SMALLWIND FEATURE
certification scheme and have, in the last 5 years, installed over 500 small wind turbines for a variety of businesses and individuals.
Our latest wind turbine, the R9000, is a culmination of 10 years of development resulting in a turbine that can generate up to 15MWhr of energy per year in wind conditions that occur quite commonly in UK. In addition, it is a less obtrusive and markedly quieter turbine than others in the market. But that is
The fact remains that the UK has targets to achieve, and while industrial scale production requires significant investment and a great deal of acceptance from communities, independent small wind investment can provide both the owners and the nation with undeniable benefits, so we’re anticipating 2011 to be a fruitful year for us and the industry.
The UK has got a challenge ahead in terms of renewable energy targets.
Currently, the country has signed up to a commitment that by 2020, 15 percent of its energy production will come from renewable sources. Quite a target for any government to achieve, but in a climate where purse strings are being tightened and any public sector expenditure is increasingly scrutinised, the challenge is ever more complex.
The country has made some headway in wind power. In fact we are a flagship nation for harnessing the power of wind on an industrial scale. Yet this is now coming under fire, with the general public becoming less accepting of industrial scale wind farms to the extent that few planning applications for such farms are now being approved.
So what’s the answer? Solar power? But this is Britain, where 40%of Europe’s wind energy gathers; so investment and growth in wind energy is utterly crucial to meeting our renewable energy obligations. Perhaps the solution lies in independent energy production rather than industrial?
EvanceWind has been a leading force in encouraging and facilitating businesses, landowners and public sector organisations alike to invest in independent renewable energy production.We have ensured that our 5kWturbines are one of the first to be fully accredited under the MCS
only half the battle when it comes to communicating the benefits of small wind. A key reason to why our customers invest in small wind is the return on investment they can get.
Feed-in Tariffs pay healthy dividends to owners. In good wind conditions turbines could generate £75,000 to £100,000 over 20 years - a better return than the most competitive savings accounts. Encouraging more land and home owners, businesses and even schools and colleges to invest in small wind turbines could ease the concerns of local authorities and residents as well as have a significant impact on the UK’s sustainable energy generation.
Of course, planning permission is still an issue even when looking at small wind turbines rather than industrial wind farms. However, as more local councils become familiar with smaller scale energy production, and with the support of central government, planning permission rules and regulations should either ease or at the very least have uniform criteria for people to meet.
Kevin Parslow EvanceWind Turbines Ltd
www.evancewind.com
EDITOR’S NOTE Following our visit, and speaking to many of the exhibitors at the RenewableUK event we feel that the small wind sector may warrant its own section within our publication, if there is sufficient interest. Please contact on 01765 644224 or email
duncan@windenergypublishing.co. uk and give us your thoughts
Wind Energy NETWORK
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