Talks will take place with the UK Government to see if it would support any renewable energy projects in Manx waters.

But Manx Environment Minister Geoffrey Boot admitted his Westminster counterparts had more pressing matters at the moment, with the Brexit fiasco.

He was responding to a House of Keys question from Lawrie Hooper (LibVannin, Ramsey) who wanted to know whether schemes in Manx waters would qualify for the UK Contract for Difference scheme, which supports low-carbon energy projects.

Mr Boot said it did not but added: ’In August 2014 the UK issued a document, Contract for Difference for Non-UK Renewable Electricity Projects, which considered the benefits of supporting renewable electricity projects located outside of the UK.

’I have raised this matter personally with the relevant UK ministers on at least three occasions, discussing eligibility of Isle of Man projects.

’The most recent letter I received on this matter was in August 2018 from the Minister of State for Energy and Clean Growth and it was answering in that vein.’

But he warned that it would need a law change in the UK and it was ’not their number one priority’, given the Brexit situation.

Mr Boot said he planned to raise the matter at the next meeting of the British-Irish Council.

Mr Hooper said that UK Government support would be a ’win-win’ for both jurisdictions, given that a lot of Manx electricity generated was sold to UK markets. He urged Mr Boot to keep pushing the UK.

The minister said: ’Ã?rsted, formerly Dong, have an agreement for lease for a wind turbine array that would produce 700 megawatts.

’But it is essential for them to go ahead with that scheme - that some kind of contract is in place. So we are working very hard on that.’