Wind Power: Renewable Energy using Wind Turbines

Wind power

Not all urban wind turbinesare as big
as this 1MW machine in Reading, Berks

In the right place, a wind turbine can use the power in the wind to generate electricity. A significant proportion of your household electricity requirements - up to 30% - can be generated from a machine with a rotor diameter of around 2m.

The most important thing is to make sure that your site is suitable for a wind turbine. Generally, domestic-scale wind turbines are not recommended for confined built-up areas or suburban locations. Wind speed can vary significantly over small areas, especially close to buildings. Ideally, the wind speed at your site should be on average higher than 5 metres per second.

The only fool-proof way to assess your site is to take wind speed measurements over a long period. Of course, for most small applications this isn't possible. The next best thing is to use our online wind speed calculator to check the wind resource at your location. Please bear in mind that this provides an indication only - to be sure, a site visit by an experienced installer is recommended.

Key factors in choosing a wind turbine:

Important things that you should consider:

  • Is your proposed site suitable in terms of wind speed and nearby buildings?
  • Are there any planning restrictions where you live?
  • What’s your budget? A typical domestic wind turbine costs between £2,000 and £10,000 depending on size.

Now find out more about...