DEVELOPMENT of large-scale renewable energy in Jersey’s waters – particularly through wind turbines – is to be investigated as a ‘key priority’ by the new Environment Minister.
Deputy Jonathan Renouf said there was ‘a significant opportunity’ to generate electricity through wind, tidal and wave-based technologies.
His comments come just weeks after the recently retired former head of Jersey Met, John Searson, called for Members to urgently debate creating a network of wind turbines off the west coast at the limit of the Island’s waters.
Deputy Renouf said: ‘The Bridging Island Plan has already identified the potential to develop utility-scale renewable energy and I intend to start investigating how this can be progressed as a key priority.’
The Bridging Plan makes reference to an Offshore Wind Pre-Feasibility Study, which concluded that Jersey had ‘significant offshore wind potential’ and that extracting energy from 5% of the Island’s waters ‘would satisfy over three times Jersey’s current annual demand’.
Deputy Renouf said: ‘As Environment Minister, I’m very keen that we explore the exciting potential for green energy in our waters. There is a significant opportunity for the Island to become a producer of clean electricity, particularly through wind turbines, but also in the longer term through tidal and/or wave energy.’
He added: ‘These projects may also offer the chance to collaborate with our neighbours in the other Channel Islands and in France.’
The 2018 pre-feasability study also identified a potential area for a ‘large utility-scale offshore wind deployment’ west of the Island.
‘It’s too early to say exactly where it should be placed – that needs to be data-driven. There are environments that could be affected and lots of different impacts that would need to be considered,’ Deputy Renouf said.
‘One of the things to investigate is the method of funding, such as one where we don’t directly increase expenditure but invite a commercial enterprise to operate it under licence. It needs to be commercially viable and in the Island’s best interests,’ he added.
Last year, during the height of disputes over the post-Brexit fishing licensing regime – which gave Jersey the sole right to issue permits for commercial use of its waters – the then French Minister of the Sea Annick Girardin threatened that Jersey’s connection with the French grid could be cut off.
Last week it emerged that EDF – the supplier from which the bulk of the Island’s energy is imported – could be nationalised, with reports suggesting the French government was prepared to pay over eight billion euros to do so.
A spokesperson for Jersey Electricity said: ‘Jersey Electricity has enjoyed a longterm contract with EDF and has no reason to think anything would change if EDF is nationalised by the French government.’
A 2.4bn-euro French wind farm is currently being built off the north Brittany coast and is due to be completed next year.
