Update: B&Q's 2MW Turbine Approved in Record Time
by Sami Grover, Carrboro, NC, USA on 01.15.08
All too often we hear about public opposition to wind turbines, so we were thrilled back in November to hear that there was strong indications of widespread support for a plan by B&Q (the UK equivalent to Home Depot) to erect a 2mw wind turbine at its distribution headquarters in Nottinghamshire. Well, it seems like those indications were correct – planning permission for the project has been granted, and in record time. Ecotricity, the developer behind the project, argue that this is a prime example of how the system should work:
This one went through in record time, three months to get through planning is pretty good going. Actually that's the speed these things are supposed to take but rarely do. If we're to seriously address climate change we need a planning system that performs like this as a rule rather than the exception to it - fingers crossed somebody in government (or opposition) may be listening...Once we get planning permission we don't hang around. We're planning to have this up and running by this time next year. And then each year for the next 30 years it'll power the whole distribution site and save an estimated 5,000 tonnes of CO2 from being emitted - in it's lifetime that's around 150,000 tonnes of CO2. A very worthwhile contribution. B&Q deserve credit for that.
To get some idea of how these things get constructed, check out this stunning video of the installation of a previous project in Avonmouth Docks near Bristol. ::Ecotricity::via site visit::
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I think it's a great idea.
I'd like to see more like this, maybe they'll do the same at the B&Q headquarters in Eastleigh, Hampshire.