ENGINEERS on the Isle of Wight are playing a major part in making Australia greener.

A shipment of 69 giant wind-turbine blades manufactured on the Island have been loaded on to the mv Aleksandrov for their journey from Southampton Docks to Adelaide.

Once constructed, the wind turbines at the Starfish Hill Wind Farm in Adelaide will provide enough renewable green electricity to power 23,000 homes.

Manufactured by NEG Micon Rotors, one of the world's largest producers of wind turbines, the blades and components are produced at the company's dedicated UK manufacturing plant on the Isle of Wight and then barged across to Southampton for shipment.

Julian Brown, managing director of NEG Micon Rotors, said: "The size of this shipment is a milestone event in the company's growth, serving, as we now are, global markets.

"Our close co-operation with associated British Ports has enabled us to export blades all over the world and established the Isle of Wight as the centre for the country's renewables industry.''

The wind turbines are due to arrive in Australia just before Christmas.