Domestic Wind Turbines
Generate electricity at home with small-scale wind turbines.
Wind turbines harness the power of the wind and use it to generate electricity. Small systems known as “microwind” or “small-wind” turbines can produce electricity to help power the lights and electrical appliances in a typical home.
40% of all the wind energy in Europe blows over the UK, making it an ideal country for small domestic turbines.
How do wind turbines work?
Wind turbines use large blades to catch the wind. When the wind blows the blades are forced round, driving a turbine which generates electricity. The stronger the wind, the more electricity produced.
There are two types of domestic-sized wind turbine:
- Mast mounted: these are free standing and are erected in a suitably exposed position, often around 2.5kW to 6kW
- Roof mounted: these are smaller than mast mounted systems and can be installed on the roof of a home where there is a suitable wind resource. Often these are around 1kW to 2kW in size.
If your small wind system is connected to the National Grid then you can make money by selling any generated electricity to an electricity supply company.
Read more about selling your own energy
From 1st April 2010 you could be eligible to receive cash for each unit of electricity you generate using this technology.
Find out more about the Clean Energy Cashback Scheme
If the turbine is not connected to the electricity grid then unused electricity can be stored in a battery for use when there is no wind.