The company behind the proposed Mooir Vannin offshore wind farm has strongly criticised calls to defer the project in favour of exploring a gas field, branding the alternative a “speculative” venture.
Ørsted’s statement was issued in response to a story by Manx.News detailing a new proposal from Marque Oil and Gas.
Marque has called for the wind farm’s development to be paused while it appraises a gas field in Manx waters, which it claims could generate up to £4bn in tax revenue.
A spokesperson for the Mooir Vannin project said: “Attempts to delay a nationally significant renewable energy project on the basis of speculative exploration from an unproven venture are misplaced – similar promises have been made before and have repeatedly failed to materialise”.
Ambitions
They emphasised that the Danish energy firm Ørsted brings “unparalleled global experience” to deliver the Isle of Man’s renewable ambitions.
The company said: “The island deserves a credible and evidence-led energy future – and that is what the Mooir Vannin offshore wind farm would deliver”.
The wind farm’s application for marine infrastructure consent is currently undergoing an independent examination which the company described as “a formal legal process designed to focus on genuine, evidence-based concerns, rather than unsupported claims”.
Statement in Full
“The Isle of Man’s renewable energy ambitions are both achievable and critical to long-term energy security. Ørsted brings unparalleled global experience to help deliver those aims – with decades of experience of delivering complex projects in challenging environments. Attempts to delay a nationally significant renewable energy project on the basis of speculative exploration from an unproven venture are misplaced – similar promises have been made before and have repeatedly failed to materialise. The Island deserves a credible and evidence-led energy future – and that is what the Mooir Vannin offshore wind farm would deliver. We remain focused on providing the Isle of Man with a dependable, clean energy source with proposals grounded in evidence, expertise and genuine capability.”
“The examination is a formal legal process designed to focus on genuine, evidence-based concerns, rather than unsupported claims. It’s a structured assessment run by independent examiners whose job it is to challenge everyone involved – including the applicant, stakeholders and objectors – in order to provide a recommendation report to the Isle of Man Government. It’s a process built around transparency and facts – every issue is put under scrutiny and provides opportunity to ask detailed questions and test whether the points raised are real, relevant and backed by credible evidence.”