Environmentally friendly lighting pilot in Belfast

A new innovative wind powered lighting system is being trialled in Belfast in an attempt to develop the uptake of renewable energy in homes and other locations.

NIE and Action Renewables, have joined forces and are being supported by the Energy Saving Trust in this project, which will allow them to experiment using a range of small wind turbines to see how powerful and energy efficient it can be.

The project is being tested on the New Forge Business Park, near Shaw's Bridge, and the Marlec Green Column, is the first of its kind to be completed as part of the Micro Wind Initiative.

The environmentally friendly system generates its own power from a discreet wind turbine and solar panel. The energy is then stored in a battery for use in hours of darkness.

Wilma Stewart, NIE Energy Services, says the self-powered street lighting system is the first of its kind to be installed in Northern Ireland.

She said: "This is an extremely efficient system, using natural resources to power the street light. There is no waste as the light is automatically switched on and off by in-built sensors and energy generated is maximised by the use of a low energy, compact fluorescent tube. Northern Ireland Electricity, through NIE Smart and Clear Skies Plus, has been funding local renewable projects for many years and we hope new advances in micro wind turbines will generate interest among a range of homeowners, communities and business customers."

Jonathan Buick, Action Renewables, said: "The Marlec 'Green Column' is a self-sufficient street lighting system which does not rely on electricity from the grid network within the business park. Electricity generated from both wind energy and solar energy ensures that the stand-alone system is always topped up with one of the above sources, which charge the integrated battery. Innovative renewable energy projects are encouraged by Action Renewables as they have the potential to substantially reduce the amounts of carbon dioxide emitted into the atmosphere and offer the opportunity to reduce our dependence on fossil fuels such as oil and gas."

(EF/SP)