Mike_scotland Posted January 12, 2022 Share Posted January 12, 2022 hey group, Has anyone got any insight to wind turbines? cost? returns roughly? me and my partner are looking at solar but it just dawned on us(and we know wind is more expensive to buy) why dont we try wind as i seen you get 2kw and 5kw systems, so were looking into the prospect of them maybe depending on initial costs etc. Thanks in advance! M Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MikeSharp01 Posted January 12, 2022 Share Posted January 12, 2022 The big challenge with wind is the site. If you don't have an open enough site (360 degree uninterrupted wind) the output is massively reduced. This is quite a useful document: https://www.cse.org.uk/downloads/reports-and-publications/community-energy/planning/neighbourhood-planning-wind-guidance.pdf and this http://www.windandsun.co.uk/information/wind-power/wind-power-siting-and-planning.aspx#.Yd6KdGg6phE 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteamyTea Posted January 12, 2022 Share Posted January 12, 2022 May have trouble connecting it to the grid. This may help with windpseeds https://wind-power-program.com/UK_wind_speed_database.htm 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike_scotland Posted January 12, 2022 Author Share Posted January 12, 2022 3 minutes ago, SteamyTea said: May have trouble connecting it to the grid. This may help with windpseeds https://wind-power-program.com/UK_wind_speed_database.htm i cant get it to work bud Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteamyTea Posted January 12, 2022 Share Posted January 12, 2022 5 minutes ago, Mike_scotland said: i cant get it to work bud Try this https://wind-power-program.com/ Original worked for me. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToughButterCup Posted January 12, 2022 Share Posted January 12, 2022 Just quickly @Mike_scotland , I think the lack of response here is because many here (BH) have read the extended discussion about wind - I think we talked about it last year sometime. Have a root around in our database. I seem to remember it will work, but the conditions have to be very favourable indeed for payback to work. Like, say, Shetland where every other farm seems to have a wind installation of some sort. I'd love to install a wind turbine: I just really like the idea, but....... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markc Posted January 12, 2022 Share Posted January 12, 2022 Several years ago we (as a company) looked into wind power on small commercial and domestic scale and we just couldn’t make the figures work. Capital costs plus expected life made anything we looked at not viable. recently spoke to a team who install and maintain the big ones and they said even those will never pay for themselves without subsidies. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cpd Posted January 12, 2022 Share Posted January 12, 2022 25 minutes ago, markc said: Capital costs plus expected life made anything we looked at not viable. This is where I got to and you also have the cost of maintenance to consider, I will look into it again in the years to come but for now I will keep adding insulation! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saveasteading Posted January 12, 2022 Share Posted January 12, 2022 3 hours ago, Mike_scotland said: Has anyone got any insight to wind turbines? cost? returns roughly? I studied this at some length when wind was all the rage (Cameron very visibly fixed one). At Ecobuild there were probably 20 suppliers, (now there are none) but it was all fluff and fashion, and nobody quoting efficiency or payback. except one who honestly said that his pretty helical turbine would make enough power to light the lighting display on it which said ' powered by the wind'. Without lots of grants, a windy site and a big turbine it just doesn't work financially. See examples around London. The big tower block with a very visible turbine built into the top.....I have never seen it turning, and it would only power a few kettles if it did. And SW next to the M25 an array of helical vanes on top of a warehouse....again never seen turning. They were very expensive statements that were ill-advised. Some clients requested them in the grounds or on top of big factories, because they would tick a box for 'ethical' clients. When I explained the 30 year to infinite payback they rightly dropped it. I do know a business with successful turbines but they are the type you see on hill-tops, so if you have a few million to invest, and a huge site on top of a hill..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Temp Posted January 12, 2022 Share Posted January 12, 2022 22 minutes ago, markc said: recently spoke to a team who install and maintain the big ones and they said even those will never pay for themselves without subsidies. Not quite sure how "zero subsidy" is defined but its not hard to find details of both onshore and offshore projects that claim to be subsidy free. Think the first was in 2017? 