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Guest

Posted: Sat Mar 19, 05 9:58 pm Post subject: wind turbine
Are there planning restrictions on wind turbines, I assume that you need permission but wondered if in some cases it would be denied. I am thinking of a rural setting as apposed to an urban one.

sean
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 42219
Location: North Devon

Posted: Sat Mar 19, 05 10:01 pm Post subject:
How big a wind turbine are you looking at, oh guest? Does this help? https://www.downsizer.net/Products%10Services/Sustainable_Construction%10Renewables/Big_small_wind_power!/

judyofthewoods

Joined: 29 Jan 2005
Posts: 804
Location: Pembrokeshire

Posted: Sat Mar 19, 05 10:30 pm Post subject:
For domestic scale wind turbines planning permission is not necessary, but there are limits on hight, and probably proximity to roads, paths, neighboring properties. If you are in the National park or listed house you will need permission, if you can get it at all. Check with the planners as Joe/Jill Bloggs.

Guest

Posted: Sun Mar 20, 05 10:34 am Post subject:
by domestic scale do you mean one which could give most if not all of the electricity needed to run an average house. The ones that I have seen of this sort are quite large.

judyofthewoods

Joined: 29 Jan 2005
Posts: 804
Location: Pembrokeshire

Posted: Sun Mar 20, 05 11:24 am Post subject:

thats relative, some peole think they can just replace one source of electricity with another without doing anything to reduce consumption, and carry on using electricity to boil kettles, use toasters etc. Living off-grid is a way of life and many who do, use more sense than that, and also tend to have hybrid systems unless their site favours a particular type of renewable power. I am not too well up on wind, but would say domestic scale is up to about 2m diameter ish, i.e. 1 m blades.

Nanny

Joined: 17 Feb 2005
Posts: 4520
Location: carms in wales

Posted: Sun Mar 20, 05 7:34 pm Post subject: wind yurbine
i have enquired about one which looks like it could help out with most people's needs ..that was in december and i have had no reply though they have updated their web site any body have any luck with this company? https://www.windsave.com/download.htm i t seems like such a good idea, it will be a shame if nothing comes of it

dougal

Joined: 15 Jan 2005
Posts: 7184
Location: South Kent

Posted: Sun Mar 20, 05 10:15 pm Post subject: Re: wind turbine

Anonymous wrote:

Are there planning restrictions on wind turbines, I assume that you need permission but wondered if in some cases it would be denied. I am thinking of a rural setting as apposed to an urban one.

I understand that, yes, you do need permission - and that means that permission is definitely not automatic. I'd guess that the most likely reason would be "visual impact", but nuisance, frightening the horses, etc seem highly probable.
Since the best site for a turbine is an exposed, and ideally elevated, one... its likely to be pretty visable...

As usual with 'Sir Humphrey' there's a lot that one might wish to be established more straightforwardly.
A recent planning policy statement (PPS22) allows planners to require the integration of renewable energy in new developments _and_ states �Local planning authorities should specifically encourage such [small-scale renewable energy] schemes through positively expressed policies in local development documents.� Which sounds encouraging, but is a very long way from specific actual encouragement of wind turbines...

As Judy says, venturing into self-generation would normally be accompanied by efforts to economise on (even renewable) energy consumption - not least to reduce the capital cost of the project.

The "Windsave" has a 1.75m diameter turbine - and in a wind twice as strong as the UK average (12m/sec, their numbers) should generate 1kw - which although its only 1/3 of the power needed for an electric kettle, it might (in a windy site) provide more than Judy needs...
Do note that because a wind turbine's output drops off quite quickly with falling windspeed, you're usually going to get much less 1kw...
And anyone hoping to live "off-grid" really is well advised to adopt a 'hybrid' strategy and avoid putting all their eggs in the one basket.

The most economic investments(from money and mineral carbon viewpoints) are still boring old insulation and then solar hot water.

BTW, I haven't spotted anything that suggests the Windsave is actually in production yet...

If I've got anything wrong, please point it out, so we can all learn!

Guest

Posted: Mon Mar 21, 05 10:14 am Post subject:

thanks for the tips

I do understand that that these kind of products go hand in hand with economising your consumption. As at home I dont have any of this equipment but as a family of 5 we have greatly reduced our consumption over the past two years getting rid of tumble dryers etc. It is a move toward a more enviromentally friendly way of producing the energy I need than being totally self supportive and making steps towards the future.

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45668
Location: Essex

Posted: Mon Mar 21, 05 10:50 am Post subject: Re: wind turbine

dougal wrote:

BTW, I haven't spotted anything that suggests the Windsave is actually in production yet...

Me neither

sean
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 42219
Location: North Devon

Posted: Mon Mar 21, 05 10:54 am Post subject:
I saw something in the paper the other week about a small wind turbine which you could basically just plug into a socket in your house. Can't remember the name though , sorry.

sean
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 42219
Location: North Devon

Posted: Mon Mar 21, 05 11:16 am Post subject:
That was Windsave, I've just rung them and they're aiming to be in production in June.

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45668
Location: Essex

Posted: Mon Mar 21, 05 11:17 am Post subject:
Don't suppose they'd like to do an article for us would they?

sean
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 42219
Location: North Devon

Posted: Mon Mar 21, 05 11:18 am Post subject:
Obviously I'm going to ask them. It seems like a brilliant idea to me.

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45668
Location: Essex

Posted: Mon Mar 21, 05 11:19 am Post subject:

sean wrote:

It seems like a brilliant idea to me.

Sure does.

Guest

Posted: Mon Mar 21, 05 2:31 pm Post subject:
just looked at web site windsave.com

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