It started life as the Millennium Dome, a building that was full of exhibits that looked to the future. Now one of the ideas the dome’s environmentally concerned designers would definitely have approved of is going live at the building we now know as the O2 Arena.
Partnering with a company called Alpha 311 the arena will soon post a range of innovative new “vertical wind turbines’ ‘ which will generate clean electricity for the building even when there is no wind.
Being installed soon are 10 68cm (27in) vertical turbines which will generate enough clean electricity to power 23 homes.
And while the turbines are not likely to have much of an impact on London carbon emissions output, the O2’s owners AEG will install similar tubes at its other venues and hopes that its innovation will inspire other owners of large iconic buildings to do the same.
Each unit is apparently made from recycled plastic and weighs about 4kg (9lbs).
Lee Lacey, the facility director at the O2, said the arena had “been searching for a suitable wind-generated power source” to help cut its greenhouse gas emissions and reach its ambition to become a net zero carbon entertainment venue.
“The opportunity to provide a local on-site source of power generation is huge and we hope this trial provides the launchpad of many more installations, not only at the O2 and other AEG venues but across the Greenwich peninsula and throughout the UK,” she said.
Barry Thompson, the chief executive of Alpha 311, said the company was already in talks with international buyers. He said: “The Alpha 311 turbine was born in Britain with international aspirations, so it’s fitting that we’re working with the world’s most popular music, entertainment and leisure venue.”
