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Could I put a turbine in my garden or on the roof of my house?
More and more householders, communities and small businesses are interested in generating their own electricity by using small scale wind turbines, either on their roofs or in their back gardens. For more information on small scale wind energy, see our factsheet I want my own turbine and for advice about the best place to site a turbine, see our factsheet on siting a wind turbine.

I want to build my own wind turbine
There is a very good book on this subject, 'Wind Power Workshop' by Hugh Piggott, available from the Centre for Alternative Technology. For a brief idea of what is involved see how to build your own wind turbine.

Isn't it cheaper to save electricity?
It is cheaper to save electricity than to generate it, by whatever method. The latest information on how much it costs to save electricity is available from the Energy Savings Trust. In their Energy Efficiency Standards of Performance Review, they cited the cost of energy efficiency measures as costing around 1.3 pence per kilowatt hour (per unit). The cost of wind energy is currently around 2.4 pence per unit. However, to combat climate change, the UK will need a mix of both renewable energy technologies and energy efficiency measures.

How many wind farms/turbines are there in the UK?
Our list of all the operational wind farms in the UK also provides total industry statistics, including the number of wind farms and turbines, total capacity installed, and greenhouse gas emission reductions.

How much electricity does one wind turbine produce?
One 1.8 MW wind turbine at a reasonable site would produce over 4,7 million units of electricity each year, enough to meet the annual needs of over 1,000 households, or to run a computer for over 1,620 years.
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Small Wind Systems

BWEA is the UK's leading renewable energy business organisation. Established in 1978, BWEA now has over 380 member companies active in the UK wind, wave and tidal stream industries. BWEA is at the forefront of the development of these industries, acting as an industry forum to find solutions, whilst representing membership views to government, the media, and the public.

BWEA is the leading voice for the UK micro- and small-wind industry with a membership that includes all major small wind turbine manufacturers, installers, distributors, test and certification bodies, academic institutions and utility companies.

Read Powering Ahead to find out more about BWEA.

Latest News
16 October, 2009 BWEA consultation response: Renewable Electricity Financial Incentives (RO + FIT)
Click here for details

21 September, 2009 International Small Wind Conference 2010
BWEA's second annual event dedicated to small and micro wind systems will take place over 27-28 April 2010 at The Science Centre in Glasgow. Further information will be available shortly

13 July, 2009 EST Report Flags up Potential for Small Wind Systems
BWEA, the UK's leading renewable energy trade association, welocmed today the publication of the Energy Saving Trust's (EST) report on the domestic small-scale wind field trial... click here for more

May 1, 2009 Global study hails growth for small wind sector
UK manufacturing industry casts aside economic gloom to become world's largest exporter A global study released by the American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) today, flagged up significant international growth in demand for small wind technology. BWEA's own figures released last... click here for more...

April 22, 2009 BWEA Small Wind System UK Market Report 2009
This year's BWEA Small Wind System UK Market Report was launched at April's International Small Wind Conference. The report assesses the current size and dynamic of the world's second largest market for small wind systems, the United Kingdom. Currently, 82%... click here for more...

April 3, 2009 Export markets open for small wind systems
Current economic climate stimulates growth for UK small wind industry BWEA, UK's leading renewable energy association, indicated today that the export segment of the UK small wind sector is reporting stronger growth due to weakened pound and increase in demand... click here for more...

March 20, 2009 BWEA releases clarification note for the BWEA small wind turbine performance and safety standard.
Click here to download in PDF format.

January 14, 2009 Location, location: proper turbine placement key to viability
Wind trials confirm importance of good sites for small wind systems BWEA, UK's leading renewable energy trade association, reiterated the importance of site assessment in deploying small wind systems, following yesterday's launch of the Encraft Warwick Wind Trial report. Commenting... click here for more...
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Public
Siting a small wind turbine
Many potential users of small wind turbines think how nice it would be to put up a wind turbine next to their house and use the free power of the wind. Unfortunately, whilst the wind is free, the means to extract the power from it is not. Buying and installing a turbine a turbine costs money, and there are also operation and maintenance costs. Consequently serious consideration much be given to siting the turbine to get the best performance and reliability from it.


The output from a wind turbine is highly sensitive to wind speed. It is essential that turbines should be sited away from obstructions, with a clear exposure or fetch for the prevailing wind. Wind speed also increases with height so it is best to have the turbine high up, and most small turbines have towers much higher relative to their diameter than large ones.

It is generally agreed that the ideal position for a wind turbine generator is a smooth hill top, with a flat clear fetch, at least in the prevailing wind direction. The wind speeds up significantly near the top of the hill and the air flow should be reasonably smooth and free from excessive turbulence. Excessive turbulence causes fatigue damage and shortens a turbine's working life.

In practice, especially for very small machines which need to be located near to the user, ideal siting will not be easy. As far as possible though, keep away from local obstructions such as large trees and houses, or use a taller tower to ensure that the turbine is well above the obstructions.

Before considering the installation of a wind turbine the potential site should be assessed. Initial indications of wind strength and direction can be obtained by observing the deformation of vegetation and trees, and in many cases the user may already have a good feel for the winds in the locality. However impressions can be deceptive.

A more reliable way to evaluate the wind resource, which is strongly recommended when there is doubt over whether the wind is strong enough, is to take regular measurements over a period of several months, preferably a year. It is not straightforward to use data even from nearby sites, and probably the nearest meteorological station or airfield where records have been kept is many miles away. However, measurements taken at a proposed site can be compared with measurements taken elsewhere at the same time, and used as a guide to the probable correlation over longer periods. In addition computer models re available for professionals to use, although such predictions should be applied with care.

Clearly the expenditure on site assessment should be in relation to the proposed size and cost of the installation. Very little or no cost is justified in evaluating a site for a 50W battery charger, whereas a 60kW wind turbine, for example, would in general merit site measurements.

Basic requirements
Get a reliable estimate of the winds to be expected at the proposed site. There is no substitute for actual measurements. The turbine manufacturers should be prepared to help. You can get an estimate of the annual mean wind speed for a given location by entering the OS grid reference into the UK wind speed database
Mount the turbine on as high a tower as possible and well clear of obstructions, but do not go to extremes. Easy access will be required for erection and foundations for the tower may be needed depending on the size and tower type. It is also important to ensure that the wind turbine can be easily lowered for inspection and maintenance.
Try to have a clear, smooth fetch to the prevailing wind, e.g. over open water or smooth ground. If possible site the turbine on a smooth hill.
Use cable of adequate current carrying capacity (check with the turbine supplier. This is particularly important for low voltage machines). Cable costs can be substantial.
Consult your local council as to whether you need planning permission. You should try to minimise the environmental impact of the turbine, and it will be helpful to inform your neighbours of your plans at early stage.
For larger machines you may have to pay rates. This can make a big difference to the economics of the installation, again you should find this out by consulting your local council.
If the machine is intended for connection to the grid you must discuss it with your local electricity company. For details, see Generating electricity for the UK Electricity system

Further information can be obtained from Using Wind Power, A Guide to Remote Power and Domestic Applications, which provides a good general explanation of how wind energy works and how it can be used domestically, and includes tables for calculating the costs.
(35 pages. Send large SAE plus £1 in stamps to BWEA office).

The publication Off the Grid, priced at £5.50 is also recommended. Available from the Centre for Alternative Technology (CAT) Tel: 01654 702 400, Fax: 01654 702 782
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