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike_scotland Posted January 12, 2022 Author Share Posted January 12, 2022 42 minutes ago, markc said: Several years ago we (as a company) looked into wind power on small commercial and domestic scale and we just couldn’t make the figures work. Capital costs plus expected life made anything we looked at not viable. recently spoke to a team who install and maintain the big ones and they said even those will never pay for themselves without subsidies. Is Solar perhaps the way forward then? its just with electricity at an expected 0.30p next year im wondering if the time to move is now Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike_scotland Posted January 12, 2022 Author Share Posted January 12, 2022 im feeling the consensus might be Solar then haha! i think your about 6-7k for a 5kw solar system, i got giving a website/calculator off here for rough estimate of KWH back from your area from the sun and i was at around 3800kw a year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markc Posted January 12, 2022 Share Posted January 12, 2022 I would definitely go solar, no moving parts! And fairly low installation cost. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saveasteading Posted January 12, 2022 Share Posted January 12, 2022 solar: Someone on Buildhub knows a lot about this, and can calculate if it is worth it depending on location. In principle as you go north you get less sun in the winter, when you need the power, and more in the summer, when you don't. Experts will perhaps join in now they see the change of subject. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike_scotland Posted January 12, 2022 Author Share Posted January 12, 2022 20 minutes ago, saveasteading said: solar: Someone on Buildhub knows a lot about this, and can calculate if it is worth it depending on location. In principle as you go north you get less sun in the winter, when you need the power, and more in the summer, when you don't. Experts will perhaps join in now they see the change of subject. yeah i agree with that - i think we would try to be very frugal and have washes,dryer dishwasher etc on during the day, maybe a economy 7 type wouldnt be too bad for heating going on at night aswell, really need to see im hoping to be moving in by march! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saveasteading Posted January 12, 2022 Share Posted January 12, 2022 1 minute ago, Mike_scotland said: as you go north Don't say where you are exactly, but area of the country, aspect of the site and roof? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike_scotland Posted January 12, 2022 Author Share Posted January 12, 2022 i am in Angus near dundee in scotland. i am thinking about having ground solar as the roof of mine has alot of veluxs on it - i have been looking into the concept of ground panels as we have a 100% unshaded facing south garden i used a calculator PVGIS and it gave me around 4400 a year Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saveasteading Posted January 12, 2022 Share Posted January 12, 2022 3 minutes ago, Mike_scotland said: ground panels as we have a 100% unshaded facing Perfect then as you will be facing due south and use optimum elevation....but they don't look great. Lots of daylight in Angus....the soft fruit industry proves that. We are thinking of orientating new outbuildings to face south. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike_scotland Posted January 12, 2022 Author Share Posted January 12, 2022 5 minutes ago, saveasteading said: Perfect then as you will be facing due south and use optimum elevation....but they don't look great. Lots of daylight in Angus....the soft fruit industry proves that. We are thinking of orientating new outbuildings to face south. so there estimating a 4400 kwh per year return how much of that do you think we would actually be able to use? is a 60% use 40% sell to grid split reasonably? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saveasteading Posted January 12, 2022 Share Posted January 12, 2022 4 minutes ago, Mike_scotland said: how much of that do you think we would actually be able to use? Experts needed please. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteamyTea Posted January 12, 2022 Share Posted January 12, 2022 When it comes to industrial scale generation, PV is a better use of land. Large turbines have been generating pretty close to their maximum limit for about 20 years now, PV (silicon) is only now getting close and has a few more percent to go still. 3 hours ago, saveasteading said: Experts needed please Depends on demand and usage patterns. There is not one size that fits all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike_scotland Posted January 13, 2022 Author Share Posted January 13, 2022 So i got a rough quote back from a wind turbine guy a 6w turbine is around 35k!!! Jesus haha 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cpd Posted January 13, 2022 Share Posted January 13, 2022 1 hour ago, Mike_scotland said: So i got a rough quote back from a wind turbine guy a 6w turbine is around 35k!!! Jesus haha ?? ……. Well you can scrub that of the “to do list” Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike_scotland Posted January 13, 2022 Author Share Posted January 13, 2022 11 minutes ago, Cpd said: ?? ……. Well you can scrub that of the “to do list” hahahaaha 100%.... solar it may well be hahaha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wil Posted January 13, 2022 Share Posted January 13, 2022 I did have a self installed 1kW wind turbine... It died in a storm after about 9 months of generating very little. It was a total bodge job, but in comparison to my solar it did almost nothing... It was good to have and I miss it's minor contributions on overcast winter days and nights. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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