The RSPB is planning to build an on-site wind turbine at its headquarters, saving money on electricity bills and cutting its carbon emissions. Paul Forecast reports.

Climate change poses the single biggest threat to birds and wildlife. Current science suggests that one-third of land-based species could, by 2050, be committed to eventual extinction without action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This is why we are committed to reducing the RSPB’s carbon footprint in line with the government’s ambitious target to make an 80 per cent reduction in carbon emissions by 2050.

Renewable energy is an essential tool in the fight against climate change and wind turbines are a proven source of clean, green electricity. With the help of Ecotricity, we identified our headquarters, based at The Lodge nature reserve in Sandy, Bedfordshire, as a good site for a wind turbine due to its distance from the nearest residence, its elevation, and a low incidence of species that are sensitive to wind turbines.

First and foremost, the RSPB is a charitable organisation. We put our members’ money back into vital conservation projects and habitat management to make sure that future generations continue to enjoy thriving wildlife and green spaces. Ninety pence of every £1 that the RSPB receives goes directly into conservation work; therefore investing large amounts of capital in a venture such as a wind turbine is not feasible.

Ecotricity’s Merchant Wind Power model allows charities like us to invest in green energy at no upfront cost. There is no capital outlay – Ecotricity pays for everything – from a feasibility study, through planning and construction to the lifelong operation and maintenance of the wind turbine. Ecotricity pioneered Merchant Wind Power ten years ago – it takes on the cost and the risk of building the wind turbine, while the merchant customer provides the land and gets smaller energy bills and a smaller carbon footprint. Any unused electricity spills back onto the grid.

This helps us to significantly reduce our carbon footprint in harmony with achieving our overall conservation objectives. In addition to generating green energy at no cost, we will receive a discount on our electricity bills, ensuring that we have even more money available for conservation work in future years.

Supplying wind power directly on-site and bypassing the grid can potentially drive down electricity costs by up to 35 per cent, ensuring long-term security of supply and reducing carbon emissions over the 25-year lifespan of the wind turbine.