Borough Council of Wellingborough

Renewable Energy

Wind Turbines

Wind TurbineWind 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 lights and electrical appliances in a home.

Wind turbines use large blades to catch the wind. These blades are forced round, driving a turbine which generates electricity. The stronger the wind, the more electricity is produced.

The advantage of using a wind turbine is it is completely clean, and takes nothing out of the environment and you can sell your extra electricity back to the grid.

Disadvantage is residential use on an economical scale is difficult. You need a fairly high tower and they do make some noise. This makes wind turbines the least effective of renewable energy in urban areas. Small domestic wind systems also normally require planning permission from your local authority.

You should always get advice on what renewable energy is right for you. Use only Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) approved installers to qualify for Feed-in Tariffs.