FAQs

Is natural gas harmful to the environment?

As the cleanest fossil fuel, natural gas is the ideal solution while the Isle of Man transitions towards renewables and a zero carbon future. To generate energy, natural gas has a lower environmental impact than burning coal or fuel oil. Natural gas produces significantly lower greenhouse gas emissions and carbon released into the atmosphereREAD MORE

What is the role of natural gas in the Island’s transition to renewable energy?

As the cleanest fossil fuel, natural gas is the ideal solution while the Isle of Man transitions towards renewables and a zero carbon future. In support of this, the 2018 IPCC report tacitly acknowledges that natural gas is part of the energy mix until at least 2050.  READ MORE

How does natural gas support the Island’s existing infrastructure?

Natural gas is an integral part of the Island’s energy mix and will play an important part of the transition to renewable energy.    The Island’s power station at Pulrose has a working life until at least 2030’s and is reliant on natural gas. The Isle of Man has also significantly invested in the all-Island natural gas infrastructure used by approximately 20,000 residential and business customers. As the cleanest fossil fuel, natural gas is the ideal solution while the Isle of Man transitions towards renewables and a zero carbon future. READ MORE

How does natural gas appraisal and development fit with the recent IPCC Climate Change Report?

The IPCC Climate Change Report finalised in October 2018 (called SR15) is seen as a landmark document which has raised the profile of our future energy supply among other issues. The report tacitly recognises that there will be a constant need for natural gas up to 2050.  Natural gas is the low carbon transition fuel needed to reduce global dependency on high carbon fossil fuels over the next thirty yearsREAD MORE

Renewable energy & natural gas, working together

This should not be a one vs the other discussion. The Island has an existing gas infrastructure with a power station reliant on gas until beyond 2030. The Island is in a transition phase to a renewable future and is committed to achieving their targets by 2050. Gas will play an important role in how this is achieved, both in building renewable infrastructure and potentially in supporting this into the future. For example, it is recognised that gas turbines are an effective way to support renewable technology to meet the shortfall when the wind stops blowing or the sun goesREAD MORE

Will the appraisal and development impact the proposed wind farm in the same location?

Ørsted (formerly Dong Energy), a Danish wind farm operator has signed an agreement with the Isle of Man Government to carry out preliminary investigations for a potential offshore wind farm in the Irish sea. The location of the proposed wind farm is in the Crogga licence block. It will take several years to complete investigations and construction is not expected to start any time before 2020. The proposed wind farm will generate 700MW of energy which will all be exported back to the UK. We will liaise closely with Ørsted as required but as has been stated by an ØrstedREAD MORE