£250 million windfarm for BT

In order to reduce the carbon emissions it produces, BT is to fork out a quarter of a million pounds in building Britain’s largest private windfarm.

The company said it 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. It anticipates obtaining 25% of its power from the farms, which will be working by 2016. The company is also identifying high wind sites on or adjacent to land it owns.

A spokesperson for BT said that there is an urgent need to cut carbon. BT has already accomplished a 60% cut in its carbon emissions and it is committed to reducing them further to 80% by 2016.

The telecommunications giant uses approximately 0.7% of Britain’s total electricity intake. Its wind farms could produce enough power to meet the requirements of 122,000 households.

John Hutton, Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform commented on BT’s plans and said it is a great example of how businesses can help us meet our target to significantly increase the quantity of energy we get from renewable sources.

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