Wind turbines take off at EMA
East Midlands Airport has been granted permission by North West Leicestershire District Council to install four turbines on site. EMA will be the first UK airport to install four 31.5 metre wind turbines. The Airport has announced that the green energy makers will be up and running by late 2008.
The four turbines are expected to produce up to 225kw each, which is enough to power 503 houses per annum and result in an estimated carbon saving of 850 tonnes per annum.
The location of each turbine has been carefully selected in order to ensure that the turbines are well screened with little impact on local residents. The four turbines will be located more than 800 metres from the closest property and will not be audible from any residential property.
The turbines, which will generate 10% of the Airport’s energy, are an important step in the Airports commitment to make its ground operations carbon neutral by 2012. Over the last 10 years the Airport has invested more than £3 million in environmental initiatives and monitoring, from emission control to waste management and surface water management.
In 2007 the Airport demonstrated it’s commitment to green energy by extending the departure lounge with a new green pier costing £6 million. The new pier with a high level walkway from the existing departure lounge was constructed to cater for increasing passenger numbers. The energy efficient pier obtains heat from 27 boreholes, each 100 metres deep, this is five times more efficient than other heating sources. In addition the toilets use rain water for flushing and all lighting is natural or low energy, reducing the impact on the environment.
Penny Coates, East Midlands Airport Managing Director said: “We are delighted with the news. The four turbines are a step closer to delivering on the promise we made in our Master Plan. 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.’
For more information contact:
EMA Press Office
Tel: 0845 108 8542
Email: pressoffice@eastmidlandsairport.com