Should I install a wind turbine?

Before installing a wind turbine, consideration should be given to the location and average wind speed. Wind turbines need the right location to operate as designed. Just because a location seems to be windy doesn't mean the turbine will perform.

This diagram provided to us by FuturEnergy illustrates the potential effects of obstructions. Your wind turbine should be either upwind of the obstructions, or far enough downwind so that the effect has decayed.

Preference should be given to a site upwind of obstructions, but bear in mind that tall features downwind of the turbine can also influence the quality of the wind going through the blades due to a back-pressure effect.

Upwind and downwind are relative to the prevailing wind direction – where the wind blows from most of the time. A wind atlas will sometimes indicate the prevailing wind direction in the local area, and if there is one at all. Some sites have winds that are equally likely to blow from more than one direction.

Ideally the wind turbine needs to be high enough to catch strong winds and above turbulent air. Since the tower price goes up with height, there is a limit to what is practical and affordable.

There is some great info on the Britwind website about site suitability.

These stats provided by Britwind show the estimated energy yield for each of their products – H1, H5, H11 and H15.

The return on investment will very much depend on the turbine location, the average wind speed, the cost per unit of electricity currently paid and the amount of electricity used per year. It’s obviously not for everyone but does make financial sense for those living in a suitable location.

At Artimus Renewables, we install domestic wind turbines up to 15kW and also provide an extensive range of renewable energy solutions that complement the installation of a wind turbine. These include battery storage, solar, heat pumps and air conditioning, including full electrical design installation and certification.