Wind Turbines

CMS UK have connections with companies who are prepared to install free standing turbines of 1MW capacity. The arrangement is that through CMS UK, the turbine company makes the application in their own name and carry out the feasibility study free of charge.

If permission is granted the company will install the turbine at no capital cost to the landowner. The landowner gets their own electricity at a third to half normal price and surplus electricity goes into the Grid. Under this scheme landowners can earn £10,000-15,000 from every 1MW turbine installed.

Turbines don't need to be on hill tops and the height varies between 13 and 100 metres depending on site and wind conditions. All the landowner has to provide in the first instance is a full address and postal code and an outline map of the land.

Single turbines are relatively easy to place - on a larger scale, the companies are also interested in land suitable for multiple turbines to develop wind farms.

''RENTAL SCHEMES" May be suitable for landowners wishing to install turbines but worried about the capital costs and possible negative PR.

Some technical stuff

Wind energy starts as solar. The sun warms the land and the sea to a different extent. Warm air rises faster off the land creating a lower pressure zone, which the air from a cooler area (usually the sea) seeks to fill. This movement of balancing air is wind. Insert an obstruction in the path of this wind, such as the rotor of a wind turbine and the kinetic energy of the wind can be converted into mechanical energy at the turbine shaft. Connect the shaft to a generator and you convert the mechanical energy into electrical energy. A two bladed turbine faces away from the wind and a three bladed turbine faces into the wind.

Position

The ideal site is a smooth topped hill with a flat clear exposure away from trees and houses, which create turbulence. Other sites may be suitable and can be assessed from maps and known wind tables.

Output depends on a number of factors. As rotor diameter increases output is squared eg double the diameter and the output is quadrupled. Wind speed has an even greater effect - here the cube rule applies - double the wind speed and the output increases by a factor of 8.

Average wind speed across the UK is 6 metres per second at 10 metres above ground.

Because of the square rule, size does matter - a lot. A one metre diameter rotor might yield 100w - 1kw while a 66 metre rotor would give 1.5-2MW. The latest generation of off-shore turbines is rated at 5MW and have 125 metre rotor diameters. Noise varies depending on design, wind speed and how close you are to the rotor. They are not as noisy as the anti's make out.

Patrick Grange is our in house specialist on wind turbines. If you are interested in installing a turbine on your land, Patrick can be contacted on 01270 522645 for more information.

Patrick Grange
Renewables Energy Manager
CMS UK
Spring Farm Business Centre
Moss Lane
Minshull Vernon
Crewe
Cheshire CW1 4RJ
Tel: 01270 522645