Wind Power

Wind has been used as a power source throughout human history, however we seem to be treating it as a new invention! Perhaps oil has sidetracked us over the last 100 years.

As with Solar power, wind power is intermittent, with solar there is a predictable decline and cessation of energy generation at night with a general reduction during the winter months. To get power from the wind, you need wind!

What is holding back the use of household windmills in the UK is perhaps the cost and the space and height required.

They could also be regarded as having too much presence, requiring a mounting pole that could be 10 or 20 metres in height? The height being needed to gain as much wind as possible to justify the high cost - the pole then adding to that cost!

With a low cost mass produced product that can be easily plugged into the mains and contribute a proportion of a household's energy requirements, the requirements to have such an obtrusive siting would decrease. Ideally the mounting should be similar to that of a satellite dish, perhaps bolted on to a chimney? With a small cheap unit, more people can treat it as a consumer item, buy one and then perhaps add additional units?

Inverter problems : Apparently there have been problems with inverters - the bit that turns the 12V to 240V. While a solar PV inverter is subjected to slow and steady changes in wattage, a wind turbine subjects its inverter to significant and constant changes which has caused some inverters to fail, in particular where the inverter was originally designed for solar PV.

Future Energy: Offers wind turbines in kit form, both as a ready to install turbine and as just the bits. Worth a look a the website. The image to the right shows my plan to install two future energy wind turbines. The tower is ready as is the mains connection - just need the cash to buy the turbines and inverters, though realistically not that big a cost - a lot less than my solar PV. The other consideration with future energy is that doing it yourself there is no grant - but, it still seems to be cheaper than getting somebody to install! Another thing to consider is that the tower allows me to have a 'temporary structure'. Unfortunately my local authority has proven itself seriously anti renewable energy!

Windsave: An example of this type of system can be seen at www.windsave.com where the cost of entry into renewable power is in the region of £1,500. Windsave is now proposing to start installing in Autumn 2006 and is taking orders now.

Swift: Also, the "swift" wind turbine from renewable devices seems to satisfy the consumer model of a small roof mounted wind turbine, see their report by clicking here.

Click here to see bbc article on windsave

A selection of wind turbine models from 'Eco Business links'

Bradford West City Tower Blocks Wind Energy Feasibility Study

An alternative wind power startup company "Eurowind" is focusing on vertical axis wind turbines. At the point of writing they are stating technical success though still in the process of identifying funding - good luck!

Still to come - Small and Large scale verticle axis wind turbines. An up and coming company called Eurowind looks to be a prospective entrant in the wind turbine industry offering an inovative approach to wind power.

Schools have been told to become more "green".

By 2020, the government wants them to cut energy use and encourage children to think about the environmental impact of even the smallest action - like leaving a light on or a door open.

Windtech article on VAWTs

reFocus - Wind and renewables magazine

Quiterevolution vertical axis wind power

I had applied for and gone through the grant and survey process for a Windsaveturbine. The survey identified that I was in an ideal spot for wind, however the standard fitting system wasn't suitable for the roof / wall mounting point so we were unable to go ahead.

I will now be looking to install a stand alone system.