Wind Power - Projects and Costings

Have you got a wind energy project, either existing or planned? Then we would like your help to put together real facts and figures, problems and issues, tips and advice for others interested in wind turbines, wind power and general wind energy issues. Your experience may help us all work towards sustainable living and reducing our carbon footprint. If you can help

Click the links below to explore current information and data on real projects.

Wind Power - there’s more to wind than you think
	This article looks at the disturbing facts behind the wind power industry's use of average wind speeds. Do not install a wind turbine until you have read this!

Getting planning permission for a wind turbine
	This article looks at what's involved to get planning permission. This article is currently being put together and should be available shortly.

Wind Power - what realityGreen is about

realityGreen is all about a realistic approach to reducing your carbon footprint and working towards a sustainable lifestyle. This is our wind power page where the wind turbine takes centre stage, We believe that each and everyone of us must do our bit to reduce our carbon footprint. Much is out of the individuals control on a day to day basis as we rely on governments to make the broad changes required but we can take action to reduce our own carbon footprint and work towards sustainable living. realityGreen is all about helping you reduce your own personal carbon footprint

Wind Turbine - the most visible sign of wind power

The wind turbine is perhaps the most visible sign many of us see of renewable energy. The sight of a massive wind turbine is impressive (unless you happen to be the individual who lives next door to it and suffer ill health due the low frequency vibration). The government want to see many more of these wind turbine giants on our landscape and out at sea. With aims to use the wind turbine to create up to 20% of our power requirements and big subsidies for the developers, it's hard to see wind power and the size of the wind turbine not growing. realityGreen brings you all latest developments in wind turbine technology but we also question the future environmental benefit of such renewable energy sources for reducing our carbon footprint.

Wind power for the individual

A recent report demonstrated that using a wind turbine in a small scale home based system wasn't as efficient as claimed. In fact in some case the wind power harnessed didn't cover the amount of energy used by the system. Living on a two acre site on the Welsh borders (as the editor does) where you would expect plenty of potential for wind power we were very disappointed at the results from six months wind speed monitoring. This is what it's about. Not taking a wind turbine in isolation and looking only at the fact that wind power is being generated, but looking at the overall effect ot the wind turbine to analyse the real potential of this form of renewable energy.

wind power should hold a bright future

If we sound negative about wind power and the use of the wind turbine then we have not explained ourselves very well. In the correct locations where adequate and reliable winds exist, then there is great potential for wind power and with developments in power monitoring and switching of excess wind power to areas such as say charging the electric car, then the true benefit of the wind turbine in helping to reduce our carbon footprint may come in the future.

renewable energy is a must

Here at realityGreen we are under no illusions that the world must create renewable energy if we are to reduce our carbon footprint. We are well aware that some believe the effect we make on the planet is insignificant but we don’t want to take that risk. Using a wind turbine to harness wind power is only one renewable and many of the others offer much greater promise. Hydroelectric is already well proven and developments in solar cell technologies are coming on leaps and bounds with very real prospects of solar electricity production as cheap as gas in the future. realityGreen will keep you up to date with all these developments.

Welcome to realityGreen - the site specifically designed for those aiming for modern but sustainable living. Here you will find articles and links looking at both the environmental and economic benefits of systems and equipment available to those wanting to embrace sustainable living. If you are interested in individual sustainable projects, then the links to these appear below the news items under the various menu categories.

Wind Power- wind turbines and wind energy

8/18/2010 7:50:43 AM	Australia to build largest wind farm in southern hemisphere The largest wind farm in the Southern Hemisphere will be built in Australia at Macarthur near Hamilton, 260km west of Melbourne, Victoria. Comprising 140 Vestas V112-3.0 MW wind turbine generators, the 420 MW Macarthur Wind Farm will have the capacity to power more than 220,000 average Victorian homes and abate more than 1.7 million tons of greenhouse gases every year.

8/18/2010 7:35:38 AM	How about a carbon neutral megayaght Ok, it's a bit out of the average person's price bracket but even the super rich are getting the chance to do their bit for sustainable living. This story on gizmag is a must for those who love the ocean waves, have the odd $50 million knocking about and want to feel they're doing their bit!

8/17/2010 7:25:30 AM	Scotland's CARES fund closes due to excess demand Scotland’s Community and Renewable Energy Scheme (CARES) has closed to new applicants due excess demand. The fund, has already exceeded its £13.5m budget having assisted 300 community groups invest in renewable technologies including solar panels, biomass and wind turbines since its launch in May 2009.

8/16/2010 10:01:07 AM	Wind Power - there’s more to wind than you think This article looks at the disturbing facts behind the wind power industry's use of average wind speeds. Do not install a wind turbine until you have read this!

8/6/2010 10:52:53 AM	Feed In Tarrifs - Great for renewables but check the figures The UK’s Feed In Tariffs (FITs) for small scale generation of renewable power were introduced by the last government and came into force on April 1st 2010. Basically, anyone who installs renewable technology up to 5MW) will be paid a set amount for the power they generate, regardless of whether they use it for their own use or not. Be warned though, the figures can be misleading.