In a bid to become carbon neutral East Midlands airport will install four wind turbines.
The airport has been given permission to erect four wind turbines by the local council. This will make East Midlands the first UK airport to generate this form of energy. The turbines are expected to be operational by late 2008.
The 31.5 metre wind turbines will generate 10% of the airport’s energy and it is reckoned that the power they produce will contribute to making ground operations at East Midlands airport carbon neutral by 2012.
“In addition to the four wind turbines, we have increased the proportion of energy that comes from renewable sources and introduced a number of environmental measures such as our ‘green pier’ to reduce the impact on the environment. The turbines are another very substantial investment in environmental management by the airport,”
comments East Midlands airport MD, Penny Coates.
The ‘green pier’ gets heat from 27 boreholes, each 100 metres deep and cost East Midlands airport £6 million. The energy efficient pier is said to be five times more efficient than conventional heating sources. Every detail of energy saving has been looked into - even the toilets at the green pier only use rainwater for flushing.
The new wind turbines will have minimum impact on local residents - Screened from local houses, they will be located more than 800 metres from the nearest homes. The turbines are expected to produce an estimated carbon saving at East Midlands of 850 tonnes a year.
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