Ford Dagenham is installing a larger, more powerful third wind turbine, adding to the two turbines already on site. This new addition will double the annual CO2 saving from 2,500 to 5,000 tonnes per year. The turbines on the Ford Dagenham estate convert wind energy into electricity to power production in the Dagenham Diesel Centre (DDC). Increased output at the DDC required the installation of a third turbine to remain 100% wind powered.
Currently, the two turbines generate 5.92 million units of electricity per year – the equivalent of powering 1,794 homes. With the addition of the third turbine, the amount of electricity generated reaches 11.4 million units per year – enough to power twice the number of homes. Ground work and foundation construction began in May to enable the third turbine to be up and running by the end of the summer.
“It’s great to see a company like Ford taking the lead in this way, powering their modern diesel engine centre with green energy from our windmills,” said Dale Vince OBE, founder of Ecotricity. “When big businesses like Ford use wind energy like this, it lends real credibility to the cause.”
Chris Wollacott, Ford Dagenham Diesel Centre line manager, added, “The Dagenham Diesel Centre assembles Ford’s greenest engines, which return over 76mpg. Rising demand has prompted this additional turbine to maintain the plant’s own green energy source.”
Ecotricity and Ford first collaborated in 2004, when they created London’s first wind park at Dagenham.
