With a planning application due to be submitted to the Isle of Wight council in the coming months by Perpetuus Tidal Energy Centre (PTEC), opposition to the project has been reignited.
PTEC say the project will harness tidal energy as a renewable, reliable source of electricity and if consent is granted, onshore construction work is anticipated to commence in 2023.
Substation consultation
Prior to the planning permission being submitted, PTEC are holding a consultation (you may have seen the ads on this site), seeking feedback about the onshore substation planned for Flowers Brook in Ventnor.
Save The Wight Coast
A group calling themselves ‘Save The Wight Coast’, who have over 2,000 followers on Facebook, say they’ve begun distributing leaflets and “will be working hard to cover all parts of the Island”.
A spokesperson for the campaign says,
“In my view, this is a sham consultation process by a group that doesn’t have the resources to build this unviable, greenwash project.”
Recent developments
As reported by News OnTheWight in November 2020, PTEC has joined forces with The European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC), Orkney, Scotland for the creation of a large-scale tidal energy site off the south coast of the Isle of Wight.
Earlier last year there was controversy over the former Conservative Cabinet’s decision to extend the £1m loan to PTEC, after it was called in for further scrutiny.
For more information see the PTEC Consultation Website and the Save the Wight Coast Facebook Page.
Image: © PTEC
