Eastleigh Leads the Way on Green Energy

1.06.06pm UTC (GMT +0000) Tue 17th May 2005

Eastleigh's Lib Dem-run Borough Council is leading the way in energy conservation with the installation of the first grid connected wind turbine in Hampshire.

The development is part of the groundbreaking Renewable Energy in Eastleigh Project (REEP) which in addition to the 6Kw wind turbine at Itchen Valley Country Park has seen the installation of solar water heating and photovoltaic panels at Lakeside Country Park.

The wind turbine will produce about 40% of the annual electricity needs of High Wood Barn Information Centre at Itchen Valley Country Park. The photovoltaic cells will heat water and provide electricity at the Lakeside Pavilion. However both the turbine and the photo cells will produce excess electricity at times and Lib Dem-run Eastleigh Borough Council will be paid by the power generating company for this.

Lib Dem Councillor, Louise Bloom, Eastleigh's Cabinet member for the Environment said: "The installation of this new wind turbine along with the solar panels sends out a positive message about renewable energy and the community can now see this technology in action. In addition to providing an excellent education facility it will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and reduce our energy bills. At Eastleigh we believe in putting our policies into practice and the wind turbine and solar panels are excellent examples of this."

The project was jointly funded by grants from the DTI's Clear Skies Renewable Energy Grants scheme and the Scottishpower Green Energy Trust which each put in over £15,000, along with the DTI photovoltaic demonstration scheme which contributed more than £5,500.