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Monday, 22 October 2007 |
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BT aims for 25% wind power by 2016.
UK incumbent BT has unveiled ambitious plans to develop wind farms aimed at generating up to 25% t of its existing
UK electricity requirements by 2016. The company says the wind farm scheme represents the
UK's biggest corporate wind power project outside of the energy sector. The project, costing up to £250m, will bring together third party funding and renewable energy partners to safeguard future supplies of clean, green energy for BT as part of the company’s strategy to reduce carbon emissions.
BT is one of
Britain’s biggest consumers of electricity, with an annual requirement of around 0.7% of the
UK’s entire consumption. BT’s wind farms could generate a total of 250MW of electricity – enough to meet the power needs of 122,000 homes or a city the size of
Coventry. This would prevent the release of 500,000 tonnes of CO2 each year compared with coal generation – equivalent to a quarter of a million return air trips to
New York.
BT is currently identifying high wind-yield sites on or adjacent to BT-owned land for development with the aim of generating power from 2012 onwards. It has been confirmed that BT has applied for planning permission for test masts at Goonhilly Satellite Earth Station in
Cornwall, Wideford Hill Radio Station in Orkney and Scousburgh Radio Station in Shetland.
Subject to planning consent and suitable sites being secured, BT’s wind farms would have a total installed generating capacity of around 100MW by 2012, equivalent to around fifty wind turbines, with the remaining 150MW targeted by 2016.
“There is a pressing need for industry to cut carbon in ways that make business sense. BT has already achieved a 60% reduction in its carbon emissions, and is committed to reducing them further to 80% by 2016. Our wind energy plans play an important part in reaching that target,” states Hanif Lalani, BT group finance director. “Broadband technology is already cutting the need to travel, through home working and video conferencing. This makes sense for our shareholders, and also for our staff and customers who are looking to us to work in a more environmentally friendly way.”
John Williamson |
