Renewable energy sparks forum

A STUDY group from the School of Civil Engineering and the Environment at Southampton University are examining ways of providing cheaper electricity from a renewable source for Sark residents.

At present, the island is totally reliant for electricity on diesel, which has to be shipped in at the rate of 600,000 litres annually for Sark Electricity's 300 or so customers to provide power for a 350kW peak demand.

That was disclosed at last week's Sark Chamber of Commerce forum aimed at finding out the island's position on renewable energy.

Sark Electricity's David Gordon-Brown opened the forum and said that the continued use of diesel was unsupportable as far as the company was concerned. He added that economic and ecological issues would also drive the company towards a renewable source of energy.

Two members of the university study group, John Tanner and Nick Fidoe, gave a short presentation in which they explained that the project was designed to reduce the cost of electricity to Sark residents - at present it's more than 50p a unit - and because diesel was too expensive, they were examining other options.

They said that they were focusing on a renewable energy source on a small scale, at low cost, which would be of simple design and easy construction. One idea they are currently examining is the construction of a simple paddle wheel pump that would provide water for a micro hydro-electricity station on shore.

Earlier, Roger Olsen - who is a co-opted member of the General Purposes and Advisory Committee, with specific responsibility for examining renewable energy prospects on a much larger scale than simply for domestic use - gave an update of exactly where Sark is in relation to the legislative framework and other issues which will have to be in place before there is any notion of selling power generated by tidal sources to Europe.

He said that two sites with potential had been identified within Sark territorial waters but stressed that there was still a long way to go before the island could receive any financial benefit and, as he said with a smile, reduce our taxes.

That will be a first, I thought, as he said it. Governments don't reduce taxes - they just find other things to spend our money on and despite its often parsimonious approach (down to a price rather than up to a standard), I can't see Chief Pleas being the exception to the rule.

There was an excellent question and answer session following the presentations, during which it became apparent that Sark residents appear pleased that the electricity company itself is doing something to achieve the dual purpose of reducing extremely high energy prices and the island's dependence on a non-renewable energy source.

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Carnival Committee chairwoman Puffin Taylour has already started distributing posters for this year's Sark Week of Scarecrows, despite the fact that it's not due to be held until the last week in May.

This year's theme is legends and the poster gives potential entrants a few ideas. These include Disney characters and others as diverse as Robin Hood, Superman, Marilyn Monroe, Fred Flintstone, sportsmen Sir Ian Botham and Mohammed Ali and King Henry VIII, to name but a few. However, as Puffin is at pains to point out, entries are not restricted to the illustrations on the poster.

Perhaps someone will make a scarecrow depicting a Sark legend. I can think of a few and some of them are still alive, although there's no way I'll chance my arm and identify either them or what makes them legendary.

* The email address for comment is fallesark@sark.net.