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The Farmer’s Guide To Wind

Turbines

The 12 key questions any farmer must ask

when considering a wind turbine

(and why the wrong choice could reduce

your income by 50%)

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Contents

Is Britain the right place for wind turbines? Pg 3

Do wind turbines really work? Pg 4

Are wind turbines a good idea? Pg 5

Where can wind turbines be sited? Pg 6

What are the different types of turbines? Pg 7

Is a wind turbine right for me? Pg 9

What are Feed in Tariffs? Pg 10

How do I connect to the Grid? Pg 11

How much can I earn? Pg 11

Comparisons Between Different Wind Turbines Pg 12

Can I get planning? Pg 13

How much maintenance do I have to do? Pg14

What should I expect from my Installer/Sales agent? Pg 14

Case studies. Pg 16

Who else can give me advice? Pg 22

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Question #1 Is Britain the right place for wind turbines?

The UK is extremely fortunate as far as renewable energy is concerned. It

benefits from receiving some of the strongest and highest average wind speeds

across Europe. In fact, 40% of all the wind in Europe is in the UK. This fact

makes the UK ideal as a location for wind turbines. At the moment, only 3.5%

of the country’s energy is produced from wind turbines, but this percentage is

due to rise dramatically over the next few years. Wind energy has been

declared by the Government as the preferred option for renewable energy and in

2010 accounted for 58% of all renewable energy produced in the country. Most

of this energy is produced by large scale wind farms both on-shore and off-

shore. These large wind farms are owned by the electricity companies and

private investment companies. However, a growing number of domestic and

farming individuals are starting to produce small scale energy on their own

land and earn excellent returns on their investment in the region of 20 -25%

Return on Investment (RoI). They provide electricity for their own use and any

excess is sold to the Grid to be used by the local community. In fact, if every

farm in the country had its own small scale wind turbine, there would not be the

need for so many large turbines, nor to build as many new pylons and upgrade

the National Grid.

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Question #2 Do wind turbines really work?

For centuries, mankind has harnessed the power of the wind as an almost

unlimited and free source of power. For years, windmills were a common sight

all across the land and it is only in the past century or so that we have started

using other forms of energy production. Of course windmills can’t provide all

the power for a modern society or provide enough power to run an industrial

society. What wind turbines can do though is be a part of the solution to the

worlds energy needs without pollution. Whereas before, the windmills were

used for grinding corn or pumping water, these days they can generate

electricity. They use the rotation of the blades to turn a generator which creates

the electricity which can then be fed into the National Grid.

Are some turbines less efficient than others?

Yes, some of the cheaper small scale turbines use gear boxes to speed up the

speed of rotation at the generator rather than use a full complement of

magnets, because they are very expensive. The problem with this is that

gearboxes can make a tonal noise and can give neighbours reason to object.

Gear boxes can also break down often and need a lot of servicing. Despite the

increased speed of rotation those with gear boxes don’t generally produce as

much electricity.

Many small wind turbines also have fixed blades which are not as efficient as

variable pitch blades. Variable pitch blades produce much more power; almost

silently as they do not spill the air but literally fly through the air creating lift,

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just like an aeroplanes wing. This means that these turbines produce a lot of

power at lower wind speeds.

Question #3 Are wind turbines a good idea?

Once you have installed a small scale wind turbine, most of them need very

little maintenance. With the more established and reliable turbine

manufacturers, this can usually be arranged as part of an on-going maintenance

policy.

If this cannot be arranged, perhaps one should ask why the manufacturer does

not want to look after the turbine once they have sold it.

The wind is a free and never ending source of power that is available at all times

of the day. Unlike Solar Panels, wind turbines work just as well at night or in

the middle of winter, when you do actually want to turn on the lights.

Wind turbines do not have to be South facing. Location is important but they

can be fitted in a variety of locations and even fitted on the roof of buildings or

on towers in a nearby field or garden. In isolated areas, wind turbines can be

off-Grid and the power can be stored in batteries. They can do all of this for

many years and have the added benefit that they produce no carbon as

traditional generation does and so help to reduce the Carbon footprint of the

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country. This is a major step in reducing climate change. Small scale wind

turbines range in size from the domestic 3.5kW turbine such as the Windspot

turbine, to 5-10 kW turbines ( such as Kingspan, Gaia, C&F, Eskrane), 10-

20kW (Evoco, C&F, Westwind) and 20-100kW (C&F, Endurance, Polaris) all

of which go on poles ranging in height from 10 - 35 metres. These turbines are

completely different from the giant ones that create all the controversy and are

over 100 metres in the air and can be seen for miles. Some of the small scale

turbines can come in Grey as well as White and so blend into the background

more, which helps with planning.

