The Isle of Wight has always held a promotion position in the discussion around the UK’s fight against climate change. This is partly because it is located off the south coast of England, close to the country’s largest wind power farms. Meanwhile, the island is a major manufacturing hub for Vestas, the world’s largest manufacturer of wind turbines.
All of this means that, when it comes to the UK’s greener future, the Isle of Way has an important role to play. If you’re wondering exactly what role the Isle of Wight is playing right now, read on to find out the most exciting green projects taking place in 2022.
A destination for EV motorists
We’ve all been reminded that the future of driving is electric. Perhaps that is why so many people in the UK and beyond have been enthusiastically choosing to buy Tesla stock, the largest EV manufacturer in the world. Anyone in the Isle of Wight who has been using trading platforms to buy and sell Tesla stock might have been spurred on by the fact that the Council has committed record investment for EV infrastructure this year.
The Councils’ dedicated Office for Zero-Emission Vehicles committed to installing at least 10 new charging stations within the next few months. If this pace of development keeps up, the Isle of Wight could soon have more EV charging points per capita than almost anywhere else in the UK.
Wind turbine expansion
Wind power has frequently been touted as the future of the Isle of Wight’s economy, and it seems that the business world is in agreement. This certainly seems to be the view of Vestas, the Danish green energy company that is currently the world’s largest manufacturer of wind turbines.
The company announced in March 2022 that it would be manufacturing its next-generation, ultra-efficient wind turbine blades at its Isle of Wight manufacturing complex, adding at least 50 new jobs to the 650 already on-site. The blades are expected to be used for a major European offshore wind project, potentially adding up to hundreds of millions of pounds in revenue over the next few years.
Zero waste delivery
Not all the green future projects on the Isle of Wight are massive, big-money initiatives. One of the most inspiring recent developments has come from a local small business, Island Refillery. They recently launched a zero-waste delivery initiative, where buyers of their household cleaning and personal care products can have all of their bottles refilled on their doorstep, without needing to throw out and replace them.
As a kicker, Island Refillery arrives at all of its door-to-door refills via a zero-emissions electric van. It is small, local initiatives like this that could help to build the foundations of a truly sustainable, carbon-neutral economy on the Isle of Wight.
All the UK continues to make major investments in a greener future, the Isle of Wight remains at the forefront. 2022 promises to be a jam-packed year in the Island’s fight against a changing climate.
