Frequently Asked Questions

Mooir Vannin will deliver significant long-term benefits to the Isle of Man through:

• new government revenues from taxation and seabed lease payments
• investment in local communities through the Community Investment Fund
• opportunities for direct employment, local businesses and supply chains
• the potential to supply renewable electricity to the Island
• option to provide cheaper than wholesale electricity through the existing interconnector

Based on current application parameters, the project is estimated to contribute around £2 billion to the Isle of Man economy over its lifetime through taxation and rent alone.

The project would also establish a Community Investment Fund worth £1.5 million per year for the first 15 years of operation, supporting local community initiatives and projects.

In addition, the development of a major renewable energy project could help position the Isle of Man as part of the growing clean energy economy, supporting skills development and future investment opportunities.

Delivering benefits for the Isle of Man
View the Mooir Vannin Benefits Map

 

We are committed to bring power generated by Mooir Vannin to the Island should the Isle of Man Government and Manx Utilities choose to pursue it. Orsted has put forward two credible and viable options.

Under the first option, Mooir Vannin connects directly to the Isle of Man with a new Island Link to create a strategic long-term link between renewable energy generated in Manx territorial waters and the Island’s electricity system.

An alternative option instead uses the investment that would have been used to construct a direct connection to fund a long-term power purchase agreement (PPA). Under a PPA approach, the existing interconnector between the Isle of Man and UK would be used to deliver reduced cost electricity from Mooir Vannin for all Manx household and businesses.

Based on the current proposal of 87 turbines, initial analysis shows a PPA approach could support reductions in electricity bills of around 10% to 15% for residents and businesses across the Island. 

A PPA deal would be supported through Renewable Energy Guarantees of Origin (REGOs), which would allow the Isle of Man to verify that green power generated from Mooir Vannin is being supplied to the island – ensuring that Manx homes and businesses are backed by cheaper, homegrown renewable energy.
 
While Ørsted, as the generator of electricity, does not determine the retail prices paid by consumers, the initial analysis demonstrates the potential for Mooir Vannin to deliver lower cost electricity to the Island. Any future decisions on how savings are passed through to homes and businesses would ultimately rest with Manx Utilities and the Isle of Man Government.

Both options have the potential to improve energy security and provide access to stable, renewable electricity. The decision on which option is preferred is down to Manx Utilities and Isle of Man Government – it’s not in our gift to make that decision – but we continue to work closely with them to make it happen. 
 
Today, the Isle of Man’s average electricity demand is 40MW, peaks at about 75MW in winter and falls to as low as 25MW at night during summer. It is expected that the demand for electricity will increase on the Island over the 35-year lifetime of the wind farm. Under current plans, less than 10% of the power generated by Mooir Vannin would be needed to meet the Island’s current and forecast future electricity demand.

Even when accounting for future increases in electricity demand, offshore wind could form a major part of the Isle of Man’s long-term energy strategy.

A direct connection via the Island Link – including offshore cable works, landfall works and any works to connect to a suitable substation onshore - would be funded by Ørsted. We are working with Manx Utilities on feasibility options for power from the offshore wind farm to be connected to the Manx grid in the Douglas area. 

Once a connection point and capacity are defined then we will be able to assess, with Manx Utilities, what infrastructure will be required to connect to the Manx Grid. It will be agreed between the parties who will consent, construct and operate the Island link. 
 
The final cost would depend on the connection option selected, and the level of infrastructure required. 
 
Those decisions sit with Manx Utilities and the Isle of Man Government and would be subject to detailed technical and commercial assessment. 

Under the PPA agreement option, the power would be delivered via the existing Manx-1 IOM-UK Interconnector. The funds that would have been used for a direct connection would instead be used to fund a reduction in price of electricity of around 10% to 15%. Ørsted, as an electricity generator, does not set retail prices for consumers - any power generated by Mooir Vannin that was supplied to the Isle of Man would be sold to the consumer by Manx Utilities. However, initial analysis shows Mooir Vannin would lower the wholesale cost of electricity supplied to the Island. Any decisions on how savings are passed on to homes and businesses would ultimately sit with Manx Utilities and the Isle of Man Government.

Through taxation and rent alone, the estimated economic contribution of Mooir Vannin is around £2 billion over the lifetime of the project — equivalent to approximately £55–60 million per year based on current project application parameters.

These estimates are based on established modelling used for projects of this scale. Isle of Man Treasury’s Economic Advisory assessment, using its own modelling, has also supported the overall scale of the projected economic benefits.

This could represent approximately 3–4% of total Government revenue — a significant potential contribution to the Island’s economy.

In addition, Mooir Vannin would establish a £1.5 million annual Community Investment Fund for the first 15 years of operation to support local projects and initiatives. This Fund would be set up with the community, and they would decide how the system is used most effectively. Our Community Funds set up in the UK have invested £12.8million across 900 projects to date.

