Welcome to the Isle of Wight: yachting mecca, tourist haven ... and eco trailblazer

Plan to become world's greenest island by harnessing energy from wind, tides and farmyard waste
Spinnakers fly during Cowes Week off the Isle of Wight coast.
Spinnakers fly during Cowes Week off the Isle of Wight coast. Photographer: Chris Ison/PA

Its dramatic coastline, sunshine and sea breezes attract more than 2 million visitors a year, but now the Isle of Wight's natural resources could be harnessed as part of a plan to make it the world's largest eco island.

In the next few weeks, plans will be unveiled to run the island entirely on renewable energy, develop tidal power to export to the mainland, harness the waste of its 5,500 cows to run its buses, and encourage people to leave their cars on the mainland.

Other ideas being considered include turning some roads into single track lanes to give cyclists and horse riders equal space with motorists, and offering free power to all electric vehicles.

The intention is to make Queen Victoria's favourite holiday destination completely carbon neutral within a decade, with some of the most energy-efficient public buildings and housing estates in Britain

Isle of Wight council executives are in preliminary talks with the architect Sir Terry Farrell, who is helping to develop the world's largest eco city in China, and Southampton University, which is investigating the island's energy potential.

It is believed to have the most powerful tides in the UK after the Severn estuary, and could provide as much power as several stations if it was better connected to the national grid.

Council officers said yesterday they were convinced that going green was the surest way to lift the economy, which is dominated by tourism but in the past was famous for developing the hovercraft and flying boats.

Although the island is known for its wealthy yachting community, it now has the second lowest wage levels in the UK, and more than 25% of people are on benefits. Nearly half the 130,000 inhabitants are over 50.

To outsiders, the island is already well ahead of most of the rest of the UK when it comes to the environment. More than half its land is designated an area of outstanding natural beauty, its coastline is nearly all protected, and its waters are clean. Although it still throws most of its waste into landfill sites, it is now applying to be one of 25 European "geo-parks" because of its unique geology, which regularly sees bits of dinosaurs turning up on its beaches after storms.

"We are very well positioned to be the greenest island in Europe," said council chief executive, Joe Duckworth. "I really sense that this is the way forward. It will happen. The idea is to create wealth and reduce our carbon footprint. We could be a major exporter of green energy from tidal power alone. The technology is there, the finance is there and everyone is very keen."

Analysts agree the potential is great. In a report written for the council, Intermediate Technology Consultants concluded: "It could have a biodiesel production plant, making use of waste vegetable oil, and rapeseed grown on set-aside land could produce 2.4m litres of biodiesel a year. This would provide enough diesel to meet the needs of the Island Waste Services, Wightbus, and Southern Vectis diesel fleet."

But to go really green the island will have to address its growing consumption. Recent analysis of the island's economy carried out by Imperial College London academics found that its ecological footprint was less than half that of the rest of Britain and below the average in Europe. But it was increasing every year.

"The island's ecological footprint exceeds the average sustainable 'earth share'," said the report from Best Foot Forward. "If everyone on the planet consumed as much as the average Isle of Wight resident we would require over two and a half planets to sustainably support the global resource, or the population would need to reduce consumption by 56%."

Yesterday islanders seemed divided on the outline plans. "We certainly don't want wind power here. It would be far better if we just banned people coming to the island. We should declare independence. We have a major population problem every summer," said Elaine Sanders, who lives near Ryde, the island's largest town with a population of about 30,000.

But Danny Arthur, working in Harwoods yacht chandlers in Yarmouth, said: "I think it's a great idea. I'm young and we have to look to the future."

Wight stuff: island facts


permanent residents live in an area of


square miles (380 sq km). It is a popular tourism destination, hosting

2.7 million

visitors a year.

· Karl Marx and Winston Churchill used to go there for rest and relaxation.

· Tourism provides one in four jobs.

· The island is home to many rare plants and animals, including a thriving population of red squirrels.

· The first Cowes Regatta was held in 1812. Cowes Week is now the world's biggest international yachting event.

· In 1897, the world's first radio station was set up on the island by Guglielmo Marconi.

· Film director Anthony Minghella was born there, as were actor Jeremy Irons and Thomas Arnold, headmaster of Rugby school.

· A new species of cat-like dinosaur was discovered on the island in 1988. The 12ft-long creature was equipped with claws, razor sharp teeth and long hind legs.

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