Ecotricity illuminated its first wind turbine last night to mark exactly 20 years since it started generating electricity in Gloucestershire.
The Lynch Knoll turbine near Nympsfield achieved first power on 13 December 1996.
The 500kW turbine is an Enercon E-40 device with 42-metre hub height.
Ecotricity chief executive Dale Vince said much has changed in the intervening period.”This first windmill was built back in the early days of wind energy and people said all sorts of crazy things about it – like it was going to kill a thousand birds a year, ruin TV signals, reduce house prices and interfere with pacemakers.
“All sorts of bonkers stuff, but none of it was true, and the last two decades have confirmed that,” he said.
Image: Lynch Knoll (Ecotricity)
