Site assessment and survey
Site assessment
Wind speeds vary dramatically depending on many factors including hills, presence of trees and proximity of buildings. Most wind turbines are sited where the wind speed is at least 5m/s at 10 metres above the ground.
You can get an estimate of the windspeed in your area, by visiting our Windspeed database page. This is based on a database provided by the Government which provides approximate windspeeds over a 1 km square, at three heights, 10m, 25m, and 45m. It is only an approximation, but it is useful as a startpoint.
The best way to calculate wind speed is to use a machine designed for the purpose, ideally over a number of weeks. An anemometer is usually used, although these are expensive to buy when the chances are you will only need to use it once. As an example, Logic Energy sells a LeWL wind speed data logger – a small device that measures wind speed over a period of time, allowing a reasonable estimate of the actual wind at your site. Their web site provides more detail.
The anemometer has to be mounted on a temporary mast, to be able to measure the wind speed at the height where the turbine is intended to be.
Site survey
If you have checked your wind speeds, or it looks likely that your land is suitable for a wind turbine, then the first step is what we call a ‘desktop survey’. We can check the possibilities from our office, using various resources to investigate the overall suitability. Once convinced of the site, we will visit you to discuss where the turbine would be sited most effectively, its height, output/size and whether you want a grid connect turbine or a stand alone turbine. We are then able to give you an estimated pay back period for the wind turbine on your land.
A report is produced after the survey which can be used as part of the planning application process.
There is a charge for a site survey which is deducted from the price of the turbine when you choose to move ahead and purchase.
