Can electricity be decarbonised on the Isle of Man?

Electricity generation is responsible for approximately 33% of all greenhouse gas emissions on the Isle of Man, and a majority of this is currently sourced from fossil fuels (natural gas). Without the decarbonisation1 of electricity, it will not be possible to reduce carbon emissions significantly in other areas such as heating and transport.

Where does the Isle of Man electricity come from?

The majority of the Isle of Man’s electricity is currently sourced from fossil fuels. The interconnector is a source of carbon neutral electricity on island and also provides a route to export electricity to the GB Market.

Does the Isle of Man import energy from the UK?

The Isle of Man currently imports all of its energy from the UK (with the exception of what is produced from Sulby). In all future models, the Isle of Man remains dependent on GB for the provision of baseload. This is the case even where capacity is increased by building excess renewables, as the stabilisation is still provided by interconnectors.

Why does the Isle of Man export electricity from the CCGT?

GB is often short of dispatchable generation when intermittent renewables are not available, allowing the Isle of Man to export electricity produced from the CCGT. Emissions from electricity generated in the Isle of Man are attributed to the Island’s Greenhouse Gas inventory, even if this power is exported for use in the UK.

Will the Isle of Man be short of baseload power?

Both UK and RoI are predicted to become short of baseload power over the next decade. Opportunities for the Isle of Man to provide stabilising power to GB or ROI from a large-scale baseload power station, e.g. biomass or a small modular reactor? Neither option is without challenge, but likely provide the greatest potential for export.

How are emissions affecting the Isle of Man?

Consequently, emissions in this sector are increasing as other sectors decarbonise and electrify. Electricity generation (including emissions from both the Manx Utilities and the Energy from Waste plant) is currently the dominant source of carbon emissions on the Isle of Man, accounting for 33% of the island’s emissions at 245KT per year.