Wind power for Wearside plant

Nissan Motor Company is adding two turbines to the wind farm installed at its Sunderland plant. The increased capacity is expected deliver cost savings of nearly £1m a year.

Installation will begin in December, bringing the total number of turbines on the site to eight.

Expected to be fully operational in January 2008, the expanded farm will generate around six per cent of the plant’s annual energy requirement.

‘Our current turbines are performing well in terms of energy cost reduction, so it makes sense to increase the size of the farm,’ said Nissan engineer Mike Parkin. ’Also, we’ve had ISO 14001 accreditation since 1998 and the wind farm reflects our ongoing commitment to environmental management and the reduction of carbon dioxide emissions from our operation.’

The Sunderland plant’s wind farm is the first of its kind within Nissan globally and its expansion is said to support the Nissan Green Program 2010.