Ripple Energy wind farm? 6 August 2020 at 9:30PM in Green & ethical MoneySaving 782 replies 78.7K views

mgfvvc

Has anyone looked at Ripple Energy? I'm thinking about it, but not too seriously. I don't have a lot of time to investigate it and if anyone else has taken a look I'd appreciate their thoughts before I take a more serious look.

Coastalwatch

Hi mg, I was pleased to invest with them and will benefit from reduced energy bills over the 20-25 year lifetime of the farm coupled with the return of our investment plus the knowledge that we've supported renewable energy generation. Only you can decide if it's right for you but if you yearn for a cleaner future as many on here do then it's certainly worthy of serious consideration.

ASavvyBuyer

Coastalwatch said:

Hi mg, I was pleased to invest with them and will benefit from reduced energy bills over the 20-25 year lifetime of the farm coupled with the return of our investment plus the knowledge that we've supported renewable energy generation. Only you can decide if it's right for you but if you yearn for a cleaner future as many on here do then it's certainly worthy of serious consideration.

Same here, we see it as a long term investment, supporting renewable energy; especially as the wind farm is not to far away from where we live.

mgfvvc

I certainly like the idea, the main question is whether the company is actually financially sustainable. What is the risk that it could fail in 5, 10, 15 years?

Is the site appropriate? I like wind farms, but they aren't appropriate for every location.

Are the local community going to benefit or is it just an imposition?

Coastalwatch

Hi mg, there's risk to some degree in every investment we make. But if we don't support renewables then what does the future hold for our children and G'children!

If you check out windspeeds at the location you will discover it to be suitable. Other turbines are placed in the area based upon historical recordings of windspeeds there.

No one on here is going to push you to join, it's your decision. There is plenty of information in Ripples presentations to make an informed decision. I wish you well in coming to a satisfactory conclusion, whatever you decide.

Craglett

mgfvvc said:

I certainly like the idea, the main question is whether the company is actually financially sustainable. What is the risk that it could fail in 5, 10, 15 years?

Is the site appropriate? I like wind farms, but they aren't appropriate for every location.

Are the local community going to benefit or is it just an imposition?

According to the latest Ripple webinar (see YouTube) the construction and operation of the turbine is insured. The turbine is owned by the co-op of investors rather than Ripple themselves and a different management company will just take over if Ripple go bust.

We all benefit from the installation of wind farms including the local community. Burning fossil fuels has to end, we really don't have a choice. 

The site will be appropriate, there are other turbines nearby. 

Craglett

What I'm interested to understand is whether it's worth it as a long term investment (purely financial at this point, green argument aside). I already have solar panels and choose green suppliers for what I use from the grid. Having done the calculations I stand to save about £125 per year over 25 years at the predicted savings levels Ripple use. That could go up or down depending on how electricity prices go over the next 25 years - they go up I save more, down I save less. 

Crystal ball moment here... Based on solar panels, wind turbines and battery storage reducing in price significantly, over the next 25 years are we expecting electric prices continue to rise, stay the same or reduce? Anyone know enough about this to hazard an educated guess? 

NigeWick

I met Sarah Merrick at last year's Fully Charge Live. In the few minutes we spoke, I decided she's got her head screwed on straight. I bought shares in the company and have gone for part of the wind turbine too. I've got solar and decided I wanted to cover the lack of production in winter. Another benefit is that one can take the Ripple energy account with you if moving house.

As has previously been stated, you pays your money and makes your own choice.

Coastalwatch

Craglett said:

Crystal ball moment here... Based on solar panels, wind turbines and battery storage reducing in price significantly, over the next 25 years are we expecting electric prices continue to rise, stay the same or reduce? Anyone know enough about this to hazard an educated guess? 

No Crystal ball, but if the agreed price for energy produced at Hinckley Point Nuclear Power station is anything to go by(It's double the price of renewables 10.2p/kWh versus 4.5p/kWh) then it's likely to rise. Bearing in mind also that as the transition away from fossil fuels to Electricity for transportation takes place government income will reduce accordingly.

One can only summise where the attentions of the Chancellor might fall in order to make up the deficit, let alone the huge debt incurred from the recent lockdown!

Martyn1981

Craglett said:

Crystal ball moment here... Based on solar panels, wind turbines and battery storage reducing in price significantly, over the next 25 years are we expecting electric prices continue to rise, stay the same or reduce? Anyone know enough about this to hazard an educated guess? 

Rise, fall or remain the same ...... yes, all three depending on the time frame.
I assume this information is available elsewhere, but I found it in two reports from the NAO looking at the cost of Hinkley Point C subsidies as the amount varies depending on the cost of leccy.
The two reports, contain 3 cost timelines (estimations made in 2012, 2015 and 2016) see page 40 and see page 39.

Note that the later report is in 2016 prices so the 2012 line changes slightly, but overall we have 3 estimates covering a time period as RE started to roll out, and costs started to fall fast.
The 2012 estimate saw prices rising to a peak of ~£85/MWh in 2029 before starting to fall. 
The 2015 figures estimated a peak of £70/MWh in 2027 then falling towards £60/MWh in 2035.
The 2016 peak estimate had fallen to around £55/MWh wobbling its way through the 2020's, then falling towards £44 in 2035.

Remember, these are average wholesale prices, and date back 3+yrs. We are starting to see far lower off-shore wind costs than expected back then, and battery storage starting to be deployed to displace diesel farms and peaker plants who kick in at the highest demand and price periods.

I doubt we have yet seen the whole picture as new technologies, especially in storage and grid balancing roll out, and RE generation costs continue to fall. But we also need to consider rising demand for space heating and transport, which might increase infrastructure costs ....... or not if ways to balance supply and demand, such as V2G work.

So, up, down and possibly sideways are all potential answers in this ever changing World in which we live in.

ed110220

Seems like a good idea and I'd definitely be interested. My main concern (and forgive me if it's answered on the website and I've overlooked it) is whether it is and remains competitive with time. Ie 25% is a very decent saving, but if the base tariff that it was taken off was at the higher end of available tariffs you might not be saving much or anything.