London's first wind park almost complete

London’s first wind park, which is also Europe’s first city-based wind park, should be completed by the end of the month.

Ecotricity’s development at Ford’s Dagenham estate comprises two 85m-high turbines like those pictured, which are designed by Sir Norman Foster and will provide all the energy requirements for Ford’s new Clean Room Assembly Hall. All Ford diesel engines assembled at the plant will now be produced using wind power.

Ecotricity – a supplier of ‘green’ electricity to businesses and consumers – started to prepare two Dagenham Ford sites at the beginning of the year.

The managing director of Ecotricity, Dale Vince OBE, said: “This is one of our biggest projects to date and we are delighted to be behind London’s first wind park. Our turbines will be providing Ford with enough electricity to power over 2,000 homes and we hope that this project will raise awareness of wind power as a viable alternative energy source.”

The turbines, sent from Germany, will be transported from Tilbury Docks to Dagenham, where the blades will be installed by crane on 23 and 27 April.