Home Wind Energy Options

Shefwedfan

I am looking at options around wind power. I have a large garden area and due to location the wind can be very strong. The land is flat for miles around me so I can see trees that are fields away...

Anyway I have never really looked into wind but was wondering what is best place to start? any companies do home installation? or is it solo job?

If solo then any places that supply the turbine?

Thanks

Clicky

Shefwedfan

Sir Liamalot wrote: »

Clicky

Thanks but that is a bit too solo :-)

My solo version would be buying the Turbine etc myself and getting my electrician to install :P

mike_2009

First, measure the wind at the proposed site & turbine height for a few seasons
Regs as far as I know mean you can't put up a turbine if it can fall onto someone else's land. Check other regs - distance from structures, house etc
There are a few manufacturers of micro generating wind turbines. I'd get a good grounding by reading this book first:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Wind-Energy-Rest-Us-Comprehensive-ebook/dp/B01N5OU2GG
He deals with all the aspects including fail safe measures, siting, different designs etc
He has a good website full of resources here:
http://www.wind-works.org/cms/

Once you chew through that lot you'll be better informed to start talking to turbine suppliers and sift through the options....

Agree, Paul Gipe probably knows more about micro wind than any other human, Hugh Piggott would be a close successor if not equal.

Keep an eye out for used proven/kingspan 3.5kW & 6kW machines, you won't find anything more capable.

Shefwedfan

What about this sort of solution

https://www.futurenergy.co.uk/wind-turbines/airforce1/

Clicky

aren't all micro turbines basically crap?
only really works efficiently at the large scale of things.

solar is a better option

Nope some work, but yes there's a hellova lottov chancers out there.

VAWTs don't work.
If it's badly sited it won't work.
If you have less than an average windspeed of 5m/s it won't work.
Roof-mounted ones don't work.

Proven/Kingspan work like nothing else.
Hugh Piggott design works really well, better than most you can buy.
Rutlands kindov work.
Leading Edge HAWTs work.

It's about 4-7 times more expensive than solar power and mechancial so upkeep.

Sir Liamalot

Sir Liamalot wrote: »

Nope some work, but yes there's a hellova lottov chancers out there.

VAWTs don't work.
If it's badly sited it won't work.
If you have less than an average windspeed of 5m/s it won't work.
Roof-mounted ones don't work.

Proven/Kingspan work like nothing else.
Hugh Piggott design works really well, better than most you can buy.
Rutlands kindov work.
Leading Edge HAWTs work.

It's about 4-7 times more expensive than solar power and mechancial so upkeep.

so you're looking at 20k to get a decent one fully set-up then?

Depends on what you want. For a grid tied agricultural machine that you service once a decade on a 10m monopole that sounds about right.

I'd be leaning towards the €800 off grid DIY version built from the rear axle of a car though...