Clean Energy

At Windtricity the environment is of the utmost importance.

Installing a wind turbine at your home or small business means you are actively helping to reduce your impact on the environment and dramatically cutting down your carbon footprint.

Wind turbines produce no pollutants, no harmful gas emissions, no waste products and no radioactivity. There are no ill effects to life, or to future generations. Greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution produced by its construction are small and declining. It is, undoubtedly, the green energy option.

This is one of the many worthwhile reasons to consider an investment in a Wind Turbine. It is also worth noting the fact that when the turbine produces more power than your home, business or farm premises needs, the excess power can be exported back to the main electricity grid using smart metering. In this case your Wind Turbine could be generating not only your power but the possibilty of some extra revenue for you.

How does it work?

Wind turbine systems create electricity by making use of a generator which is turned by the flow of wind.  The output of the generator determines the size, e.g. a 5 kW Turbine will produce a nominal maximum output of 5kW of electricity per hour at its designed optimum wind speed.  The turbine is normally mounted on top of a mast to elevate it as far as possible into a clean airflow.

Horizontal Axis Wind Turbine (HAWT)

As the title suggests, the blades are mounted on a horizontal axis. In ideal locations a clean wind airflow is most efficiently harvested by using a HAWT. Within this category of turbine there are variations in the technology e.g. Upwind or Downwind.  An upwind HAWT operates with the blades upwind of the mast, its pivotal point. This is achieved by the use of a vane extending from the rear of the turbine beyond the downwind side of the mast and controlled by the wind which swing the blades to point in the right direction.  A downwind turbine as the name implies, has its blades downwind of the mast and the push of the wind against the blades swinging around the mast, dictates the direction to which the turbine points. A suitable site might be a large, open area with good windflow.  HAWT's, however, are not suitable for every site, as  surrounding trees, building or even hills, can cause turbulance that will seriously affect the efficiency and the lifespan of a HAWT turbine. Inappropriate siting of a HAWT turbine in turbulant airflow will cause bearing wear on the turbine reducing the life expectancy of  20 - 25 years to as low as 5 years in extreme conditions.

 

Vertical Axis Wind Turbine (VAWT)

Where  HAWT is an unsuitable option, a VAWT can often offer a viable alternative. This is because, although a VAWT has a lower efficiency than a HAWT in perfect conditions, the technology involved allows the turbine to operate in turbulent and frequently varying wind directions which do not materially lower the VAWT's efficiency. This is because the blades are always presented to the wind from whichever direction the wind blows relative to the turbine. Although they have a lower efficiency, these systems are not affected to the same extent by the turbulance caused by the presence of buildings, trees etc., and can be very effective on smaller sites and even in some urban areas.  They have the added advantage of having a better output at lower wind speeds, in most cases.   In addition VAWT systems do not have the low level background sound generated by HAWT turbines as the rotor blades pass the upright tower.   In fact many VAWT systems are all but silent.

 

Because so many factors can affect the issue, it is imperative that each individual site undergoes a detailed survey.   Such a survey needs to include analysis of your electricity requirements, site wind levels, orientation, etc. in order to determine precisely which wind turbine technology best utilises the prevailing site conditions, your budget and your needs.

WINDTRICITY constantly monitors developments and improvements in technology to ensure that our customers always have access to the most suitable advanced equipment available.