Question #4 Where can wind turbines be sited?

There has been a lot of controversy about wind turbines and many people claim

to be against them. Most of these objections however are about large turbines.

Small scale wind turbines are usually no taller than a large tree and are actually

part of the modern farm in the same way that tractors are. In fact, not so many

years ago, many people were against dirty smelly noisy tractors and wanted to

keep horses on the farm. Nowadays, it is difficult to find a farm that does not

have a tractor or would be willing to do away with them.

They are discouraged in National Parks and Areas of Outstanding Natural

Beauty (AONB’s). But this does not mean that they cannot be erected in

National Parks or AONB’s, but it does require negotiation with the planning

authorities and usually a tower no taller than 15metres is permitted.

In areas of Conservation, Sites of Special Scientific Interest and for listed

buildings, it is almost impossible to get permission.

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Wind turbines do need to be erected in the correct location. Traditional wind

turbines, do not work well in urban environments where the air is what is called

‘messy’. This is because the air has been bounced around amongst the

buildings and is not a constant force of wind but comes in gusts.

If sited correctly, a wind turbine will provide power, night and day for years to

come.

Question #5 What are the different types of turbines?

There are two main types of wind turbine available in the UK. They are

Vertical axis and the more popular, horizontal axis turbines.

Horizontal axis turbines are mounted on towers of varying heights. These can

be mounted onto the actual house but are usually put in a field or large garden.

These turbines are much more effective at capturing the energy of the wind.

These turbines have the blades and generator mounted at the top of the pole

with a horizontal axis and so look a bit like an aeroplane but without the wings.

They can either be up wind or downwind in their orientation. The down wind

turbine steer themselves into the correct direction by allowing the wind to blow

over the body of the turbine before it reaches the blades. This allows the turbine

to point into the wind but naturally, the wind is disturbed before it gets to the

turbine blades and so looses a lot of its energy.

Up wind turbines usually have a tail at the back of the turbine which is blown

by the wind pointing the turbine in the correct direction. The problem with both

these arrangements is that the wind is constantly changing direction and so there

is wear and tear on the mountings and chassis of the turbine.

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The best solution is to measure the wind direction as with the large scale

turbines. This releases the brakes that hold the turbine head in place and then

uses a slew motor to turn the turbine head into the true direction of the wind

rather than being bounced around by the apparent direction of the wind. This

has the added advantage of taking more energy out of the wind. If the turbine

head is being blown around by the wind, it is not taking any energy out of the

wind and so loses efficiency. There are some turbines on the market that use

slew motors to turn into the direction of the wind. These are the more efficient

turbines.

As the wind speed increases, turbines reach their rated speed and produce their

peak power. If the wind increases beyond this speed, then the turbine has to

control its speed.

Some turbines do this by spilling air out of the blades or turning out of the wind.

This can be done in several ways. Some turbines have a tail which forces the

turbine out of the wind. Others allow air to force the blades to spill the wind.

The better turbines on the market are able to measure the wind speed and

automatically change the pitch of the blades. This means that the blades are

actually flying through the air, just like an aeroplanes wings and so creating lift.

This is much more efficient and creates much more power at a wider range of

wind speeds. If the wind speed is too high, the blades can turn backwards and

slow themselves down. They therefore continue to turn at the rated speed and

so produce power much long and at greater wind speeds than other types of

turbines.

Turbines are a considerable weight and take a lot of pressure from the wind.

They therefore need to have very strong foundations. Some towers have guy

ropes to help support them. This however does create wind patterns near the

tower which interfere with the wind at the turbine head.

A free standing tower is the preferred option. The concrete in the base should

also be C37 concrete and by law has to be crush tested by an independent

testing company. This cannot and must not be done by the installer or the

concrete company.

Vertical turbines work by rotating the blades around the pole and the generator

that is around the pole. This means that it can’t be very large and so its power is

restricted. Manufacturers claim that this means that they can work better in

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urban environments with messy wind where the wind comes from different

directions at different times. Most of these types of turbines also need power to

start them turning

Question #6 Is a wind turbine right for me?

A wind turbine is a serious investment and needs to be considered carefully

before purchasing.

The first thing that has to be considered is, is there enough wind to make it

work?

The strength and speed of the wind is vital. Most places in the UK have a wind

speed of 5.5M/s. Wind turbines can work in wind speeds as low as 2 M/s.

These are unusual though.

The C&F turbines are viable from speeds as low as 4.5M/s but most other

turbines need much higher wind speeds.