There is no financial requirement from Isle of Man residents or taxpayers for the wind farm itself.

The project is expected to cost around £4.5 billion and would be fully funded by Ørsted, including:

• development
• construction
• operation and maintenance
• decommissioning

Ørsted is fully responsible for decommissioning the wind farm and associated infrastructure. No financial burden would fall on the Isle of Man Government or Manx taxpayers.

An outline decommissioning plan has already been submitted as part of the application process. These plans are regularly reviewed and updated throughout a wind farm’s lifetime to reflect advances in technology and best practice.

Today, approximately 85–95% of a wind turbine can already be recycled. In 2021, Ørsted committed to ensuring that turbine blades from our projects are not sent to landfill. We continue to work with manufacturers and recycling specialists to improve turbine recycling technologies further. Manufacturers are also developing and using recyclable blades on new projects.

Ørsted also has direct experience of offshore wind decommissioning through the successful decommissioning of the Vindeby Offshore Wind Farm in Denmark.

As the Isle of Man’s territorial waters extend up to 22km offshore, any offshore wind farm would represent a change to parts of the seascape.

The application includes a series of verified visualisations showing what the project could look like from various viewpoints around the Island. These viewpoints were agreed with the Isle of Man Government and use calibrated photography and industry-standard visualisation methods.

Viewpoint from Ramsey North Shore Road

Viewpoint from Maughold Head

Viewpoint from Laxey Beach

Viewpoint from Douglas Bay

The application sets out a “maximum design scenario”, reflecting the largest turbine dimensions that could potentially be installed. This approach provides flexibility to use the best available technology at the time of construction while ensuring turbines could not exceed the assessed maximum size. The largest currently available offshore wind turbines being installed are in the region of 270-280 metres tip height (hub height around 200 metres high). It is anticipated that the next generation of turbines could potentially be significantly above 300m to tip height.

Following feedback received during Community Information Events, we have already reduced:

• the number of turbines from 100 to 87
• the maximum blade tip height to 350m
• the total site area from 97 square miles to 81 square miles.

Offshore wind energy has the potential to enhance the island’s Biosphere status – as wind energy generation supports the UN’s Sustainability Goals, which underpin the biosphere criteria.

The Isle of Man’s Biosphere designation recognises both environmental protection and sustainable development. Renewable energy generation supports global sustainability goals and the transition to lower-carbon energy systems.

The proposed turbines and offshore infrastructure are wholly located within the Biosphere’s Sustainable Development Areas, where economic activity and infrastructure are expected to coexist alongside environmental stewardship.

The development of Mooir Vannin is supported by detailed environmental assessment and mitigation work, designed to minimise impacts where required.

Ørsted is also a UNESCO Biosphere Partner on the Isle of Man and has committed to delivering a Net Positive Impact on biodiversity from all new renewable energy projects commissioned from 2030 onwards.

Protecting the marine environment is a key part of the project assessment process and Ørsted’s approach to delivering offshore wind farms.

The project is supported by a detailed Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and Protected Sites Assessment (PSA), which assess potential impacts on wildlife, habitats and ecosystems and identify mitigation measures where necessary.

These assessments are independently reviewed during the examination process with input from regulators, specialists, agencies and local stakeholders.

Offshore wind farms can also create artificial reef effects around foundations and exclusion areas, which can support marine biodiversity in some locations.

Ørsted works with scientists, environmental organisations and industry partners to improve understanding and minimise environmental impacts across all our projects. We’ve also set the ambition to deliver a Net Positive Impact (NPI) from all new renewable energy projects it commissions from 2030 – that will include Mooir Vannin.

Fishing activity can and does continue alongside offshore wind farms in many parts of the world, including around existing Ørsted projects. We’ve seen it in practice on our own windfarms – and there have been a number of studies that shows no detrimental impact due to offshore wind farms.

Under current proposals, permanent infrastructure such as turbines and cables would occupy less than 1% of the seabed in the overall array area. The majority of the site would remain open water.

We recognise the importance and unique nature of the Isle of Man fishing industry and continue to engage closely with Manx fishing representatives in the examination process.

No.

The application is currently going through an independent examination process. An independent panel will review the evidence before making recommendations to the Isle of Man Government, which will make the final decision.

This is the first project of this scale to go through the Island’s marine infrastructure consenting process, and we understand that residents have questions.

The purpose of the examination process is to ensure that all environmental, economic, visual and technical impacts are assessed in detail and that stakeholders and members of the public can participate fully to ensure all related views are heard.

We have been engaging with the Isle of Man community for several years to provide information to support informed discussion and interest.

This included Ørsted’s Community Information Events and formal Consultation process held across the Island as part of the pre-application process, in addition to the IoM Government’s own public consultation process last year.

View Consultation Report