London's first wind cluster gets final go-ahead

London's first wind cluster has been given the final go-ahead after the city's mayor, Ken Livingstone, approved three turbines at Ford's manufacturing plant at Dagenham. His decision endorses planning approvals granted by Havering and Barking and Dagenham councils. The project is a merchant wind power initiative by green electricity company Ecotricity and Ford. Ecotricity will install and own the Enercon turbines, and Ford will buy the output to power its new Clean Room Assembly Hall that is being built to produce diesel engines. This means that all diesel engines in Ford's European vehicles will be made using wind power. Livingstone says the Dagenham project will make an important contribution to achieving some of the key targets in his energy strategy. "I hope it will encourage other large organisations to consider developing similar schemes on their premises."