Press release
Transition Isle of Man gets underway
29 February 2008. The Island's recent Energy Expo saw the launch of Transition Isle of Man, a grass roots initiative whose aim is to increase the Island's self-reliance in the face of 'peak oil' – the point at which world oil production reaches its all-time peak before going into decline forever.
Agriculture Minister and Transition Isle of Man steering group member Phil Gawne MHK said, "A lot of interest was generated from the Transition Isle of Man stand at the Expo. More and more people are realising the urgent need to develop renewable energy alternatives and boost local food production in the light of rapid fossil fuel depletion. Living as we do in an Island that depends on imported oil and gas for over 99% of its energy needs and imports a lot of food too, Transition is something we need to embrace at every level as a community."
This view on renewable energy was reinforced by a report commissioned by the DTI and carried out by energy consultants Aquaterra. The report concluded that wind and tidal projects represent the best renewable energy potential for the Island.
John Rimington, former Environment Minister and Transition Isle of Man steering group member, gave the closing talk at the Expo. He said "With rapidly increasing fossil fuel prices, our first choice must be learning to use less energy whether in the home, at work or when travelling. The Island has been slow to embrace renewable energy and we are many years behind other communities. We are well endowed with renewable energy sources; both offshore and onshore wind power in particular, but also undersea tidal power, the clean burning of waste wood, bio-gas from farm waste and many other options. Surely the time for change has come."
Transition Isle of Man is part of the Transition Towns movement currently sweeping the UK. With almost 200 places from Brighton to Bristol signed up, the Isle of Man could be the first entire nation to get on board. The idea of Transition is that the community works together to find ways of ensuring its energy and food security. Examples of this might range from community-owned wind farms to the provision of allotments for everyone who wants them.
And this is far from a 'fringe' initiative. Peak oil is increasingly making headline news across the globe. Richard Branson, for example, on last week's launch of a test flight part-fuelled by coconut oil, said, "Apart from global warming, in about four or five years' time there's going to be more demand for fuel than there is fuel on this planet. So fuel prices will go through the roof, and so planes, ships, we've all got to come up with alternatives."
Transition in the Isle of Man is currently being driven forward by a group of people from all walks of life, who got together after learning about peak oil and its implications for our everyday lives. The coming months will see a range of events taking place, including film screenings, talks in schools and community meetings.
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For more information or to get involved in Transition Isle of Man, call Alice Quayle on 07624 307842 or Janet Lees on 01624 823253. For more on peak oil and transition: www.powerswitch.org.uk and www.transitiontowns.org.
To view and download the Aquaterra report: www.gov.im/dti/Energy/