“Are we going to Ban the TT?” — Isle of Man Green Party

On Wednesday 22 May 2019, MHK for Ayre & Michael Tim Baker, arguably in a provocative manner, suggested that the motion before Tynwald for net zero Isle of Man carbon emissions by 2035 was a precursor to policies such as banning the TT. Such an unfortunate suggestion not only misdirected the debate by placing fear against the introduction of policies to bring about the sustainable and equitable future for generations to come in the Isle of Man, but in doing so Mr Baker fundamentally failed to grasp and appreciate the success in the 10th anniversary of the first electric motorbike race on Island.

In 2009, the TTXGP was launched with electric bikes lapping at average speeds of around 87 miles per hour. The following year came the TT Zero race and a lap record of 96.8 miles per hour; the TT Zero race has run every year thereafter to this year. In 2018, established TT rider Michael Rutter took the new lap record of 121.8 miles per hour in the SES sponsored race.

In 2009, with the introduction of TTXGP the Isle of Man led the World of commercial motorsport with a vision for low carbon emission racing. Since that time, established brands such as MotoGP and the FIA have followed the Island’s lead and introduced electric series in the form of Moto E and Formula E respectively.

One team in particular, this year is attempting to break new boundaries in Isle of Man and global electric motorsport. Duffy Motorsport, running two bikes in the TT Zero, has signed up with the support of Kast Energy Technologies to power its electric bikes with self-generated renewable electricity via Kast’s trailer of 2kw photovoltaic panels and a battery storage combination. Kes Scott, Managing Director of Kast observed that the Duffy Motorsport and Kast partnership is a proof of concept for renewable energy and electric motorsport, and that exactly as the TT races worked to develop the international combustion engine 100 years ago, “the technology [from the TT Zero] will cascade into the commercial market” of today.

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