Eurotunnel inaugurates wind farm in Coquelles and reaffirms its commitment to sustainable development
At a ceremony in Coquelles today, Jacques Gounon, Chairman and Chief Executive of Groupe Eurotunnel, and guest of honour Jonathon Porritt, founder of the Forum for the Future, inaugurated Eurotunnel’s wind farm. The ceremony was attended by Michel Hamy, the Mayor of Coquelles, Gérard Gavory, the Sous-Préfet of Calais, Gregoire Verhaeghe, Chairman and Chief Executive of InnoVent, Serge Décaillon, Secretary General of Secours Populaire in the Pas-de-Calais and numerous other guests from the Region.
Jonathon Porritt, a long time defender of our planet, speaking at the ceremony, said :
"Companies that are creative in the use of renewable energy are making a positive commitment to the future of our planet. Eurotunnel is setting an example here, not only in installing this wind farm, but also through its broader use of energy from sustainable sources and by ensuring that the benefits of the energy produced by these wind turbines go to those who need them most.”
This wind farm is a further demonstration of Eurotunnel’s commitment to the use of energy from sustainable sources and of its determination to bring long term benefits to the region.
Eurotunnel has chosen a tried and tested wind turbine technology for this project, the highly efficient Enercon E 48 turbine: 49 metres high (three blades, a sweep surface of 1,810m²) with a nominal output of 800KW each, they provide power with a minimal impact on the surrounding countryside. The three wind turbines, constructed using a special plastic reinforced with glass fibre (using an epoxy resin), which have a theoretical output of 2.5 MW, will produce energy sufficient to power 2,000 homes.
Eurotunnel has, in accordance with its responsibilities for promoting local development projects, decided to give 10% of the receipts from its wind farm operations to Secours Populaire Français (a national charity fighting against poverty and exclusion in France and throughout the World). This gift will be distributed in the form of “Energy vouchers”.
Eurotunnel (Euronext Paris: GET, and London Stock Exchange: GETS) manages the infrastructure of the Channel Tunnel and operates two types of Shuttle: Lorry carrying Truck Shuttles and car and coach carrying Passenger Shuttles, between Folkestone, Kent and Coquelles, Pas-de-Calais. Eurotunnel holds the Concession to operate the Channel Tunnel, the fastest, most reliable, easiest and most environmentally friendly way to cross the Channel, until 2086. Eurotunnel also has a rail freight subsidiary, Europorte, which offers a wide range of integrated rail freight services. http://eurotunnel.com
