Energy from the wind will soon be used to make devices that capture the power of the sun, thanks to plans for a modern windmill at a firm in Wales producing the latest generation of solar cells. It will be the first time in the world that green energy is generated to create a product that also makes renewable energy.
The 120 metre tall windmill from green energy supplier Ecotricity will be powering operations at the Cardiff based firm, G42 Innovations, by the end of 2010. An award winning green technology firm, G24 Innovations create lightweight and flexible solar cells, which are being built into a range of bags and cases to recharge laptops, smartphones and other gadgets while on the move.
Dale Vince, the managing director and founder of Ecotricity, said: “It’s a small glimpse of the future and, for me at least, a very exciting one – the idea that we can harness renewable energy and use that to make devices which themselves harness more renewable energy.”
The windmill will be Ecotricity’s first in Wales and is being installed under its Merchant Wind Power (MWP) scheme, which has already delivered on-site windmills to companies including B&Q, Ford and Michelin. Situated in the grounds of the G24 Innovations site at the Wentloog Environmental Centre in Cardiff, it will produce 5.9 million units of electricity every year. Electricity generated, but not used by the site, can be put into the grid for other homes and businesses to use.
