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 Work starts on £2m car factory windfarmby Nigel Burton WORK has started on a £2m windfarm that will help power the Nissan car plant in the North-East. The first of six large turbines will be put up in the middle of the 750-acre site on Monday. When complete, the development, in Sunderland, will produce enough electricity to power 2,600 homes. Nissan chiefs hope the windfarm will supply about seven per cent of the factory's power in its first year. They also said it would cut carbon dioxide emissions from current electricity generators supplying Europe's most productive car plant by about 10,000 tonnes per year. Unlike many windfarms, Nissan's will be enclosed in an industrial area on low-lying ground. Planning permission for the farm was granted by Sunderland City Council this year following a detailed feasibility study. The study took into consideration the views and opinions of locals, as well as ensuring the farm would comply with strict noiselevel guidelines. Environmentalists have also endorsed the scheme, which has won praise from Greenpeace. A spokesman for the group said: "Any efforts to reduce the impact business has on the environment are certainly to be welcomed." Nissan senior engineer Graham Bagley said: "All the preparatory work has been completed on schedule and, providing the weather conditions are favourable, we will begin erecting the first turbine on Monday. This will be followed by the other five turbines over the coming weeks. "As well as slashing CO2 emissions and other atmospheric pollutants from power plants, the turbines will also deliver significant annual energy savings to the factory." The farm - the first built for Nissan - is expected to be in full operation by the end of next month. The Wearside plant has received international recognition for earlier environmental measures at the site. The factory has been reaccredited with the ISO 14001 certification - the international standard for environmental management. Initiatives introduced include using nearly 100 per cent returnable packaging, creating and maintaining a feeding ground for wildfowl, and recycling waste water, solvents and sand. Published September 10, 2005
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