Some turbines such as the Gaia and Endurance are only available as 3 phase and

these turbines usually don’t start producing any power until they are almost at

rated speed and so, just because they are turning does not mean they are

earning.

The better turbines are capable of producing DC power at the generator, at

lower wind speeds and then inverting the power through an inverter into 240

volts single phase or 415 volts 3 phase for use by the property or sold to the

Grid.

Some turbines can also do split phase if required.

The wind speed at your location can be found out by looking at the official

government database that is available at

energysavingtrust.org.uk/windspeedtool

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If this is a good wind speed then you might want to erect an anemometer and

get a measurement at the location. The problem with this though is that it only

indicated the speed of the wind over the past few months and gives no

indication of the possible future wind speeds.

A better indication is probably the past ten year’s data from the government

database. If you have had a wind speed of 6M/s for the past ten years, then it is

probably a good indication that you will have that sort of wind speed for the

next ten years.

You also need to be able to position the turbine away from buildings and tall

trees. A good installation company should be able to guide you about wind

shadow. A basic rule of thumb though is that your turbine needs to be twice the

height of the obstruction and ten times the distance of the obstruction away

from it.

Question #7 What are Feed in Tariffs?

In order to stimulate and encourage sales of renewable energy equipment, the

Government has launched the Feed in Tariff Scheme.

This pays you to produce power from renewable sources such as wind power.

For wind power, the payments are 21p for each kW that you produce. What you

do with this electricity is up to you.

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If you use it yourself, then you do not have to pay for it from the Grid and so

save yourself an additional amount of money.

Any extra that you have not used, you can sell to the Grid.

This means that if you choose the correct turbine, you could earn approximately

£1,000 income value for each kilowatt of generation that you have installed.

This means that some turbines can have a pay-back period as low as 4 years.

This could give a return on investment (RoI) of up to 25%. This does depend

on you choosing the correct turbine and the wind speed and the amount of

electricity you use yourself and how much you sell to the Grid.

Question #8 How do I connect to the Grid?

If you produce less than 16 Amps per phase, approximately 4kW, then you can

connect to the Grid and just tell them that you have done so within 30 days.

If you produce more than 4 kW at single phase or 11 kW at 3 phase, then you

need permission from the District Network Operator (DNO).

It may be necessary to upgrade your connection to the Grid and this can be a

considerable amount of money. It is possible to avoid these upgrades if you use

an EMMA device to control the export of the power. This device is accepted by

the DNO’s and can save a lot of expense.

If there is a power failure in the local area, your turbine will switch off. This is a

legal requirement. If people are working on the network, they do not want

anyone to export power into the network whilst they are working on it.

Question #9 How much can I earn?

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The amount that can be earned from a wind turbine depends on various factors

such as the wind speed and how much of the electricity you use yourself.

If you choose the correct turbine, then you could earn approximately £1,000 per

installed kW. This does depend though on which turbine you choose.

Some turbines can pay for themselves in less than 4 years

If a turbine is for domestic use and has paid the 5% VAT, then all income from

the turbine is tax free.

Comparisons Between Different Wind Turbines

Below is a comparison between different turbines that are available on the

market today. As you can see they vary greatly in their cost and income

potential.

5-10kW turbines Westwind Gaia C&F

Cost £32,000 £30,000 £47,000

Income pa £2,286 £3,000 £8,000

Payback 14 years 10 years 6 years

RoI 7% 10% 16%

Noise 95dB(A) 45dB(A) 40dB(A)

Warranty 5 years 5 years 10 years

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15-20kW turbines Westwind C&F

Cost £70,000 £73,000

Income pa 12,000 £20,000

Payback 5.7 years 3.65 years

RoI 17.5% 27.4%

Noise 93dB(A) 40 dB(A)

Warranty 5 years 10 years

50/75 kW turbines Polaris Endurance C&F

Cost £250,000 £240,000 £230,000

Income pa £40,000 £50,000 £75,000

Payback 6 years 5 years 4 years

RoI 16.6% 20% 25%

Noise 50dB(A) 45dB(A) 40dB(A)

Warranty 5 years 5 years 10 year

Question #10 Can I get planning?

Planning is always necessary for all wind turbines over 2.5 kW in rated power.

Planners have been told however to look favourably on planning applications

and some authorities have stated that it is their policy to say yes to all wind

turbine applications.

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Having said that though, not all planning authorities are as favourable and it is

advisable to use a professional planning consultant to help you through the

planning process.

All good sales agents and companies should offer you a planning service as part

of their services. If you are at the end of an airport runway or in a conservation

area, you will probably be refused permission to erect a wind turbine.

Most other locations should be able to get planning permission although it may

require some negotiation as to just where the turbine is positioned or the height

of the tower.

