Telecoms giant predicts it will generate 25% of its own electricity by 2016

BT today unveiled plans to invest £250m in wind farms to reduce its carbon footprint.

The telecom company announced its intention to develop wind farms capable of delivering a quarter of its existing UK electricity requirements by 2016.

Wind farm

The scheme would be the biggest corporate wind power project outside of the energy sector and signals BT’s biggest investment in tackling climate change to date.

BT group finance director Hanif Lalani said: "BT has already achieved a 60% reduction in its carbon emissions, and is committed to reducing them further to 80% by 2016.”

The firm is identifying sites for the wind farms which could generate enough power for 122,000 homes.

It said it had already entered planning applications for test masts at Goonhilly Satellite Earth Station in Cornwall, Wideford Hill Radio Station in Orkney and Scousburgh Radio Station in Shetland.

John Hutton, Secretary of State for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform, said: “BT's initiative is a great example of how businesses can help us meet our target to dramatically increase the amount of energy we get from renewable sources.”