Working the wind
Kevin Heaney, VP of Worldwide Sales and Marketing for Endurance Wind Power reports on one turbine that’s surpassed expectations
East Ash Farm, a family-operated dairy farm, is located approximately 13 miles southeast of Bideford, North Devon, and only five miles inland from the sea. When Mr. Ludwell, the owner, installed his Endurance E-3120 wind turbine he was motivated by the goals of reducing his high energy costs and providing an additional revenue stream for his dairy farm.
From a wind resource standpoint, the site is ideal for a wind turbine. The estimated wind speed is about 6.6m/s at 25 metres. A wind resource study, the standard protocol prior to the installation of any wind turbine, was performed; an additional indicator to the suitability of the site was immediately noticeable – a tree, bent over to one side. While not a precise measurement, it is a tell-tale indicator of an ideal windy site.
Dulas, a renewable energy company and authorised distributor for Endurance wind turbines, completed the installation phase within six weeks of initial groundwork, with turbine erection and commissioning completed in five days. Upon initial installation, and using the available 12.3m/s winds, the turbine kicked out power instantaneously. It is on track to provide exceptional power and revenue generation. In less than two months of operation, the turbine has generated some 36MWh of cumulative production over the summer period – with the windy season yet to begin.
Endurance Wind Power, a Canadian-based company, is a rapidly-expanding manufacturer of wind turbines, which until recently was known mainly in the North American distributed wind market. East Ash Farm was the first Endurance wind turbine installation in the United Kingdom. On the heels of this installation, Endurance installed five consecutive E-3120s, two of which were installed on nearby farms, whose owners were impressed with the performance of the Ludwell’s turbine and wished to reap similar benefits.
Steve Pomeroy is one of those nearby farmers, who had his E-3120 installed at the Wedfield Farm in Devon. “Installing the Endurance turbine enabled us to join the international drive for carbon footprint reduction along with helping us to reduce our electricity costs considerably and making use of the government’s Feed In Tariff scheme,” he says.
“As our dairy farm uses a lot of power consistently throughout the year a wind turbine was the perfect choice for us as our location is quite consistently windy. When generating, the turbine supplies the farm and then exports any excess electricity back into the National Grid for a fee of 3p per kWh as well as generating sufficient income through the Feed-in-Tariff to achieve a quick payback on our investment.
“Installation of the turbine was organised very well by Dulas and they were thorough and professional throughout the process. In just two days the turbine went from parts on the ground to being fully erected and generating power.
“We have had nothing but positive comments about the turbine which looks more elegant, much less intrusive and is quieter than expected as well as performing beyond expectations.”
Most wind turbines are designed for relatively high wind regimes, above 7.5m/s, whereas most UK sites, close to dwellings or points of grid connection, will have wind speeds between 5m/s and 7m/s at a height of 25 metres. The Endurance E-3120 50KW wind turbine was specifically designed for distributed energy applications. Using an oversized rotor diameter and a low RPM, it is optimally efficient in low to moderate wind speeds and is the quietest turbine in its class.
The design of the government’s feed-in-tariff (FIT), a primarily production-based incentive, sets the stage for customers to take advantage of turbines such as the Endurance E-3120, which deliver greater energy production and returns for their customers.
The new feed-in tariff guarantees high rates of return on energy generation from medium scale wind turbines (50-500kW) and has created opportunities for a range of agricultural and commercial sites.
These incentives are significant to the growth in the wind industry, due in part to the industry’s ability to provide customers with a cost-effective way to save on their energy consumption. They also drive the growth of clean, renewable, and sustainable energy, which plays an important role in reducing the carbon footprint of alternative energy production sources.
The production of wind energy is a major step in assisting the United Kingdom to acquire 15 percent of its total energy production from renewable energy sources, thereby helping to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 34 percent by the year 2020. Renewable energy includes sources such as wind, solar, water, biomass, and geothermal energy. While estimates for 2010 look to renewable energy to provide 7 percent of electricity sales, wind energy production tips the scales with a huge increase of 19.9 percent.
Many owners enjoy the financial benefits that come with investing in a wind turbine. Protecting themselves from escalating energy costs and using FITs to provide a healthy return on their investment are just two benefits. These benefits are especially great for business, educational, institutional, and industrial applications, which are often overwhelmed with tight budget constraints. These customers can use the displaced energy costs and revenue from their wind turbines for better managed resources.
Users can also feel proud that the source of their energy production reduces their impact on the environment by alleviating carbon emissions and reducing the amount of clean water consumed by alternate forms of energy production. This also promotes community sustainability values and signifies their commitment to a cleaner future.
The table shows the annual energy production, feed-in tariff generation and export revenue expected with an Endurance wind turbine.
Mr Ludwell’s turbine is expected to generate approximately 200MWH and over £50,000 feed-in-tariff income per annum (excluding the extra savings resulting from electricity usage on site).
This equates to a simple payback within the five year warranty period, but even more substantial is the revenue that Mr. Ludwell will continue to receive for the life span of the wind turbine.
The Endurance E-3120 50kW wind turbine is green energy that works.
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