Wind turbines to make electricity from passing cars on Telford's A442
Lampposts in Telford will be getting wind turbines to make electricity from passing cars.
The pilot project will see the turbines attached to street lighting along the A442.
The trial project is a partnership between British wind turbine company Alpha 311 and Telford & Wrekin Council.
The idea behind the plan is that the turbines generate enough electricity to power the lights, with any remaining able to power other lighting or go back into the national grid.
Alpha 311 CEO Barry Thompson said: “While we already have our turbines mounted on buildings, this marks the first installation alongside a road, which is really the sweet spot for the Alpha 311 turbine. It’s very bold for a council to be a first-mover, and I’m delighted that Telford & Wrekin is the first.”
Councillor Carolyn Healy, Telford & Wrekin Council's cabinet member for climate change, green spaces, natural and historic environment and cultural services, said: “This is an absolutely phenomenal pilot and I’m so proud that Telford & Wrekin Council is leading the way internationally in trialling this technology.
“As a council, we have a strong track record on innovative sustainability, having built the UK’s second only publicly owned solar farm in 2014. More recently, in January we ranked in the top three of UK local authorities for climate change action planning. This new partnership with Alpha 311 restates our commitment to tackling the climate emergency and reinforces our approach: that actions speak louder than words.”
The council said the new wind turbines will be attached to selected street lighting on the A442, and will be "harvesting the wind generated by passing vehicles".
A statement from the authority said that if successful then more turbines could be added to the road.
A spokesman said: "The pilot begins later in the year and, depending on its success, could include more turbines along this section of route."
