Wind Energy and renewable energy blog

Interview with Bob Bridges

Since B&Q and other retail outlets started to sell micro – renewable technology in their stores, the debate as to whether different technologies are productive has escalated rapidly in the press.

Bob Bridges did his research and constructed a “stand- alone” wind turbine to provide electricity for his farm in Cornwall.

The Interview

VP: What made you think about wind as a source of electricity at your farm?

BB: Rising cost of electricity, plenty of wind in our area and to help the environment

VP: Did you consider any other options?

BB: Yes, Solar power

VP: How easy was it to secure planning permission – do you live in an area of countryside specifically designated such as a national park? Were the local planning officers helpful?

BB: It took us a year to obtain planning permission but I believe it is easier now because the government has encouraged planning authorities to promote alternative energy. We are in an ESA area (Environmentally Sensitive Area). The local planning officers were not only unhelpful when we applied but also were ignorant of the facts. One officer even suggested that we lowered the foundations into the ground so that the wind turbine did not protrude so much above the skyline.

VP: How did the construction process affect you and the day to day life of the farm?

BB: Not at all. A trench was dug across a field. The foundations were placed on an unused part of the farm and once the foundations were set, it took about two days before the wind turbine was operational.

VP: How much electricity does the turbine generate in a year and does this cover your requirements?

BB: In the first year we generated a total of 16000 KWh and exported 8539KWh for which we were paid £652.38 at .076p per KWh by our electricity company, EDF. We are due our next payment on 11/12/08 but I do not think we will generate quite so much this year as we had a break down due to the springs holding the blades breaking, causing vibration and one of the three phase wires to come adrift. Unfortunately the company who services the turbine did not have any springs in stock and Proven, the makers, lost them in transit and altogether we lost the equivalent of about one months worth of production. We also sell the ROCS (Renewable Obligation Certificates) which are issued by Ofgem. Last year we received £620.77 at £45 per 1000KWh. Next year Ofgem say this will be increased to £90 per 1000KWh to compensate for the lack of any more grants. We were about £200 in pocket after we deducted what we paid in electricity to our supplier

VP: You mentioned that you sell electricity back to your supplier. How much did you export back and what sort of rate do you get paid?

BB: See above. Though our supplier has increased our costs several times they have never increased
the rate they pay us which I think is unfair. Perhaps Ofgem or the government should make suppliers pay pro rata.

VP: How long do you think it will take to payback your investment?

BB: The company who supply the wind tubine, Proven, reckon it should pay for itself in ten years

VP: Is the turbine noisy?

BB: The noise of the turbine increases with wind speed and the wind tends to drown out the noise. We live about 100m from the turbine and cannot hear it in the house.

VP: Does the turbine need much in the way of maintenance? Who carries out the maintenance?

BB: In theory, it should not as it runs on two large main bearings and swivels on another one and the magnets run around the wiring so apart from three brushes which pick up the current from the comutater, there are very few moving parts. In the first year, as I mentioned, we suffered broken springs which caused, the main mast to crack at the base and the wire to come loose on one of the three phases. One of the three blades suffered some damage at the tip and all three had to be replaced as they are balanced sets. The mast and blades were all replaced under guarantee. We have a local firm who carries out the maintenance and charged £250 this year.

VP: In summary has it been a success and if so what would you recommend people who are interested in putting up a wind turbine on their land do?

BB: We are very pleased with it. It was unfortunate that the springs broke on the blades but for some reason Proven tried putting five springs on our wind turbine where normally four springs were fitted and this caused the blades to become less flexible and not collapse as they should, in high winds and that set up a high vibration which caused all the problems. I would recommend that any one in the countryside should go ahead but a 6KW wind turbine or above would not be practicable in urban situations and anything much smaller is probably a waste of money and time.

VP: Do you think wind turbines for individual properties will take off in the UK in both rural and urban areas?

BB: Yes, I think they are an ideal answer to our energy needs for individual properties in the countryside.

Meters

Isolation switch

Inverter