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Wind Turbines

How do wind turbines work?

  • 40% of all the wind energy in Europe blows over the UK, making it an ideal country for small domestic turbines.
  • Wind turbines harness the power of the wind and use it to generate electricity.
  • Small systems known as "microwind" or "small-wind" turbines can produce electricity to help power the lights and electrical appliances in a typical home.

Generate electricity at home with small-scale wind turbines

Wind turbines use large blades to catch the wind. When the wind blows the blades are forced round, driving a turbine which generates electricity. The stronger the wind, the more electricity produced.

There are two types of domestic-sized wind turbine:

  • Mast mounted: these are free standing and are erected in a suitably exposed position, often around 2.5kW to 6kW
  • Roof mounted: these are smaller than mast mounted systems and can be installed on the roof of a home where there is a suitable wind resource. Often these are around 1kW to 2kW in size.

If your small wind system is connected to the National Grid then you can make money by selling any generated electricity to an electricity supply company.

From 1st April 2010 you could be eligible to receive cash for each unit of electricity you generate using this technology.

If the turbine is not connected to the electricity grid then unused electricity can be stored in a battery for use when there is no wind.

In the UK we have 40% of Europe's total wind energy.

The benefits of wind electricity

  • Harness a plentiful energy source: in the UK we have 40% of Europe's total wind energy.
  • Cut your carbon footprint: wind electricity is green, renewable energy and doesn't release any harmful carbon dioxide or other pollutants.
  • Cut your electricity bills: wind is free, so once you've paid for the initial installation your electricity costs will be reduced.
  • Store electricity for a calm day: if your home isn't connected to the National Grid you can store excess electricity in batteries and use it when there is no wind.
  • Sell electricity back to the grid: if your system is producing more electricity than you need, or when you can't use it, someone else can use it - and you could make a bit of money.

Is wind electricity suitable for my home?

To tell if a small scale domestic wind turbine is right for you, there are a few key questions to consider:

  • Are there any large obstacles like buildings, trees or hills near your home? Small domestic wind turbines work best in exposed locations, without turbulence caused by these type of obstacles
  • Is your home is a windy area? To be effective you need an average windspeed of no less than 5m/s.
  • Is your home located away from the National Grid? Small domestic wind systems are particularly suitable for use in remote locations where mains electricity is unavailable.
  • Do you need planning permission? Small domestic wind systems normally do require permission from your local authority, so check before you install a system.

Use our new wind speed prediction tool to help determine if your site has a good enough wind speed for a domestic scale wind turbine

To find out if a small domestic wind generator is suitable for your home use our Home Energy Generation Selector tool.

 

Making the most of wind electricity

To make the electricity you produce go further:

  • invest in energy efficient appliances 
  • use energy when the wind is blowing - do your laundry on a windy day to take advantage of the free electricity
  • charge up your batteries whenever you have excess electricity

Field trial of domestic wind turbines

In January 2007 The Energy Saving Trust caried out a field trial of domestic wind turbines. At the time this was the most comprehensive technical monitoring exercise of domestic small-scale wind turbines to be undertaken in the UK.

The trial monitored the in-situ performance of 57 turbines installed at UK homes for a period of at least 12 months. The participants included a selection of grant recipients and sites put forward by wind turbine manufacturers.

The findings illustrate that turbine performance is highly dependent upon the local wind speed. It is therefore vital to accurately predict the wind speed before installing a domestic small-scale turbine.

Read more about the trial and its findings.

 

Costs and savings

Costs for a roof mounted microwind system are about £2,000. Larger mast mounted systems cost between £15,000 and £24,000, including VAT at 5% and installation.

Savings: Recent monitoring of a range of small domestic wind systems has shown that a well sited 6kW turbine could generate around 10,000kWh per year which is equivalent to around 5.5 tonnes of carbon dioxide a year. A system this size could generate income and savings of around £3,200 a year when eligible for the Feed In Tariff.

Maintenance checks are necessary every few years, and a well-maintained turbine should last over 20 years. For off-grid systems, battery life is typically between 6 and 10 years.

 

Find out more

What is suitable for your home?
To find renewable technologies to suit your home, try the Energy Saving Trust home energy generation selector

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