The winds of change at the Eiffel Tower.
In 2007, the city of Paris introduced a
Climate Action Plan to drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions and energy consumption, all while bolstering green energy projects. Last week they completed changes to their most iconic landmark—
the Eiffel Tower:
The 125-year-old structure is partially powering itself thanks to two new wind turbines that were just installed.
Located above the second level, the turbines will produce over 10,000 kWh of electricity per year, offsetting the annual consumption of commercial activity on the Eiffel Tower’s first floor, which thanks to a larger refurbishment project now includes two panoramic pavilions with meeting and conference spaces, plus a new glass floor.
The upgrades didn't end there:
In addition to the wind turbines, other green enhancements include roof mounted solar panels–whose output will meet approximately 50 percent of the water heating needs of both new pavilions–plus a rainwater recovery system that provides flushing water to the toilet facilities, and also reduces the amount of energy needed to power the booster pumps used to pump water to the higher levels of the vertiginous tower.
Read more about the challenges of installing the wind turbines and historical features of the landmark at
Care2.com.