Why not many people have wind turbines?

[Deleted User]

annabanana82 said:

I'd also imagine to have one in our garden it would put a bit of a dampener on our glorious view?

There are all sorts of interesting designs that wouldn't get in the way of your view - but of course each type has advantages and disadvantages.  If visual impact is the concern, what about this one, along the ridge of the roof?

prowla

From the linked website - I can't see them on a row of terraces!

sevenhills

prowla said:

From the linked website - I can't see them on a row of terraces!

You can connect the output of wind turbine to an input to a solar inverter as long as the output of the wind turbine is DC and of the correct voltage or less. With solar panels the inverter will protect itself by letting the voltage increase so to reduce the current.

I would love to do the above but I only have a small garden, but I do recall a house with a small garden having a home made wind turbine, 30 years ago.

anon_ymous

[Deleted User] said:

annabanana82 said:

I'd also imagine to have one in our garden it would put a bit of a dampener on our glorious view?

There are all sorts of interesting designs that wouldn't get in the way of your view - but of course each type has advantages and disadvantages.  If visual impact is the concern, what about this one, along the ridge of the roof?

That's an interesting design. I wonder how much it all costs though 

[Deleted User]

waqasahmed said:

Deleted_User said:

annabanana82 said:

I'd also imagine to have one in our garden it would put a bit of a dampener on our glorious view?

There are all sorts of interesting designs that wouldn't get in the way of your view - but of course each type has advantages and disadvantages.  If visual impact is the concern, what about this one, along the ridge of the roof?

That's an interesting design. I wonder how much it all costs though 

It was called RidgeBlade - won a design & innovation competition back in 2009 but I think the company went bankrupt so it might have never made it to market.

diystarter7

matelodave said:

annabanana82 said:

A wind turbine is the only thing that would get our house  from EPC C to A. Our EPC certificate suggested a cost of £16k, out of all their recommendations it's the only one that really appealed. I'd like to assume the fact the mentioned it means our home may well be feasible for one? However we don't intend on staying in this home long enough to justify it. 

I'd also imagine to have one in our garden it would put a bit of a dampener on our glorious view?

No it doesn't, they are general suggestions - at least three of the suggestion made for our bungalow are totally impossible, let alone unfeasible, one being a turbine in the garden next to an 11,000 volt overhead power cable.

Even our super-duper heatpump with underfloor heating doesn't manage to get our reasonably well insulated (300mm in the loft and cavity wall insulation) and double glazed bungalow up to a C

Thank you for the informative post, very helpful.

Thanks

Sailbad

sevenhills said:

waqasahmed said:

Solar panels are quite popular but roof mounted wind turbines not so much. 

Is the reason why wind turbines aren't popular entirely down to the ridiculous cost of them? Or are there other reasons?

https://www.ovoenergy.com/guides/energy-guides/home-wind-turbines-pros-cons-and-how-much-they-cost

The link from Ovo is rather outlandish in saying that the cost would be £20k+
Here is one for £4k
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/152773560101?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=cUA7KWImTmO&sssrc=2349624&ssuid=Kn3EKZLqT-C&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

I believe that they are common among the boating community? In a home setting in large turbine would be impractical, but surely a small turbine could be practical in some locations.
Lots of small turbines for sale for a few hundred pounds.

They're not actually common in the boating community. Solar is very much more cost effective, simpler, quitter and lower maintenance.

strawb_shortcake

Sailbad said:

sevenhills said:

waqasahmed said:

Solar panels are quite popular but roof mounted wind turbines not so much. 

Is the reason why wind turbines aren't popular entirely down to the ridiculous cost of them? Or are there other reasons?

https://www.ovoenergy.com/guides/energy-guides/home-wind-turbines-pros-cons-and-how-much-they-cost

The link from Ovo is rather outlandish in saying that the cost would be £20k+
Here is one for £4k
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/152773560101?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=cUA7KWImTmO&sssrc=2349624&ssuid=Kn3EKZLqT-C&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

I believe that they are common among the boating community? In a home setting in large turbine would be impractical, but surely a small turbine could be practical in some locations.
Lots of small turbines for sale for a few hundred pounds.

They're not actually common in the boating community. Solar is very much more cost effective, simpler, quitter and lower maintenance.

My Sister lives on a houseboat and there seems to be a push to try and get wind turbines onto boats but I don't think there is enough wind on the average canal to make them useful 

diystarter7

waqasahmed said:

[Deleted User] said:

annabanana82 said:

I'd also imagine to have one in our garden it would put a bit of a dampener on our glorious view?

There are all sorts of interesting designs that wouldn't get in the way of your view - but of course each type has advantages and disadvantages.  If visual impact is the concern, what about this one, along the ridge of the roof?

That's an interesting design. I wonder how much it all costs though 

Hi

I've never liked solar panels on roofs, but this example is the most acceptable one I've seen. The ridge on the roof gives it a pleasing look and the uniformity od the SP's.
Thanks

Sailbad

Rattusnorvegicus said:

So much misinformation has been stated as fact in this thread. I suppose that comes from the belief theres only one type of turbine namely the 3 bladed type.

Theres also dutch turbines, they function just fine in dirty air, and dont make a significant noise. I installed some on a garage roof (hidden from road) and they pull more power than the solar panel array (on a moderately windy and moderately sunny day), and in a significantly smaller footprint.

The main reason many people dont use them is either a lack of information that has been cited in this thread about dirty air, pole sizes, wind direction, high wind control, huge centrifugal forces and on and on, or planning regulations that require permission if they can be seen from the road.

Oh and no birds or squirrels or anything is lying in a heap around the turbines....

I love a good misinformation thread.

What are Dutch turbines? I did a Google search and only found the big 3 blade turbines and the old traditional windmills.