Wind turbines - Warwick monitoring 23 installations

Dave2112

Hi, looked at this website a few times as it seems to be an interesting on going story of installing and monitoring wind turbine installations in the Warwick area. Always a hotly debated topic I thought it might provide some interesting reading? Not sure when the final report will be out, though there are some facts and figures already on the site.

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

Dave2112

Bump.

Saw in another post that someone would like to see some real figures about wind turbines. Had forgotten about this trial - skim read the first page and interesting to read the wide range in electricity generated and that some were removed due to noise.

Cardew

Thanks Dave,

How nice to see an objective report and not some advertising blurb.

It has well and truly destroyed any credibility for these turbines:

The best performing turbine in the trial generated an average of 2.382 kWh per day when in operation, equivalent to 869 kWh in a full year.

The poorest site generated an average of 41Wh per day when in operation or 15 kWh per year, which is less than the energy it consumed to run the turbine’s electronics. Energy consumption averages 80Wh per day per turbine (29kWh per year) which is significant on some sites.

Many actually consumed more electricity to run their electronics than they generated!

Even the very best on top of a tower block generated 869kWh a year - except it couldn't be operated because of the noise.

daytona600_2

general rule wind turbines on roofs and urban areas do not work well

open rural spaces or offshore with large towers work very well

plenty of undisturbed air

you never see a wind farm in a city

Cardew wrote: »

Thanks Dave,

How nice to see an objective report and not some advertising blurb.

It has well and truly destroyed any credibility for these turbines:




Many actually consumed more electricity to run their electronics than they generated!

Even the very best on top of a tower block generated 869kWh a year - except it couldn't be operated because of the noise.

Cardew

If you haven't read the report it is for small scale turbines. Not wind farms!

As stated, even the very best gave a very poor output for the cost of the installation.

They are noisy, cause vibration, break down frequently and are a joke in money saving terms.

Have you read the report?

daytona600_2

no did not read the report
but no turbines of any size
work in urban areas
t

Cardew wrote: »

If you haven't read the report it is for small scale turbines. Not wind farms!

As stated, even the very best gave a very poor output for the cost of the installation.

They are noisy, cause vibration, break down frequently and are a joke in money saving terms.

Have you read the report?

Stuart_W

Thank you for highlighting this report.

I considered looking into a roof-top option, but decided against it due to the noise, practicality and unreliability issues. Instead, I invested equivalent funds in a local wind-farm co-operative which, on reflection, seems to have been a better move. I own a tiny bit of a big turbine, rather than all of a tiny one.

albyota

The trials actually reported most of the turbines were either switched off part time or the data loggers did not record data, a bit like timing a formula 1 car round a race track counting one banana, two banana, three banana......., would be interesting to see the trials done properly, urban wind power is a non starter anyway, but trials should be fair and carried out correctly with decent equipment with the turbines left on 24/7 as they are meant to be.

This turbine was switched off from December 2007 to 2nd July 2008 due to concerns about noise levels in high winds. The turbine was switched on occasionally during November and December 2007 but only on days of predicted low wind speed. A new nose cone, blades and interconnect box were fitted on 2nd July 2008. On this date the turbine was also switched on – but only during the daytime (it was routinely switched off at night by an automatic timer switch).The turbine was switched off permanently on 1st October 2008 due to a noise complaint.

dopeyfairy

Energy Saving Trust are doing a much bigger monitoring programme of wind. I think it should be almost complete now. They include the Warwick figures in theirs, so it is the most comprehensive study done to date. Should be on their website somewhere...

Yorkityke

Dave ... info is good but things are changing and people need to look for the very latest info. Always teh same sorting the wheat from the chaff.

WARNING. Discount anything this Cardew sceptic says !!

I had a run in with this Car dewdrop character on another thread so I did a liitle digging talked to a few people and guess what the guy owns a Solar Panel company. You want to change your name on other sites if you don't want to be discovered pal. Result.

Cardew

I think we should accept that Mr Yorkityke is a little eccentric.