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GreenWeek
ClickGreen’s review of all the week’s news, views, research and analysis with a focus on low carbon and sustainability
Volume 20: Oct 25, 2013
UK looks for two-year delay on
EU 2020 renewable energy target
Isle of Man’s impressive low-carbon plans could have knock-on effect for UK
By Stuart Qualtrough
D ECC chiefs are looking to
exploit a clause that will
allow it to extend the
legally binding renewable
energy targets set by the EU for
2020 by a further two years.
They have held discussions
behind closed doors with
neighbouring non-EU islands, such
as the Isle of Man, Jersey and
Guernsey that will allow their
renewable energy generation to
be counted in the UK total.
Of?cials discovered a clause
in the European directive that
allows the UK an extra two
years beyond 2020 to build
up the green energy it takes in
from non-EU states.
And now islands like the Isle
of Man are on track to have
thousands of megawatts of wind
energy connected to the UK’s
National Grid by 2020 – with more
planned to come online in the
following two years.
But the decision by DECC
to postpone the deadline has
been met by criticism from
industry leaders, who accuse
the Government of “shifting
the goalposts on renewable
energy... again”.
The targets were set by EU
leaders in March 2007, when they
committed Europe to becoming a
highly energy-ef?cient, low-carbon
economy, and were enacted
through the climate and energy
Isle of Man looks to tap into the scramble to meet renewable energy targets
package in 2009.
As part of the ambitious goal of
raising the share of EU energy
consumption produced from
renewable resources to 20%, the
UK’s 2020 target is one of the
lowest across the EU’s 27 member
states at just 15%.
Of?cial energy statistics
published in July by the Government
con?rm that the UK has missed its
indicative renewable energy target
for 2011-12, meaning it had fallen
behind schedule on installing a 16%
year-on-year increase in renewable
energy capacity.
Only the overall 2020 target is
legally binding, but DECC will now
be required to submit an amended
national renewable energy action
plan to the European Commission
by 30th June next year, setting
out measures to get the country
back ‘on track’.
And now of?cials at DECC
have discovered an opt-out that
Any attempt to move
the goalposts at this
stage would seriously
undermine investor
con?dence
Maf Smith,
RenewableUK
will buy the UK Government a
two-year postponement while
neighbouring non-EU states
scramble to plug the gap.
The Isle of Man is in pole
position to transform its economy
and cash-in on the dash for green
power as it looks to lease out
areas of its 4,000km² territorial
seabed to wind energy developers.
The Manx Government has
already been approached by wind
energy companies that are
attracted to the island’s ideal
position with consistent wind and
shallow waters.
Senior Manager for Energy
Policy Ken Milne told GreenWeek
that the Isle of Man Government is
currently reworking its consenting
process and will be in a position
to start inviting expressions of
interests from developers by
December or January.
“We have spoken to a number of
developers already,” he said. “And
we are happy to talk to more.
“We are making great efforts to
provide best practice and ensure
we can provide a business friendly
environment to deliver the best
return possible for all parties. This
is an enormous opportunity.
“We are looking to appoint our
?rst in developer in 2014 and
within ?ve or six years have our
?rst wind farms fully operational.”
Ken Milne added: “By 2020, we
could have a thousand mega-watts’
continued on page 7