CoMS To Turn The Air Green This Year

In these modern times many companies and individuals are making concerted efforts to be "environment friendly" or "carbon neutral" and our Club is no different. Back in 1982 Thomas Dolby was singing about “Windpower” who would have thought that some 25 years later our Club would be installing a wind turbine at our stadium.

Last year, the announcement that the wind turbine would be installed passed many (including the wider media) by and although, at the time, we had every intention of drawing attention to it, we were busy going through our research and development stage and attempting to enter into discussions with our Club on how our “un-radical” idea that our Club, the shareholders, community and most importantly the supporters could pull together as one to play a positive part in the future success of our Club.

The wind turbine at our Club will be erected later this year and should generate enough electricity for the stadium itself with any excess being made available to sell to the local community. Its design is being handled by renowned architect Sir Norman Foster and it will be one of the largest in Europe.

We understand that the idea to erect a wind turbine was not originally our Club’s but they and the Manchester City Council have fully backed/ endorsed the plan. A company called Ecotricity will be installing (which should take approximately two weeks) and will also run it.

Our Club is not the only club trying to do their bit for the environment. Arsenal's stadium has been designed so that it does not need air conditioning and Ipswich are currently running a scheme to become the UK's first "carbon neutral" football club.

Ipswich's groundbreaking project asks their supporters and the wider Suffolk community to pledge energy saving measures in return for various "money can't buy" prizes involving their Club. If their pledges reflect savings equivalent to Ipswich's 3,220 tons of carbon dioxide generated over a season then E.ON their main sponsor has pledged to give a five figure substantial sum to Ipswich's transfer kitty.

We fully intend the trust to be as "environment friendly" as possible, for instance we would prefer to send out our newsletters by e-mail as much as possible. This is just one area and in due course we will give serious consideration to other areas as we evolve.

Please take the time to read the following informative articles:-

Ecotricity's press release with reference to the wind turbine can be read here

Manchester City Council's press release with reference to the wind turbine can be read here

The Times wrote an article about Ecotricity and it's founder which can be read here

Ex-Manchester City player David James draws attention to the wind turbine/ environment friendly initiatives in his Observer article here