New helix wind turbine for city

The turbine is designed to be quieter than traditional models

A revolutionary new £30,000 helix-shaped wind turbine is to be built on a roundabout in Bristol.

The turbine differs from traditional models, with smaller blades which can be made to hold tiny LED lights which 'paint' a video screen in mid-air.

Its makers, XCO2, say the 20 metre mast is "virtually silent and vibration free", and hope its sculptural design will make it popular in urban areas.

Bristol's turbine will be situated at the Temple Circus junction.

Paid for by the city council, its 'screen' will show art, environmental messages, and even Christmas lights.

Energy programme

XCO2 spokeswoman Julia Groves said: "We are hoping Bristol's will be the first 'display' turbine. We started speaking to the city council about two years ago, back when the London boroughs wouldn't give us the time of day.

"The city has quite an aggressive energy-efficiency programme, and this is its way of showing that."

She said the company wanted to see more turbines in towns and cities across the UK.

"City-dwellers and businesses use the most energy, and yet wind power generation has tended to be almost exclusively rural - we want to bring the debate into the city."

There are plans to build further turbines in London and Swindon in the coming months.