The O2, home of Icon Outlet, has signed an agreement with Alpha 311 to become the first venue in the world to trial 10 of their wind turbines.
Historically The O2 has sourced its 100% carbon-free electricity from offsite, grid scale resources.
With this new installation of 10 kW of wind generation, however, The O2 could produce up to an estimated 87,600 kWhs a year, which is equivalent to the total electricity used by 23 British homes.
Lee Lacey, facility director at The O2 said: “We have been searching for a suitable wind generated power source to help reduce our GHG emissions and assist in our ambition to achieve a carbon net zero venue. The opportunity to provide a local on-site source of power generation is huge and we hope this trial provides the launch pad of many more installations not only at The O2 and other AEG venues but across the Greenwich Peninsula and throughout the UK.”
Alpha 311 CEO, Barry Thompson added: “We’re so pleased that The O2 is the first to sign up with us globally. 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. It’s not just a London landmark, it’s a global icon, and we couldn’t be more proud, or thankful, for The O2’s belief in us.”
The collaboration between The O2 and Alpha 311 marks a significant boost for the British start-up, which began in a garden shed in Whitstable, Kent, and has attracted interest from around the world.
AEG, the owner and operator of The O2, is committed to reducing its environmental impact globally through its industry-leading corporate sustainability programme, AEG 1EARTH. The programme measures the company’s environmental footprint by collecting operational data from more than 80 sports and live entertainment venues, teams and festivals, and tracks its annual performance against material and science-based goals. It also raises public awareness about environmental issues to forge a more sustainable future.
