UNESCO Biosphere IOM Partnership

Manx Utilities is a proud partner of UNESCO Biosphere Isle of Man and has made the following pledges:

• protect our natural resources
• develop our economy in a sustainable way
• support and promote our cultural heritage
• make our environmental impact positive wherever possible
• engage with the local community
• promote our outstanding living landscape and seascape through active involvement with UNESCO Biosphere Isle of Man

Overall, we want to be our Island’s trusted supplier of essential utility services so that our community can thrive and harness the many opportunities our Island presents, safe in the knowledge that we’re here to support them.   Here’s how we uphold the vision of a sustainable future and are working towards meeting our Biosphere pledges?

NetZero

We are committed to working with the Isle of Man Government to enable the Island to achieve the target of 35% reduction in emissions by 2030 and 45% by 2035.  We recognise our responsibility to provide electricity from renewable sources to enable the Island’s residents and businesses to reach this target. Manx Utilities will achieve this through its Transition Programme, which will change the way we operate and deliver power for our Island.

Smarter Living

Manx Utilities also believes that demand side initiatives are a fundamental element of holistic resource efficiency and our Smarter Living Programme , which aims to support the Manx community to reduce its carbon footprint is key to this.

The rollout of 50,000 smart meters and creation of a smart grid is helping us more accurately and efficiently understand demands on the network, including how to safely and reliably ‘feed in energy’ from renewable sources is impacting on our system’s performance.  Smart meters are enabling our customers to review consumption habits and make informed decisions on their own energy consumption, which in turn, may help them to save money on their bills and reduce their own carbon footprint.  Over 900 customers are utilising our Sustainable Generation tariff, which supports the connection of renewable energy.  It is estimated that this equates to 7MW of renewable generation capacity with installed capacity growing at approximately 1MW per year. 

Air Source Heat pumps and Electric Vehicles

We support the adoption of low carbon heating via our Comfy Heat tariff.  We are responsible for the installation of the public electric vehicle charging network across the Island, in addition to providing an electric vehicle charging tariff.  We are updating our fleet to electric vehicles as far as practicable.

Regional Wastewater Treatment Strategy

Our investments in regional wastewater treatment are contributing to cleaner beaches and improved bathing water standards.  The final two catchment projects to address the cessation of raw sewage to sea are progressing.  Contractors have mobilised in Peel, with the remaining catchment of Garff having a scheduled planning submission targeted for summer 2025.

Wastewater

Work continues on the rehabilitation of our wastewater network which reduces infiltration and blockages, providing significant environmental benefits. Replacement of aging wastewater treatment works and modernizing CSOs (Combined Sewer Overflows) further improves our marine and aquatic environments.

Water Resources

We manage our raw water resources to balance the generation of renewable energy with customer demand and environmental needs.

We pride ourselves on the provision of crystal-clear drinking water to the Island's population.  Critical to that is the recognition that the environment is our most precious resource and that protection and enhancement of it is key to its sustainable use.  Whilst reservoir safety is at the forefront of operations, the sites are sympathetically managed to maintain and enhance biodiversity wherever possible.  By working alongside DEFA, the Peatland Partnership and land managers, we ensure that the catchments are protected, and the water collected in the Island’s reservoirs is of excellent quality before it goes through the treatment process and out to customers.

The Island’s average water use is one of the highest rates in the British Isles. In response, we have adopted advanced satellite technology to detect leaks more efficiently. This major project has improved the speed and accuracy of leak repairs, cutting down water loss and helping to protect the Island’s supply. In addition, more than 22 kilometres of old water mains were replaced over the past year, almost double the annual target, reducing the risk of bursts and strengthening the network for years to come.

We provide advice on water conservation via our 'Use Water Wisely' campaign and recognise that reducing customer demand for water will minimise both treatment and pumping requirements, therefore reducing carbon emissions.

Hydro Power

The Sulby Hydro-electric Station has been generating renewable energy for the Island for over 40 years and provides an annual output of up to 4 gigawatt hours.

Subsea Electricity Interconnector

We have successfully operated the subsea electricity interconnector cable for nearly 25 years.  The cable comes ashore at Port Skillion, within the Little Ness Marine Nature Reserve.  The nature reserve was expanded to encompass the cable to protect both the asset and the seabed from dredging activity.  It is one of the most species-rich marine nature reserves on the Island’s coastline.  The Interconnector will be a fundamental asset within our Energy Transition Programme.

Power Stations & Carbon Emissions

Our diesel power stations are now only used for a limited number of hours each year to support the security of the electricity supply and to protect the Isle of Man from extremes in UK electricity prices.  Additionally, these engines are fed from ultra-low sulphur diesel, being the cleanest liquid fuel available for this type of engine.

The Combined Cycle Gas Turbine Power Station at Pulrose is operated on natural gas and used in conjunction with the subsea power interconnector to provide the bulk of the electricity for the Island, resulting in much lower emissions than equivalent diesel generators.

As part of the transition programme, we report on our carbon emissions monthly and verify our greenhouse gas emission levels every two years.  We are developing an operating regime to progressively reduce our emissions in line with the IOMG Greenhouse gas emissions objectives, whilst maintaining reliability and affordability of the supply.

Environmental Management System

We understand the need to strive for operational carbon neutrality and are working toward this goal. We are establishing an environmental management system to better manage our environmental impacts in a systematic, proactive and sustainable way. We recognise the importance of the natural environment and work closely with DEFA and the Manx Wildlife Trust towards the delivery of the Biodiversity Strategy 2015-2025.

Staff Initiatives

We support wildlife in local areas and on our sites with the installation of bat and nesting boxes, plus bird feeding stations.  We also undertake some native wildflower planting.

We can’t provide our services without the excellent skills that our staff have developed.  We nurture our staff so that they can be the best that they can be.  We promote the use of our indigenous population and provide them with opportunities for long and prosperous careers.