Wind turbines

What is a wind turbine?

Wind turbines harness the power of the wind and use it to generate electricity. About 40 per cent of all wind energy in Europe blows over the UK, making it an ideal country for domestic turbines (known as microwind or small-wind turbines). A typical system in an exposed site can easily generate more power than your lights and electrical appliances use.

How do wind turbines work?

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:

• Pole mounted: these are free standing and are erected in a suitably exposed position, often about 5kW to 6kW.
• Building 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.

The benefits of wind turbines at home

• Cut your electricity bills: Wind is free, so once you've paid for the initial installation your electricity costs will be reduced.
• Get paid for what you generate: Through Feed-in Tariffs, you get paid for the electricity you generate even if you use it. What you don't use, you can export to the local grid - and get paid for that too.
• Cut your carbon footprint: Wind electricity is green, renewable energy and doesn't release any harmful carbon dioxide or other pollutants.
• 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.

Maintenance

Maintenance checks are necessary every few years, and will generally cost around £100 to £200 per year depending on turbine size. A well-maintained turbine should last more than 20 years, but you may need to replace the inverter at some stage during this time, at a cost of £1,000 to £2,000 for a large system.

For off-grid systems, batteries will also need replacing, typically every 6 to 10 years. The cost of replacing batteries varies depending on the design and scale of the system. Any back-up generator will also have its own fuel and maintenance costs.

Next steps

• Wind Speed Prediction Tool for Scotland
• How to measure wind speed
• Choosing a site and getting planning permission 
• Choosing a wind turbine
• Connection to the grid and to your home
• Getting the most out of your solar PV or wind turbine system
• Measuring the electricity you export