By Eve Noon

THE MICHELIN wind turbine project has “achieved all of its aims” in the two years it has been operating at the Dundee factory, the company said yesterday.

The two turbines, which at 400ft tall dominate the eastern approach to the city, have become part of the local landscape after being installed with the aim of reducing the costs of making tyres there.

Due to commercial sensitivity, Michelin were unable to release detailed information on their effectiveness, but they confirmed operating costs are lower.

The installation of the turbines prompted intense debate about their viability and impact on the city’s skyline before, during and after construction.

A spokesman said, “Respect for the environment is a key Michelin priority with a public commitment to a 20% reduction in impact from 2005 to 2011.

“The site at Dundee is already considered as a good performer internally by Michelin and by SEPA with rapid progress being achieved. Last year alone the site made a 9% improvement.”

Michelin measures its environmental footprint improvements in four areas— energy and water consumption; emissions to air; waste quantity, and disposal to landfill. A zero landfill target is the site’s main objective for this year.

At the start of this month a large contribution to the objective was achieved when a contract was agreed with the neighbouring Dundee City Council incinerator, which converts waste into energy.

“Every waste stream on the site will be put to another use. Michelin believes it is important to have strong links with the local community and this is another example of the mutual benefits that can be achieved,” continued the spokesman.

The factory has also made considerable investment to enable a reduction in emissions from the tyre-making process.

A 2007 SEPA (Scottish Environment Protection Agency) study confirmed the air quality around the Michelin site as good.

In the turbines’ first year of operation, Ecotricity, the firm that built and runs the equipment, reported they were available to generate electricity 95% of the time, which they called a “particularly good record.”

A green issues debate in the Caird Hall around the same time also revealed the majority of the audience showed an enthusiasm for the wind turbines, and many said they would be happy for more turbines in the city boundaries if required.

The turbines were seen as a demonstration of the firm’s long-term commitment to the city, and its presence as a major employer has become more important in light of large scale job-losses at NCR, Tesco, Texol and the Wood Group.

The company is planning to investigate other potential sources of renewable energy, how it can minimise water usage and other energy efficiency measures.

* Meanwhile, there will be no giant wind turbines at Ninewells Hospital, but a group of smaller turbines may still be installed and provide energy to the sprawling site and even to users elsewhere, writes Marjory Inglis, health reporter.

Health chiefs visited the Michelin site and had ambitions to install a similar massive turbine on the hospital site.

Yesterday, at a meeting of NHS Tayside’s delivery unit committee in Murray Royal Hospital, Perth, Ken Armstrong, the unit’s director of facilities, told members experts have ruled out a giant turbine at Ninewells due to the flight path for emergency helicopters.

He added, “There is a move to place turbines at least two miles away from residential areas. That would take away any initiative at Ninewells, even if we could do it (practically).”

He said NHS Tayside is still looking into the possibility of installing smaller-scale wind turbines at some of its sites.