Wind Turbine Systems explained...

There are three main types of wind turbine systems. 1) battery/ diesel generator system, 2) Grid-tie system and, 3) heating-only system.  For each system you can be paid for the power you produce even if you use it yourself!!  selling Renewable Obligation Certificates or ROC's can provide a small reward for producing power by renewable means.

1)  A battery / diesel generator system is a wind turbine charging a bank of batteries, which, in calm periods can be charged by the diesel generator.  This battery bank is then used to supply power to a house/building through an inverter.  Batteries are expensive so this type of system is generally only used in remote locations where the national grid is not accessible.

2)  Grid-tie systems are only implemented where there is access to the national grid (or an island grid system).  This is where any power produced by the wind turbine is used in your house first and excess power is automatically exported.  The user of this system would not know if the power being consumed was being produced by the wind turbine or imported from the national grid as transfers are seamless and automatic.  E.g.1, if your grid-tie wind turbine was producing 6kW of power and you had the equivalent of 4kW of electrical load turned on in the house you would be using power produced by the wind turbine and you would also be exporting 2kW to the national grid.  E.g.2, if your grid-tie wind turbine was producing 5kW and you were using 6kW in the house then you would be importing 1kW from the national grid.

There are energy brokers that will pay you for the power you export. 

The down side to a grid-tie system is that if there is a power cut on the national grid, your wind turbine must, by law, disconnect from the grid and stop producing power.  This is a safety feature for technicians repairing the line.  When the national grid is restored, your turbine will automatically connect once more and continue its exporting/ energy production.

3) Heating-only systems are a way of producing heat from the wind.  They are a simple and relatively cheap way of using the power from the wind to heat your house.  It should be noted that electrical heaters are the greediest users of electricity out of all the electrical appliances in a home and as such require a sizable turbine to produce a noticeable amount of heat.  For instance, an electrical heater bar (on an electric heater) is approx. 1kW so a 2.5kW Proven turbine could only supply heating for 2.5 of these heater bars when in full production.

ROCs.  Using a kWh meter it is possible to keep track of every kWh (Kilo Watt Hour), or milliROC, produced by your renewable energy source (wind turbine, water turbine, solar etc..).  You can then be paid for your ROC's out of the money others pay in green levies in ordinary electricity bills.

The good thing about ROC's is that you can be paid for energy you produce and use yourself!!  Because of this it is possible to receive ROC's payments for any of the above systems (grid connected or not).

Grant Aid for wind turbines The Low Carbon Buildings Programme (LCBP) grant scheme is applicable to the whole of the UK.  The grant is £1,000 per kW of installed capacity, subject to an overall maximum of £2,500 or 30% of the relevant eligible costs, whichever is the lower.  Please contact LCBP to ask for the full grant criteria on 0800 9157722 or look on the web-site www.lowcarbonbuildings.org.uk.  Grant is allocated on a first come first served basis, when all funds are allocated we are led to believe that the LCBP will cease to be. 

For those who live in Scotland there is a choice.  Either apply to LCBP or the SCOTTISH COMMUNITY AND HOUSEHOLD RENEWABLES INITIATIVE (SCHRI). SCHRI which offers 30% of the installation costs to a maximum of £4,000.  The grant scheme will be reviewed in March 2008. Contact SCHRI on 0800 138 8858 or via web site www.est.org.uk/schri. 

Northern Ireland has the Household Programme for domestic installations.  This grant scheme offers £2,000 per kW up to a maximum of £8,000 and subject to an overall limit of £8,000.  Please check the VAT situation.  Contact telephone no. is 0800 0234077 or via web site www.actionrenewables.org.  If you are a business please contact Invest N.I. on 02890 698 851 

If you are a business or a community project please use the contacts as above and ask for up to date information on what is available.  There are grants available in most circumstances but remember this is a competitive tendering process.