Skegness wind turbine trial to light up pier in UK first

The two vertical turbines are the first to be installed outside of Norway

A Lincolnshire seaside pier is being lit up at night with the help of a new mini wind turbine.

One of the 6ft (2m) vertical turbines has been installed on Skegness Pier with another fitted on a factory roof in Spalding.

They are able to capture wind from all directions without turning, making them low maintenance.

Both are made by Norwegian company Ventum Dynamics, which is testing the technology with local councils.

Cllr Steve Kirk from East Lindsey District Council said the three-month trial could eventually benefit "the entire community".

"These can be used for residential areas, so blocks of flats or care homes, so anything," he said.

"This brings down the cost of your electricity. So not only is it really good for the environment, it helps those businesses which are really struggling with rising energy costs at the moment."

The turbine on Skegness Pier will power its lights

One of the project partners DSR Group said the two Lincolnshire turbines were the first to be installed outside of Norway.

The energy generated during the pilot will be monitored and the information used to inform future design tweaks, the company said.

The firm's founder Ravi Rayarel said the turbine's design allows them to operate "regardless which direction the wind's blowing".

"What it does, it actually sucks the wind into the centre part of the turbine and actually pushes it up into the generator of the turbine itself," he said.

"So the wind speed that goes in is a little lower than the wind speed that comes out of the top of it, so it actually accelerates the wind."