Question #11 How much maintenance do I have to do?

Good turbines require very little maintenance and the best companies offer a

maintenance policy that covers all parts and labour costs as well as constant

monitoring of the turbine performance.

This policy and the warranty should also be backed up by an insurance policy to

cover against the manufacturer going out of business. That way your warranty

is still covered. Some of the manufacturers can also offer a monitoring service

where all the data is constantly streamed back to their control room where it can

be monitored and if anything does go wrong, the repairs team can be sent before

you are even aware that anything is wrong. Tuning of the turbine can also be

done from the control room. This also means that you can check up on your

turbines performance from anywhere in the world on the Web

Question #12 What should I expect from my installer/ Sales

agent?

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All sales agents should be registered with REAL and NAPIT as well as being

MCS registered. Do not use any agent that is not registered with all of these

associations.

A good agent should be able to offer a one stop shop to write a full report about

your proposed installation, suggest the best location for your turbine and the

best sort of turbine for your location and energy

This is important for your warranty. If you pay your money to the agent or

dealer, then your warranty is with the agent/dealer and not with requirements.

They should be able to take you through the planning process, get permission to

connect to the Grid and get you connected. They should arrange the installation

of the base and tower as well as erection of the turbine and commissioning.

A good agent will not actually sell you a turbine but will arrange for you to

purchase it from the manufacturer and then take a commission from the

manufacturer. They will probably charge you a project management fee for

organising everything, but they will not actually take the payment for the

turbine.

If the payment was made to the manufacturer, then you have the security of

knowing that your warranty and insurance policy is with the manufacturer.

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Case studies.

Neil Edmondson

Neil and his Swiss born wife Kirsten were very keen to embrace the new

technology that was available with wind turbines. They farm 500 acres of High

hillside near Bury. They have 150 head of dairy cattle and raise 100 heifers. In

addition, they have 2000 sheep that range across their moors. With her Swiss

background, Kirsten was very keen to see the project to completion and to

ensure that it was as ‘Green’ as possible. They are so happy with the service

they have received and the turbine that they have a steady stream of visitors

coming to see the turbines and ask questions about it. They are able to monitor

the performance of the turbine from the farm kitchen on the computer monitor

which shows them constant real time data about the turbines performance as it

is broadcast on the Web. This also means that the turbine is being constantly

monitored 24/7 in C&F’s control room. This means that if there are ever any

problems or the turbine is not performing as it should, then it can be remotely

tuned or if necessary, a repair team on their way before Neil and Kirsten are

even aware there is a problem. They are so happy with their 15 kW turbine, that

they have actually submitted plans to have a 100kW turbine.

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Sue White

As a local councillor, Sue White was only too aware of the importance of not

being a ‘blot on the landscape’ and her turbine being acceptable to her

neighbours. Sue is a councillor for the Green Party and was very keen to get the

most efficient and quietest turbine she could. It would

not look good to argue in favour of renewable energy and then install the

cheapest turbine on the market. Sue chose a C&F 15 kW wind turbine from

Clean Power Solutions. Kurloon Park is very sensitive to pollution and as the

family home Sue wanted to create the right legacy for her children. Sue has

been so pleased with the service that she received from Clean Power Solutions,

that she invited them to take a stand at the Garstang County Show of which she

is the Secretary. She has also hosted open days for Clean Power Solutions to tell

all her neighbours about Clean Power and the range of C&F turbines. She is

now so happy with her turbine and the service she received from Clean Power

Solutions, that she wishes she had another one.

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Louise and Alan Cupit

Hi, my name is Louise. My husband Alan and I have just had a C&F wind

turbine erected. I thought I would write a few words about our journey through

this process which hopefully will assist anybody contemplating such a huge

project.

I can’t really remember when we first began discussing a wind turbine, we have

always thought renewable energy is the way forward and naively thought that

only the very rich could do this and it was out of our reach. It was about four

years ago that we began comparing the different turbines on the market and

actually began speaking to different companies. When we discovered the cost of

a turbine against the income which could be generated we got very excited. The

income from a turbine could repay a loan with some money left over and then

after 5-7 years we could be in pure profit and have a very tidy pension plan for

ourselves. This is when things started moving.

We had to choose an agent who could advise us and lead us through the

complicated process from start to finish as we had no experience with turbines

and very little knowledge about the process. We decided to proceed with a

company which seemed credible but within weeks we had major problems with

the planning application which they were supposed to be dealing with, every

time we telephoned them we spoke to a different person who seemed to know

less about turbines than we did and they could rarely deal with any of the

problems raised by us which they seemed to be creating in the first place. We

decided to cut our losses and forget all about a turbine because what should

have been an exciting project had turned into a terrible experience that was

making us both miserable.

