Longley Farm has long been at the forefront of green energy since commissioning England's first commercial wind turbine back in 1986. After years of steady running, the original turbine is obsolete and ready to be decommissioned, but instead of just replacing it with a similar model we have decided to partner up with Holmfirth Transition Town in the hopes of making even more impact in improving the local environment.

Old turbine above

New turbine above

The new turbine will measure 46m to the tip of the blades, slightly taller than the existing turbine, but will be capable of producing more than 4 times the electricity. The extra revenue generated by this greater production will be invested in local environmentally friendly projects, meaning we can do much more than just reducing Longley Farm's carbon footprint. The current estimate is that the wind turbine will generate £1.5 million over the course of its life, to be invested in 'green' projects in the Holme Valley.

A community benefit society called Hott Wind at Longley has been set up to operate the wind turbine and disburse funds to projects. Individuals will be invited to invest in the project, and will get a say in how the business is run, as well as receiving interest on their investment.

For more information see www.hott.org.uk or for further progress updates, follow us on twitter @Longley_Farm or find us on Facebook www.facebook.com/hottwindlongley