B&Q Wind Turbines (Merged Thread)

Cardew

fender wrote:

There is a major article on this in yesterday's Sunday Times and today's Daily Mail. Confirms many postings here.

Won't change some people's mind though! I love this quote:

Home wind turbines have become the must-have home improvement among people eager to help save the planet and flaunt their green credentials.
Dubbed 'the ultimate green fashion statement', are selling in their thousands amid claims they can cut household electricity bills by 30 per cent.
But now environmental campaigners say the windmills are not quite what they claim to be - and may actually do more harm than good.
As well as being noisy and unsightly, they barely produce enough electricity to power a hairdryer in many houses.
They also do nothing to tackle greenhouses gases, while there are far better ways to cut down on energy bills.

or

Donnachadh McCarthy, who finally installed one on the roof of his south London terraced home in October 2005. His experience has not, however, been what he hoped for. “In the two months since I had my wind turbine refitted, it’s produced 1.3 kilowatt hours. That’s about enough to power a low-energy light bulb.”
He also finds his house vibrates slightly when the turbine is in operation. It is a common problem. According to Nick Martin, an expert on green building techniques, the lateral thrust of turbines in high winds would be enough to topple a Victorian chimney stack.

1.3kWh in 2 months - say 12pence --- Mmmmm Must be in a poor position, I would have expected a £3-4 saving in 2 months;)

Cardew

Good read from a dedicated guru of the Green movement

http://www.turnuptheheat.org/?page_id=29

A quote:

Over the past month, B&Q has been running a massive advertising campaign for the micro-wind turbines and solar panels it now stocks. It now claims that the wind turbines have become its biggest earner, though it refuses to release the figures[3]. Whether or not this is true, the campaign has boosted the firm’s green credentials. In two respects the adverts are misleading.

The first is that the claims B&Q makes for these technologies are wildly exaggerated. It states that the turbine it sells – the Windsave WS1000PS T2 – “will contribute to the average home a saving of approximately 30% (based on average wind speeds and suitable locations) of the average electricity bill”[4]. This is nonsense. A study by Building for a Future magazine found that at average windspeeds for built-up areas in the UK (around 4 metres per second), a turbine of this size (1.75m in diameter) produces a saving of some 5% of the average electricity bill[5]. I’m submitting a complaint to the Advertising Standards Authority, and I’ll let you know if there’s any progress.

gromituk

Also hard to believe that it's their biggest earner, what with the requirement for planning permission, still.

[Deleted User]

Cardew wrote:

Good read from a dedicated guru of the Green movement

http://www.turnuptheheat.org/?page_id=29

A quote:

Over the past month, B&Q has been running a massive advertising campaign for the micro-wind turbines and solar panels it now stocks. It now claims that the wind turbines have become its biggest earner, though it refuses to release the figures[3]. Whether or not this is true, the campaign has boosted the firm’s green credentials. In two respects the adverts are misleading.

The first is that the claims B&Q makes for these technologies are wildly exaggerated. It states that the turbine it sells – the Windsave WS1000PS T2 – “will contribute to the average home a saving of approximately 30% (based on average wind speeds and suitable locations) of the average electricity bill”[4]. This is nonsense. A study by Building for a Future magazine found that at average windspeeds for built-up areas in the UK (around 4 metres per second), a turbine of this size (1.75m in diameter) produces a saving of some 5% of the average electricity bill[5]. I’m submitting a complaint to the Advertising Standards Authority, and I’ll let you know if there’s any progress.

Cardew, thanks for this I have dropped him a line as we both appear to be thinking on the same wavelength.

Freddix

willowwhiskers

Planning Permission:

i work int the planning department of a london borough -
- Yes planning permission is required for a wind turbine
- The cost of the planning application is £135
- You need to fill in an application form
- You need a site location plan (scale 1:1250) with application site outlined in red - if you don't have one they will be available from your local planning department (yes you have to pay for them - £15 where i work) or OS website or planning portal.
- You will need a scale plan to show exatly where the turbine will be going.
- Scale elevational details so we know what it looks like and how big it is.
- Some manufacturers details to say how much noise it will make.
- We have an 8 week period to determine the application and have to allow a 21 day consultation period.
(yes i have to repeat that information several times a day)
I am only aware of 1 application in my area and that was approved but it was a detached house with a large garden and no neighbours. I think that most of the houses in my borough would be unable to have a wind turbine in their garden without affecting neighbours but we currently don't have any specific guidelines on this.

This is the advice I would give if asked and they are the basic general requirments but different authorities may vary slightly.

hope this helps a little

ww

Cardew

willowwhiskers wrote:

Planning Permission:

i work int the planning department of a london borough -
- Yes planning permission is required for a wind turbine
- The cost of the planning application is £135
- You need to fill in an application form
- You need a site location plan (scale 1:1250) with application site outlined in red - if you don't have one they will be available from your local planning department (yes you have to pay for them - £15 where i work) or OS website or planning portal.
- You will need a scale plan to show exatly where the turbine will be going.
- Scale elevational details so we know what it looks like and how big it is.
- Some manufacturers details to say how much noise it will make.
- We have an 8 week period to determine the application and have to allow a 21 day consultation period.
(yes i have to repeat that information several times a day)
I am only aware of 1 application in my area and that was approved but it was a detached house with a large garden and no neighbours. I think that most of the houses in my borough would be unable to have a wind turbine in their garden without affecting neighbours but we currently don't have any specific guidelines on this.

This is the advice I would give if asked and they are the basic general requirments but different authorities may vary slightly.

hope this helps a little

ww

Yet another good reason not to get one!!!!

yorkie235

Yet another good reason not to get one?

Check this link.....

http://www.wind-works.org/articles/RoofTopWindSaveinScotland.html

so much for site survey?

[Deleted User]

I have posted this link before I think but in case not

http://www.warwickwindtrials.org.uk/

They are part of a group who will be carrying out a trial on 20 micro turbines in a variety of locations. They have just reported (see the news section) that turbines will be erected in the next 4-6 weeks.

You never know perhaps they will show us doubters that we are all wrong, wouldn't that be nice if this could be the case.

Freddix

gromituk

Yes, but having read a bit of the site linked to by yorkie235, it seems ever less likely!

yorkie235

Here is a link to a Windsave output energy calculator at the Warwick windtrials site

http://www.warwickwindtrials.org.uk/resources/MicroWindCalc.xls

Its not looking good