Wind Turbines

A suitable site for a wind turbine will have a wind speed of at least 3 m/s, but with best performance at over 5-6 m/s.
The application that the turbine is used for will effect payback time, as the electricity can be used to either charge batteries or heat water, whilst surplus energy can be fed back to the grid. Thus the amount of energy required both in terms of its use and the timing of its use, will affect the type of turbine required.
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Whilst small wind turbines lack the efficiency of larger models, they are easy to erect and can be effective in both off-grid applications and where the wind resource is very reliable
Medium scale turbines are the most likely candidates for sites looking to have shorter payback periods. Whilst a crane may be required for the larger sizes, installation can usually be carried out in two days once groundworks are complete.
Larger scale turbines offer the best payback but are more problematic to get through the planning process. At this scale, site specific wind resource measurement starts to make financial sense.
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