CTO Assessment - European Commission

ISLE OF WIGHT
Powering the island
through renewable energy
Contact: Jim Fawcett • Renewable Energy Strategy for the Isle of Wight to 2010
Principal Policy Officer • CPCU • County Hall • Newport • Isle of Wight
PO30 1UD • U. K. • Tel/Fax +44 1983 823646/535 • E-mail: jim.fawcett@iow.gov.org
The project brief was to prepare a renewable
energy strategy for the Isle of Wight as part
of a larger project called IRESSI (Integrated
Renewable Energy Systems for Small Islands).
The study outlines the RES exploitation
potential of the Isle of Wight, taking
into account a wide range of factors including
economic, technical and social considerations.
The UK government set a target
for the Isle of Wight to reach 67MW of
energy coming from renewables by 2010
and this project was the subsequent reaction.
The Project
Background analysis : discussing the options
for the Isle of Wight in terms of RES potential
and giving the technical potential for various
options. States possible upper and lower
bounds for the contribution renewable energy
could make to the Island by 2010.
Cost Benefit Analysis: gives the indicative
economic costs in detail and discusses the
environmental and social issues concerned
with each technology option.
Flagship projects: identification of six projects
covering a range of technologies with greatest
potential for short-term implementation.
Overall evaluation
The active participation of the community
was sought as a fundamental first step. Public
opinion is now in favour of trying to achieve
more than the ambitious target of 10% of
electricity generation supplied by RES by
2010 and making greater efforts to conserve
energy.
As a result of the project here is now a greater
technical knowledge; an awareness of the
potential of each technology; what the Island
can support in terms of generating capacity
and how to maximise local gain. On the other
hand, the project was unable to overcome
some local opposition to wind energy (mostly
onshore) as it is believed that it will spoil the
unique environment and landscape of the island.
Enabling factors
The Isle of Wight Council along with various
voluntary and community organisations participated
in public awareness campaigns. ITC
(Intermediate Technology Consultants) produced
technical and cost benefit analysis for
the study. The EC ALTENER programme
provided 50% of the funding. Gotland Energy
Agency became project partners and
acted in an advisory capacity.
Challenges
The study shows that the provisional targets
for local generation could be reached
although the necessary action has not yet
been taken.
Similarly, job opportunities and R&D have
not yet occurred, but the study has raised
awareness of the opportunities.
There was difficulty in analyzing the domestic
use of solid fuels and heating oil for the
baseline data. There would also be difficulty
in being entirely accurate about the renewable
energy potential although this was overcome
by stating upper and lower bounds.
Replication Potential
Similar analysis was undertaken on three
other UK islands at the same time. The same
methodology could be used anywhere but it
would be more difficult to map energy flows
in non-Island areas.
Change in perception of implementing
RES projects (1999 – 2003)
Planning obstacles to RES projects are decreasing
and there is likely to be a more positive
role for local authorities in promoting
RE.
More funding (grant-aid) is available and
greater public awareness of the need for
local generation.
The local population is more prepared to
work alongside the local authority to find
appropriate solutions for the local area.
The Anti-wind lobby is, on the other hand,
becoming more organized and more vocal.
Type of energy Practical Resource % Achievable Contribution
Wind
On-shore wind
Off-shore wind
Biomass
Anaerobic digestion using Dairy
cow
Centralised CHP plant
using 2.8 MW SRC and forest resi
Tidal Currents
Existing RDF/CHP Plant
PV
Lower Bound Upper bound Lower Bound Upper bound
12.0 MW 18.0 MW 5.1% 7.7%
0.0 MW 50.0 MW 0.0% 27.2%
0.2 MW 0.5 MW 0.3% 0.7%
2.8 MW 5.3 MW 3.6% 6.7%
0.0 MW 3.0 MW 0.0% 1.6%
1.7 MW 1.7 MW 1.1% 1.1%
0.0 MW 0.1 MW 0.0% 0.02%
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