Ecotricity - green, alternative, efficiency, energy, green energy, renewable energy, sustainable energy, energy sources, alternative energy, solar, solarpower, solar power, solar energy, wind, windpower, wind power, wind turbines, wind farms, wind parks, wind energy, windmills, greenhouse, pollution, fuel, cells, cell, vehicles, geothermal, generation, cogeneration, biomass, power, green power, hydro, hydropower, ethical, environment, environmental, environmentally friendly, carbon dioxide, climate change, global warming, ocean, wave, electricity , green electricity, organic electricity, ecofriendly, ecofriendly electricity, ecopower, suppliers, contractors, providers, services, solutions, uk.

FINAL COUNTDOWN TO LIFT OFF
One week until completion of UK's tallest wind turbine

Embargoed until Friday July 4th 2003

The final countdown to the completion of the UK's tallest wind turbine has begun at Swaffham in Norfolk. Engineers and staff from Ecotricity, the UK's first green electricity company, are busy making preparations for the arrival of the turbine tower and blades that will slot into the concrete and steel base already on site.

Components are to be delivered to the site, located at Sporle Road, Swaffham, Norfolk, on Tuesday July 8th. The spectacular lift into place of the turbine hub and blades will take place on Friday 11th, weather permitting.

When complete the turbine will generate enough power for over 1200 homes and combined with the existing turbine erected in 1999 will supply 75 % of Swaffham's total home electricity requirements, boosting Norfolk's total wind power by 30 %. Swaffham II was built following demands from local people after the success of the town's first turbine.

Dale Vince, managing director of Ecotricity comments, "This turbine is the latest step in our mission to change the way electricity is produced in the UK. Swaffham proves that communities can insist on clean, locally generated power being made available to them, and our new tariff means they can buy green power at the same price as the local supplier."

For further information contact:
Clare Summers on 01453 769303 or Richard Tibenham on 01453 769326 or visit www.ecotricity.co.uk

Ends

Notes to Editors -

1. Ecotricity is the only licensed electricity company dedicated to building urgently needed new green energy capacity to replace conventional polluting sources of electricity.

2. The building of Swaffham II is also part of Ecotricity's ambitious strategy to supply one million homes with its groundbreaking new green electricity tariff. The tariff, which is available to households throughout the country, won't cost customers more than conventional electricity, because Ecotricity match local electricity supplier prices.

Swaffham II facts
Rotor diameter - 70m
Capacity - 1.8MW
Hub height - 85m
Carbon dioxide - (CO2) savings 3,500 tonnes
Generation kWh - 4 million
Sulphur dioxide (SO2) savings - 40 tonnes
Equivalent homes -1,258
Nitrogen oxide (NOX) savings - 10 tonnes

For further information contact:
Richard Tibenham tel: 01453 769326 email: richard.tibenham@ecotricity.co.uk or
Clare Summers tel: 01453 769303 email: clare.summers@ecotricity.co.uk