Yearly Archives: 2014

Wind power is renewable, clean and sustainable, however it is also intermittent. Agreeably, energy is only produced when the turbine is spinning and the performance of wind turbines increase at night when there is a reduced energy demand.

Energy supplies must meet demand to prevent the lights turning off. Currently, wind power most commonly acts as a supplementary form of energy with homes and businesses still consuming fossil fuel based energy. The solution is finding a way to store the energy produced when the blades are spinning and use it at peak times. The concept of storage for small scale renewable technologies is ongoing and is of vital consideration if small scale embedded generation is to be a main player in our future energy industry.

Ulster Farmers’ Union (UFU) in Northern Ireland have highlight the potential of on-farm energy storage and the contribution is would make to load management. Indeed, on-farm storage will allow power delivery at specified peak times. The UFU believes that there has not been enough policy consideration to the concept of storage of small scale renewable energy in Northern Ireland, or in fact anywhere else in the UK.

Isothermal Compressed Air Energy Storage (IAES) currently operates on large scale developments, but incorporating this technology on a micro-grid scale is a very real and exciting possibility.

Stay tuned.

Fine Energy has developed an innovative capability to maximise the benefits of on-site energy use.

Currently deployed at our small-scale sites, the technique is applicable to all intermittent sources of energy at all scales. Drawing on our experience of matching generation to on-site demand, we switch selected appliances on and off according to how much energy is being generated and consumed. This allows us to displace more expensive bought-in energy with green site production – a commercially attractive alternative to exporting power to the grid.

Using thermal storage, we are able to help businesses and residents use their home-grown energy even during periods of lower generation

Interested? We are exhibiting at The Renewables Event 2014, NEC Birmingham. Come along to find out more.

Community Power Cornwall held an open day event to celebrate the launch of their third community owned turbine. Over 100 people turned up to visit the newly installed turbine.

The turbine provides power to the BF Adventure’s Goodygrane site and the availability of an alternative energy supply has contributed to the provision of electricity needed for heating, hot water and lighting. Community Power Cornwall provides an economic model through which Cornish communities can own and benefit from the development of a small-scale wind turbine.

Renewable energy schemes are more sustainable at a local level when residents and businesses participate. It is encouraging to see people getting involved in wind energy projects and this is the level of enthusiasm needed to take renewable technology to the next level!

Last week Scotland revealed its plans to follow a model for small scale wind turbines and it appears the trend is catching. The Institute for Public Policy Research have expressed their support for small-scale renewable projects, stating this approach would replace the reliance on larger, international companies and put the ownership back in the hands of communities.

Indeed, utilities have faced increasing competition from community owned energy schemes adding to the rumour that the utility model is on its way out. There are many examples of wind turbines owned by schools, farmers, businesses and other co-operatives who are all benefiting from locally sourced, renewable energy.

Fine Energy work with landowners to develop sites for small-scale wind turbines. Why? The turbine generators do not rely on fuel and the machines produce a clean and balanced energy supply which can be consumed on site, or close to the generation point. Wind is not going to run out any time soon and once the turbines are manufactured and installed they do not release carbon dioxide or any other contaminants into the environment.

Does wind work for you?

Fine Energy identify and develop the best sites for small scale wind projects in the UK. Traditionally, the energy produced by the turbines has been sold to the grid, however we encourage onsite usage wherever possible.

Interestingly, it appears the appeal of making money by selling excess energy is not as enticing as it once was. Indeed, concerns over energy supply and rising prices are convincing communities and land owners to explore options for installing smaller turbines. The energy could be used in their own homes, guaranteeing lower prices for energy bills and offering a clean and balanced energy supply.

Notably, small scale wind projects receive more support and have a higher success rate at the planning stage. The Highlands will be following the Scandinavian model of small scale wind turbines, however we don’t think it will be long before other regions begin to seriously invest in distributed generation. The technology has proved it’s worth over the last two decades and when the turbine isn’t turning, you can still import energy from the grid.

It’s win win.