Brave new whirl of energy saving

Jan 28 2008 By Tony Collins

A SECONDARY school in Birmingham is successfully protecting itself from the latest huge rise in energy prices.

Cardinal Wiseman Catholic Technology College in Old Oscott Hill, Kingstanding, is catching the wind by cashing in on its elevated position.

The school has built its own 15-metre wind turbine next to its playing fields as part of a pioneering sustainable energy project.

And Cardinal Wiseman's new-found wind power is already helping to blow away those massive energy bills.

School spokesman John McGowan said: "We have just carried out a survey and discovered that the wind turbine is providing seven per cent of the electricity we use in school.

"That is a really impressive saving.

"We are now shortly going to install a number of computers which will be entirely run by the power we are generating from the turbine."

Cardinal Wiseman is hoping to enlist a minister with an interest in renewable energy to do the honours at an opening ceremony.

Head teacher Martin Jones said: "This is quite a pioneering project which is part of the drive towards sustainable energy and also fits in with our status as a technology college."

The school needs a wind speed of 5mph to power the suite of computers, but frequently gets 12mph because of its position on a hill.

Excess energy created will be sold to the National Grid.