“uåX˜äŠÊ˜·³Ç

The UK's first "on site" wind turbine has been installed without subsidy at the Scottish distribution depot of giant supermarket chain J Sainsbury. Under the pioneering deal, Gloucestershire based Next Generation has built the 600 kW turbine on Sainsbury's site at Langlands Park, East Kilbride. Sainsbury's will buy the electricity without paying a premium. Next Generation says that in the long term the power will cost less than conventional electricity.

Next says its merchant wind power initiative provides businesses with long term, price secure renewable energy, requiring no capital investment from the customer. Interest is growing fast says Next Generation's Dale Vince. "Technological advances have made wind energy as economic as conventional fuel sources. The merchant wind power initiative is an innovative opportunity which allows organisations with an environmental agenda, like Sainsbury's, to contribute to the building of new cleaner sources of electricity without it having to cost them anything."

The Enercon turbine will meet a third of the energy needs of the 26,000 square metre depot which serves 33 stores in Scotland, Ireland and England. It represents a step towards meeting Sainsbury's commitment to a 10% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions by 2005. Ian Coull from Sainsbury's says renewable energy will play a growing part in the group's future energy program. "Merchant wind power has many unique features and it will enable us to investigate the potential of wind power without relying on government subsidy and without paying more for our electricity."