Ecotricity builds Lincolnshire's first wind turbines

30th May 2002
The world's first green electricity company, Ecotricity, has begun work on Lincolnshire's first wind park. Two 600kW wind turbines, demonstrating the latest technology, are being built on a water treatment site in Mablethorpe. Once the turbines start generating power, in June, they will provide electricity for around 1107 local homes, nearly half of all households in the town.

Ecotricity has built turbines in Gloucestershire, Norfolk and Scotland, and would like to provide 10% of Lincolnshire's electricity from wind power, ahead of the Government's national target for 2010. This project alone will contribute 2.5% towards Lincolnshire's target to install 48MW of new wind power in the same time.

"We've made our customers a pledge to build new wind turbines in response to their needs and this is the first of many wind parks to fulfil this promise. It's a testament to the viability of wind power that Ecotricity's building programme is market led, without NFFO contracts or Government subsidy." - Dale Vince, Ecotricity.

The Mablethorpe wind turbines will prevent the annual emission of around 3,215 tonnes of Carbon Dioxide (CO2), 37 tonnes of Sulphur Dioxide (SO2) and 11 tonnes of Nitrogen Oxides (NOX), plus several tonnes of ash and slag.

Local contractors are laying foundations on the site in preparation for the arrival of the first wind turbines from Germany on 17th June. Once the site is ready it will only take two days to build each turbine. First the tower sections are constructed then the hub and blades are lifted into position 65m above the ground.

Lincolnshire businesses already powered by Ecotricity include franchises of The Body Shop in Grimsby, Scunthorpe, Skegness and Boston. Between them they are saving the environment 40 tonnes of CO2 emissions each year.