A few weeks later we stumbled upon Clean Power Solutions. I had had enough

hassle but my husband still wanted to pursue his goal of having his own wind

turbine. We agreed that he would call them and if I still felt the same after a

meeting with them he would forget it. He called and had a lengthy discussion

with Mike Hough and it was agreed that Simon Harrington would contact us.

An onsite meeting was arranged for the following week. Simon Harrington,

Daren Birch, my husband and I were present. After our experiences with the

agent who we had originally gone with we were very sceptical and gave both

Simon and Daren a very hard time. Simon and Daren both answered each

question put to them without hesitation and they remained very polite

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throughout their interrogation. They assured us that the problems with the

planning application could be sorted out by them if we chose to continue with

our project. My husband decided to continue with Clean Power Solutions as our

agent even though I still wasn’t happy and wanted to shelve the whole thing. It

is a good job he overruled me as we are now the proud owners of a wind

turbine. Don’t get me wrong. The past few months have not been plain sailing

as we have had more problems than anybody would normally experience during

a project like this one, but I will say that it has been a refreshing change to be in

the hands of a company like Clean Power Solutions. They have taken each

problem as it has arisen and dealt with it competently and efficiently to cause

the least effect on us and to secure the best possible outcome.

Because the staff at Clean Power Solutions have guided us so skilfully

throughout this process since they stepped in I would happily recommend them

for the management of any project like ours. Clean Power Solutions will not

promise what they cannot deliver; they will be open and honest with you from

the outset and you will be kept informed at every stage of your development as

it progresses. My husband and I would also be happy to show anybody who

wished to see a turbine operational what ours looks/sounds like and we will also

discuss our own experiences in more detail with anybody who is considering a

project like this.

Graham France

Mike Hough and Graham France (on right)

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With energy prices rising and the price of milk under constant threat of being

slashed, reducing costs on the dairy farm have never been more important.

Graham France of Windy Bank Farm, Hightown, Liversedge, has found part of

the solution to this problem. Not only has he reduced the cost of heating his

water and chilling the milk but also earns an income from the generous Feed in

Tariffs that are currently available to anyone who installs a MCS certified wind

turbine. Graham’s C&F 20kW turbine from Clean Power Solutions Ltd will

earn him in the region of £20,000 per year and pay for itself in as little as 4

years, as a combination of reduced energy bills, income from FiT’s and sales to

the electricity company. As Graham said, “the name of the farm says it all”,

Graham’s farm is an ideal place for a turbine, but they are viable with any wind

speed above 4.5M/s. The average wind speed in the UK is 5.5M/s so most

locations are suitable providing they are not in a sheltered position. It is

important though to have the right advice and select the correct turbine.

Choosing the right turbine can double the income for each site.

Graham’s C&F20 kW turbine went up just one month ago but already he has

noticed a dramatic reduction in his energy bills. As he jokingly stated, “I have

told the kids to turn on all the lights just to try and use up all the power, rather

than actually export it. It is great to know that I have no worries about the

electricity bill.”

Graham researched the different types of turbine on the market carefully and

decided that C&F turbines were the best on the market. This was because of

their 10 year parts and labour maintenance policy, and the sales support offered

by Clean Power Solutions which was an invaluable part of the process. Clean

Power Solutions offered a one-stop-shop solution to the whole process. They

were able to take care of all the planning and Grid connection problems and

their industry knowledge was invaluable. They provided a no fuss approach

with complete support and service through the whole process. As Graham said,

“It was invaluable to know that Clean Power Solutions were available on the

phone at almost any time to reassure me and sort out any problems that

occurred.”

Graham chose to control the power produced by the use of an EMMA grid

voltage stabilisation device, also installed by Clean Power Solutions. The

EMMA unit controls the amount of export without having an effect on the

income earned this eliminated the need to upgrade the local electricity network,

which in this instance would have been £18,000

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As Graham said’ I was amazed at how quickly it could all happen. In my case

there were a few problems that needed Clean Power to sort out, but the whole

thing can be done in as little as a few months from planning application to

commissioning. It does need professional advice though, to guide you through

the process which can be a bit daunting in some cases.”

Who else can give me advice?

Energy Saving Trust.

Energysavingtrust.org.uk

Micro generation Certification Scheme

Microgenerationcertification.org

REAL Assurance Scheme

Realassurance.org.uk

Renewable UK

This is the trade association of the wind energy industry.

Renewable-uk.com

Energy Saving Trust domestic wind speed prediction tool

Energysavingtrust.org.uk/windspeedtool