The Co-operative Group has started work on an £18.5m wind farm in Cambridgeshire as part of a plan to generate 25% of its electricity from its renewable energy projects by 2017.

Seven new turbines are to be added at the society’s White Mill Farm in Coldham.The turbines will offset 26,000 tonnes of CO2 a year and, combined with the existing farm, will generate in excess of 70GW hours of electricity a year.

“Green energy projects are a major part of our social and community agenda,” said The Co-op Group sustainable development manager Rob Ellis.