Paris: Iron Lady goes green with power of wind

The Eiffel Tower is going green with old age.

SETE, the company that runs the famous old monument in Paris, unveiled the latest appendage to the Iron Lady this week in the form of two state of the art wind turbines.

The installation of the two vertical axis wind turbines is part of the Eiffel tower’s high profile renovation project, which has seen a glass floor added to the first level.

The devices, placed on the second floor of the tower, 127 metres up, are designed to generate 10,000 kwh of power annually, which will be sent downstairs to provide electricity for the shops and restaurants on the first floor.

“It’s quite symbolic,” read a statement from SETE. “It marks the commitment of the Eiffel Tower to sustainable development.”

The turbines, specially designed for urban buildings, were created by US-based firm Urban Green Energy (UBE).

Nick Blitterswyk, chief executive of UGE, said: “The Eiffel tower is arguably the most renowned architectural icon in the world, and we are proud that our advanced technology was chosen as the Tower commits to a more sustainable future.”

“When visitors from around the world see the wind turbines, we get one step closer to a world powered by clean and reliable renewable energy,” he said in a statement.

As part of its green makeover the Eiffel Tower has also installed solar panels to make hot water, a rainwater recovery system and energy efficient LED lights.