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Thousands of small wind turbines providing ‘affordable energy’ to be installed around Greater Manchester
The smaller-scale turbines will be used to power street lights, with any surplus energy being sent back to the National Grid
Greater Manchester will soon see the arrival of 2,000 small wind turbines that provide ‘affordable energy’ amid the cost of living crisis.
The miniature turbines, which are powered by the air moved by passing vehicles, will be placed onto buildings and lampposts as part of the region’s carbon reduction plan, according to the BBC.
They will eventually be used to power streets lights, with any surplus energy being sent back to the National Grid.
The ambitious project comes as the result of a partnership between Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA), the Energy Innovation Agency, and the Manchester Inward Investment Agency, alongside renewable energy manufacturers Alpha 311.
Alpha 331
Alpha 331, who manufactured the turbines, said their size meant even small sites could become wind farms.
They added that the units are smaller and lighter than the type of wind turbines typically seen on hills and in the countryside across the UK, meaning they can be used easily and efficiently on roads, bridges, buildings, and towers.
Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham said the turbines will ‘provide more affordable energy to people at a time when they need it most’.
He said he is looking forward to seeing the ‘innovative wind turbines’ in action, adding: “The switch to net-zero carbon can, and should, be something that offers a fairer future, as well as a greener one.”
ChrisClarke88 / Wikimedia Commons
Burnham said the partnership would ‘see us generate more low carbon energy locally [and] support the creation of 200 new jobs in Greater Manchester with green skills developed here’.
The cost of the project is yet to be revealed, with an initial UK pilot using the street turbines set to start in Telford in the coming months.
If the pilot is successful, the turbines could begin being installed across Greater Manchester and other parts of the country later in the year.
For more information on the wind turbines, visit the Alpha 331 website.