Objective
In early 1988 a small wind turbine was installed on a remote island in Orkney. Since then, the installation has fully met the objectives set for it to maintain a year round temperature of 21 deg. C in a remote rural homestead. What is more, it has withstood the very worst of wind and weather conditions.
The 10 kW wind generator provides 30,000 kWh of electricity per year. It replaces about 12,000 l/year of oil or other fuel (worth about 2,500 ECU/UKL 1,750 in 1992 prices). And of course, it is completely pollution free.
Wind turbine installed in February 1988. During the monitoring phase the results were very encouraging. Total energy production in 1989 was measured equal to 29502 kWh. A few problems arose when some small not fully galvanized components were corroded. Until 1990 the machine had produced an average of 26 MWh per annum. The manufacturer, Aerowatt ceased to trade since the completion of this project.
In remote island locations, the potential economic and other benefits are in fact much more greater. In North Ronldsay the marginal cost per household of electrical mains connection was 22,850 ECU/UKL 16,000. So the total installation cost of such a scheme is about the same as connection to an electrical grid over a distance of about 2 km.
Of course, there is no environmental pollution. The saving in CO2 emissions against thermally generated electricity is at least 20 tonnes/year, per household or about 1000 tonnes/year, for a community, such as North Ronaldsay. And there are other benefits.
These include the following :
. Greatly improved household comfort, in circumstances where conventional space heating is adequate or unavailable.
. Future installations could include a provision to put the excess electricity produced to other uses lighting, power and possibly to provide the energy for an electrically powered vehicle.
. Economic benefit to the locally, through the use of local labour for construction.
. Potential future benefit, through the use of local skills for ongoing maintenance (at all stages of this project, local labour and skills have been adequate for installation maintenance, and operation).
The scheme means that cash flow will not leave the locally for imported fuel or power.
There has been local and international interest in the potential of this scheme, which is one of the first such reliable installations in the world.
Space heating is needed throughout the year by the islanders of North Ronaldsay.
A low-lying island in the extreme north of Orkneys, North Ronaldsay's average temperature is a low 5 deg. C. Temperature rarely exceed 15 deg. C, even in summer. Space heating accounts for over 50% of the island's energy consumption. Islanders still rely on fossil fuel for their space heating, despite the recent provision of mains electricity.
The generator provides power to heating elements in a 110 litre primary water tank in the house. The primary tank in turn heats water via a heat exchanger, for circulation to radiators throughout the house. A 2000 litre plastic water tank, also located within the house, is connected to the primary tank. This stores heat when the energy supply exceeds demand, and provides heat when demand exceeds supply. The tank is guaranteed secure for temperature up to 100 deg. C.
A number of separate controls have been used to ensure wind turbine regulation and a steady 21 deg. C throughout the house.
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Coordinator
G1 1XQ GLASGOW
United Kingdom
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.