Derby City General is spending �25,000 on testing wind strength over the next year to see whether the site is suited to producing alternative energy.

If the turbine goes up it could provide enough electricity to run half the services at the hospital.

The turbine will be linked directly to the national grid to make sure power is on at the hospital on less windy days.

Generating income

Brian Ibell, assistant chief executive of Derby Hospitals Trust, said: "We have introduced many initiatives over recent years to help our hospitals become greener.

"Introducing a wind turbine would be a major accomplishment for us, particularly when you consider we are a provider of NHS acute services."

A wind mast will be put up to measure the amount of wind at the proposed site near the staff car park, across the road from the hospital.

The trust's electricity bill was �1.5m in 2005-06 and this is expected to rise to �2m for the coming year.

By installing a wind turbine, the hospital could generate income by selling electricity to the national grid, earning about 4p p/kWh produced.