The use of wind as a renewable energy resource involves exploiting the power contained in moving air

The UK has the largest potential wind energy resource in Europe but currently gets less than 1% of its power from wind. This could be increased to up to 20% from land-based turbines and a further 16% from off-shore sites. Generally speaking, wind speeds are higher in the west of England, because the prevailing wind direction is west to east.

Wind power is currently one of the most developed and cost-effective renewable energy technologies. The technology can be implemented relatively quickly and at the end of a turbine’s operating life, it is relatively simple to remove the turbine and the electrical equipment and restore the site. Wind turbines can be situated either onshore or offshore. Offshore wind is a larger-scale, more technologically challenging and expensive undertaking than onshore wind, however, it has huge potential due to the UK’s excellent offshore wind resource.

Wind turbines can be used as stand-alone devices for applications such as water pumping or battery charging, or they can be connected to the electricity power grid.

In grid-connected systems, the output of the wind turbine is directly connected to the existing mains electricity supply. This type of system can be used both for individual wind turbines and for wind farms exporting electricity to the electricity network.

For off-grid systems, the size of the battery bank determines the time appliances can be run if there is no wind.

Wind speed increases with height so it's best to have the turbine mounted high on a mast or tower to optimise energy capture. They should be free from excessive turbulence and obstructions such as large trees, houses or other buildings.

Wind generators range from very small turbines supplying energy for battery charging systems; e.g. on boats or in homes, to turbines grouped on wind farms supplying electricity to the grid.

Have you ever thought about the possibility of generating part or all of the electricity needs for your home, business or community? Small-scale wind turbines are an ideal way of generating clean, renewable energy which will reduce your electricity bills and in the long term contribute towards a more sustainable electricity system.

Small-scale wind power is particularly suitable for remote off-grid locations where conventional methods of supply are expensive or impractical. A small system of 600 watts could be used for charging batteries for caravans and boats. A larger system of 5-6kW could be used to provide power to a community hall or other public building. The optimum size for the average household would be 1.5-3kW, with rooftop models varying from 0.5 kW to 2.5 kW in size.

In general, small-scale wind turbines start to generate electricity in wind speeds of approximately 2.5-4 metres per second (m/s) and their rated optimum wind speed is 10-12 m/s.

The noise generated by wind turbines is less than that from many other everyday activities. The aerodynamic noise produced by the blades has been likened to the swishing sound caused by branches of trees during a brisk wind. Wind turbine design can be either the more common horizontal axis type or the vertical axis design.

Costs for wind power are still high, but as the price of electricity from conventional fossil fuels rises and the cost of generating wind power falls, wind farms are becoming more viable to investors and developers.

The environmental benefits associated with wind power are great. A single 1MW turbine will supply the electrical requirements of around 600 houses, saving around 2,100 tonnes of CO₂ per year.

Maximum £5,000 grant offered from the Low Carbon Buildings Programme grant scheme.

Links for Further Information: 

http://www.bwea.com/index.html          http://www.awea.org/

www.natwindpower.co.uk                     www.windworks.ltd.uk