment to these aims. We will reduce the unit energy consumption of the transportation sector through measures designed to increase transportation efficiency, to reduce vehicle emissions and to promote public transport. We will reduce the energy consumption and carbon emissions of the government fleet over the next 5 years and publish our targets and achievements annually to demonstrate our commitment to these aims. We will maximise the efficiency of the energy delivery system. We will protect vulnerable energy users. We will address fuel poverty by providing financial support for energy efficiency measures and investigate other options. We will provide an advisory service to promote energy conservation. We will provide financial support to encourage energy conservation and the use of high efficiency and low carbon energy technologies. We will encourage the improvement of thermal efficiency in pre-2001 construction private, domestic and commercial properties through education, advice and financial support schemes. Energy policy aim 3: minimising the impact of our energy use on the environment This aim is designed to ensure that we understand how our use of energy is changing our local and global environment and that we act now to limit these impacts and protect our environment for the benefit of future generations. Strategic actions: We will monitor the impacts of climate change and investigate those adaptations that will support our energy policies. We will support recycling initiatives that contribute to overall reductions in energy consumption. We will reduce the carbon dioxide emissions of each unit of grid supplied electricity and publish our achievements every 5 years. We will review energy supply legislation to reflect the 3 aims of this policy. We will pursue the long-term aim of reducing fossil fuel consumption to the minimum level that does not harm our community’s quality of life. We will apply this Isle of Man Government energy policy to all government decisions involving the use of energy ensuring that all future policy and capital development proposals state how they reflect this energy policy. END
ffinlo Costain, Thie Yuan, Fistard, Isle of Man, IM9 5PQ Mob: 07624 400 193 E-mail: ffinlo@ffinlo.org