Glyndebourne opera house celebrates wind turbine anniversary with push for carbon neutrality

In January 2012 Glyndebourne became the first UK arts organisation to generate its own power through wind with the launch of a 67-metre-tall turbine. Now, a decade on, Glyndebourne has announced a new plan to drive further investment in environmental action.

Following its official launch by Sir David Attenborough, the turbine halved Glyndebourne’s carbon emissions and, over the next nine years, exceeded its target of providing 90% of the company’s annual electricity needs. As part of a wider energy-saving plan, the turbine has helped deliver an 83% reduction in Glyndebourne’s energy-related emissions since 2009.

Sarah Hopwood, Glyndebourne’s managing director, said: ‘Our priority remains to continue to reduce gross carbon emissions. Initiatives undertaken in 2021, including the replacement of 27-year-old gas boilers with significantly more efficient models and a switch to 100% green energy from October 2021, along with other measures planned for 2022, will contribute to this ambition.'

Coinciding with last year’s COP26 summit, the company joined the global Race to Zero with a commitment to halving direct carbon emissions by 2030 and reaching net zero by 2050. This year Glyndebourne has introduced a two-step plan to achieve this: continuing to reduce and offset gross carbon emissions to achieve carbon neutrality, whilst investing further in new environmental measures.

Electricity use at the opera house has already dropped substantially thanks to modifications to the air conditioning and lighting systems. In 2018 Glyndebourne became zero-waste to landfill and the festival’s new productions will follow the Theatre Green Book in making plans for the disposal or reuse of every component of the production.

Glyndebourne is an internationally recognised opera house. Founded by John Christie and his opera singer wife, Audrey Mildmay, in 1934, Glyndebourne Festival runs annually from May to August with a programme of six operas in a 1,200-seat opera house. Glyndebourne Tour was established in 1968 and runs from October to December each year with the aim of bringing opera to new audiences across the UK.

You can find out more about Glyndebourne here.