By Daniel Cattanach

Last updated 11:38, Monday, 12 May 2008

MARYPORT’S Netherhall School is going green after installing a 58ft wind turbine on its premises.

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Going up: The 58ft wind turbine is installed

The turbine, one of the largest erected at any school in Cumbria, is due to begin production today, providing sustainable energy for the community sports hall and flood-lit artificial pitches.

The environmentally-friendly device was hoisted into place last week and the school planned to release the brake to set the blades turning and producing green energy this afternoon.

The subsequent fuel saving will go towards the public cost of using the facilities.

More than 900 Netherhall pupils and children from other schools and several sports clubs use the site.

Any surplus energy produced during summer may be fed back into the national grid.

Ian Skillen, the school’s leadership adviser, said: “Netherhall School is a specialist sports college as well as being in a health action zone and a sports action zone. The wind turbine project will have a huge impact on the school and its community as a visible symbol that it means business in trying to reduce its carbon footprint.”

The wind turbine will have an estimated output of 6,500 KWH a year which translates to a saving of 2.795 tonnes of carbon dioxide a year.

Mr Skillen said the site of the turbine allowed maximum exposure to the wind with minimal visual impact.

Following advice from Natural England, care was taken to position it away from routes of bats.

The turbine can be seen from science laboratories where a display board showing wind speed will be positioned.

Mr Skillen added: “It is intended that the savings will go some way to subsidise the costs to the general public of using the site.”

E.on, the company building the Robin Rigg offshore windfarm off Maryport, has helped to fund the turbine.