News - Politician blown away by Berinsfield school turbine

Boris Johnson at Berinsfield

Dec 06: Boris Johnson, MP is pictured here looking highly impressed with the new wind turbine at Berinsfield School, Oxfordshire. The local member of parliament was attending the official launch of the 6 kilowatt turbine, which has started supplying the school with clean energy to cover a significant proportion of its annual electricity demand.

Bracing Berinsfield

6kW wind turbine at Berinsfield Primary School, Oxon.

September 2006: The South Oxfordshire village of Berinsfield, near Wallingford, has a new landmark to be proud of; a 15m-hub-height 6kW Proven Energy wind turbine. The turbine is situated at the village Primary School and is feeding energy direct into the school buildings, and into the grid at times of low on-site demand. It is expected to produce around 9,000 kWh (units of electricity) per annum and will be officially opened by local MP, Boris Johnson, on November 24th, 2006.

The first of its kind in Oxfordshire, the turbine was funded by South Oxfordshire District Council in an attempt to offset increased carbon emissions from new path and street lighting provision within the village. As the turbine is located at the school, Oxfordshire County Council have also been fully involved and borne some of the costs of installation. This is the second example of these local and county councils working together on a renewable energy project - the first being support to the hydropower installation at Sonning Mill - which brings commensurate benefits to both organisations, the school and local residents.