Key Points

  • The UK has the best wind energy resource in Europe
  • Large scale wind power is as cheap as new coal power stations
  • Small scale wind power is possible in many different locations
  • Careful site selection is crucial

Why is it important?

Wind power is a “clean” way to produce energy. No pollution is produced by the operation of wind turbines. They do not produce carbon dioxide so they do not contribute to climate change. The UK has the best wind energy resource in Europe.

How does it work?

Wind turbines use specially designed blades which are rotated by the wind. The blades spin a turbine which generates electricity.

 

How much energy can it generate?

A wide range of different sized wind turbines are available, for example:

  • A single turbine has been installed at Swaffam in Norfolk which produces enough electricity for around 3000 people. The turbine has blades 31 metres long and is mounted on a tower 67 metres tall (Pictured top right)
  • Very small wind turbines are also available to provide electricity for boats, caravans or outdoor lighting. The blades of these turbines might measure about half a metre across whilst the tower might be a couple of metres high.

 

Large wind turbine
Large wind turbine - providing enough electricity annually for around 3000 people
A domestic sized turbine
 

What does it look like?

Wind turbines consist of a slender tower with a propeller mounted on top. The height of turbines varies. In general a higher tower allows the turbine to produce more energy as wind speeds are higher and more reliable at height. The very largest wind turbines can be around 100 metres high (including the turbine blades), whereas small turbines for household use will only be 5 - 10 metres high.

Modern wind turbines are designed to be quiet in operation. However commercial scale wind turbines should still be sited away from housing as the sound of wind turbines is fairly continuous. At 300 metre distance the sound of a wind turbine should be comparable to the noise of the wind blowing in the trees or a car 100 metres away at 40mph. The best way to find out how much noise wind turbines make is to visit one for yourself.

How much does it cost?

A single large-scale wind power turbine can cost in the region of £800,000 - £1.5 million depending on it’s size; despite the seemingly high capital cost, on a high wind speed site the energy produced is now the cheapest available apart from modern gas generating systems.

Small wind turbines for applications such as lighting or boats vary widely in output and therefore price. Very small turbines can be bought for a few hundred pounds. A system to provide all the electricity for a medium sized detached house might cost in the region of £10,000-£20,000.