The home of a community project in Croydon that offers affordable accommodation and training for young people took a major step towards going green last week.

A wind turbine was mounted on the roof of Foyer@Croydon, which was opened in 2000 by Croydon North MP Malcolm Wicks.

The project which forms part of the Oasis Trust, which gives disadvantaged young people the skills to live independently.

The turbine system will provide electricity for the building in Gillett Road, Thornton Heath, and is expected to save more than 1,500kg of carbon dioxide annually, helping to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases that cause climate change.

A team from Renewable Energy Action for London (REAL) a Creative Energy Network (CEN) initiative that aims to facilitate community-scale renewable energy installations hooked up with Broomleigh Housing Association which owns the building.

Planning permission was granted for the turbine earlier this month and now Oasis Trust manager Nancy Doyle will work with CEN to design an educational display for Foyer@Croydon that will help educate residents and users on the benefits of renewable energy and energy efficiency.

For information about how the REAL initiative can help you develop a renewable energy installation in your area, call the REAL team on 020 8683 6683.