Environmental Master Builders
The LEGO Group has built the world's largest wind turbine out of its popular little bricks. The company didn't just do it to land a Guinness World Records title, though. The LEGO wind turbine was how the toy company chose to celebrate reaching its energy target of being powered 100 percent by renewable sources three years ahead of schedule.
The effort was four years in the making and involved two offshore wind farm investments worth DKK 6 billion (roughly $904 million). The completion and opening on May 17 of the 258-megawatt Burbo Bank Extension wind farm — 25 percent of which is owned by KIRKBI A/S, LEGO's parent company — helped LEGO achieve its target.
“We work to leave a positive impact on the planet, and I am truly excited about the inauguration of the Burbo Bank Extension wind farm. This development means we have now reached the 100% renewable energy milestone three years ahead of target," said LEGO Group CEO Bali Padda in a press release. "Together with our partners, we intend to continue investing in renewable energy to help create a better future for the builders of tomorrow."
One Piece at a Time
LEGO joins the growing number of companies — including Intel, Kohl's, Walmart, and Apple — already making huge strides toward the goal of 100 percent independence from non-renewable sources of energy. Tech giants like Google and Microsoft are also racing to becoming more dependent on renewables. In fact, the RE100 global initiative includes 96 of these committed companies.
Private institutions aren't the only ones striving for cleaner energy, though, as a number of nations are also determined to meet their clean energy goals. Despite the United States' controversial decision to extract itself from the Paris Agreement, individual states remain firm in their commitments to renewable energy.
Just like building with LEGO bricks, independence from fossil fuels starts with one piece at a time, growing bigger as those pieces come together. The popular children's brand hopes that their example will inspire young people to do their part in the future. “We see children as our role models, and as we take action in reducing our environmental impact as a company, we will also continue to work to inspire children around the world by engaging them in environmental and social issues,” said Padda.
Editor's Note: This article has been updated. Previous versions listed the incorrect USD conversion.
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