CMS UK

Rural, Business and Renewable Energy Consultants

Wind Turbines

By using modern micro-generation and medium size wind turbine technology CMS UK believes that there is an opportunity for UK farmers to increase farm income and protect the environment. This can be achieved by generating the farm electrical energy requirements on site by harnessing the power of small and medium scale wind systems. Small to medium sized systems suitable for farms are generally from 11kW up to 500kW capacity, allowing farmers to significantly reduce their annual energy costs.

Additional Income

In addition to pushing down energy costs and reducing the farm's carbon footprint, installation of a wind turbine protects you from increasing energy costs, and will bring in another revenue stream from the 'Feed in Tariffs' (FiT) income for renewable energy projects (introduced on 1st April 2010). The FiT payments are available for all renewable energy produced including that used on the farm or associated business.

Technical Advice

There are three components required for a successful small to medium wind turbine installation - wind speed, grid connection and planning consent. CMS UK can help you with each step of that assessment process. CMS UK understands the farming industry and we can co-ordinate the technical advice required about the suitability of a wind turbine system to ensure that it will meet both the present and the future requirements of your site.

The first step is to carry out an initial feasibility study to ensure there is sufficient wind. If the location is suitable a more detailed assessment will be required of your site and business, including wind speed (possibly including on site checks), grid connection, location and future expansion plans. Only then can the suitability and size of a wind turbine for your particular set of circumstances be established.

Planning Permission

Planning permission is currently required for most wind turbines and as a result CMS UK is preparing a large number of planning applications for Wind Turbines (small to medium scale on 18 to 36 metre towers) for farms and rural businesses. This can be for single or for multiple turbine projects. CMS UK is currently dealing with many such applications from north to south - from the Scottish Borders, through the West and East Midlands and across Devon and Cornwall.

Example Projects

CMS UK is involved with a number of wind turbine projects on farms which have now been installed. One such project is the 50kW Endurance E-3120 wind turbine in Devon which was commissioned in July 2010.

This turbine is on a 25m tower and approximately 34.5m to the blade tip. A further two of these Endurance wind turbines were installed in Devon in September 2010. These three are the first of this make and model to be installed and CMS UK has secured planning approval for further sites across the UK and installation of these will be completed during 2011.

CMS UK is involved in obtaining planning approval for several other similar projects and we are practicing what we preach. At our Spring Farm Business Centre site near Crewe we already have two Gaia-Wind 133 - 11kW wind turbines on 18m towers installed in 2010. We have also recently obtained planning approval to install two more - Endurance E-3120 - 50kW turbines on 25m towers.