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Small-scale wind energy

Small-scale wind energy (wind turbines <50kW rated capacity) is receiving increasing interest as one of a number of microgeneration technologies with potential to reduce carbon emissions. Recent years have seen new products being made available on the UK market, which a survey by the British Wind Energy Association (BWEA) suggests is growing quickly.

However, the overall potential of small-scale wind energy to reduce carbon emissions, and the conditions under which maximum carbon reductions can be made, have not been entirely clear. Recognising this, the Carbon Trust commissioned research from the Met Office and Entec to determine:

The overall UK carbon prize associated with small-scale wind energy; and
How small wind turbines can best be sited to save most carbon.

The following two reports describe the outcomes of the research.

Small-scale Wind Energy
Policy insights and practical guidance
This main report is intended for government policy makers and organisations considering installing small wind turbines at their sites, but will also interest other readers.

Small-scale Wind Energy
Technical Report (pdf, 5.72mb)
This companion Technical Report is intended for engineers and scientists working in the field.

As a follow-on piece of work, the Carbon Trust has commissioned a new yield estimation tool for the assessment of potential small wind turbine installation sites. This will be available on the Carbon Trust website later in 2008.